North Carolina is divided into three ecological regions: the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and the Mountains. Each region provides a rich variety of ecological habitats, supporting over 4,000 native plant species.

The Piedmont region is located between the Coastal Plain and the Mountains. The fall line is a major break in geologic structure between Piedmont and the Coastal Plain which results in differences in ecosystem patterns and a variety of landscape relief and roughness. It is characterized by gently rolling, well-rounded hills and long low ridges with a few hundred feet of elevation difference between the hills and valleys. Elevations range from 300 to 600 feet above sea level along the border between Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. Elevations gradually rise to about 1,500 feet above sea level at the foot of the Mountains. Piedmont occupies about 45 percent of the area of the state.

The Piedmont region is home to many species of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. Noted for its short, mild winters and sultry summers, it can also support many non-native species which are beginning to make their way across the landscape. Regrettably, some of these exotic immigrants are invasive and are threatening the native flora and ecology of the state.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species, and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants.

• First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers, and pesticides or use less water.
• Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats.
• Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.

Here is a list of North Carolina native shrubs that are well-suited for plantings in the Piedmont Region.

• Never collect native plants from the wild as it will deplete natural ecosystems. 
• When possible, plant species grown straight from local seed sources. These native originals are the best choice, as they co-evolved with specific wildlife, which supports migration, breeding, and other seasonal interdependencies.