10 Standout Native Shrubs and Small Palms for Southern Gardens
These hardworking plants serve a variety of purposes, such as screening views and attracting native wildlife
The Southeast is defined as the region stretching from the coastal plain to Appalachia from Virginia south to Florida and west to Texas. It’s blessed with a long growing season, plenty of heat and heavy humidity. In the South, autumn is a wonderful time to plant woody shrubs and palms because they will establish easier and set down new roots during the cooler months.
The following 10 woody shrubs and small palms are native to the Southeast, can handle a range of soil and moisture conditions, and are resilient to the region’s climate extremes. The South’s garden planting palette is immense, but these selections have standout characteristics that make them a special and reliable choice for the landscape of the Southeast.
Not in the Southeast? Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
The following 10 woody shrubs and small palms are native to the Southeast, can handle a range of soil and moisture conditions, and are resilient to the region’s climate extremes. The South’s garden planting palette is immense, but these selections have standout characteristics that make them a special and reliable choice for the landscape of the Southeast.
Not in the Southeast? Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
2. Mountain Laurel
(Kalmia latifolia)
Native to the edges of forests and open woods in the eastern United States from Mississippi and Florida north to Maine
Best companion shrub for azaleas. Azaleas are ericaceous plants, meaning that they require acidic soil, and it’s best to plant them with other acid-loving shrubs and perennials. This is where mountain laurel comes in handy, because it has very similar growing conditions as mountain azalea but blooms later in the season. Together, mountain azalea and mountain laurel make a stunning group of flowing garden plants in part shade. The azaleas have magnificent blooms early in the spring that can be followed up with mountain laurel’s origami-like flowers.
See how to grow mountain laurel
(Kalmia latifolia)
Native to the edges of forests and open woods in the eastern United States from Mississippi and Florida north to Maine
Best companion shrub for azaleas. Azaleas are ericaceous plants, meaning that they require acidic soil, and it’s best to plant them with other acid-loving shrubs and perennials. This is where mountain laurel comes in handy, because it has very similar growing conditions as mountain azalea but blooms later in the season. Together, mountain azalea and mountain laurel make a stunning group of flowing garden plants in part shade. The azaleas have magnificent blooms early in the spring that can be followed up with mountain laurel’s origami-like flowers.
See how to grow mountain laurel
Photo by Dendroica cerulea
3. Eastern Sweetshrub
(Calycanthus floridus)
Native from southern New York state to northern Florida and west to Arkansas and Illinois
Best scented flower. There’s no shortage of fragrant flowers in the South. Eastern sweetshrub produces spicy-scented blooms, whose long, thin maroon petals are discernible from a distance. It’s a handsome shrub too, with a dense form and broad leaves.
See how to grow eastern sweetshrub
3. Eastern Sweetshrub
(Calycanthus floridus)
Native from southern New York state to northern Florida and west to Arkansas and Illinois
Best scented flower. There’s no shortage of fragrant flowers in the South. Eastern sweetshrub produces spicy-scented blooms, whose long, thin maroon petals are discernible from a distance. It’s a handsome shrub too, with a dense form and broad leaves.
See how to grow eastern sweetshrub
Photo by mazola_jr
4. American Beautyberry
(Callicarpa americana)
Native to the southeastern U.S. from Texas and Oklahoma east to South Carolina and Florida, plus Missouri and North Carolina
Best showy autumn fruit. American beautyberry produces purple fruit in autumn that birds love. Its overall habit is open, with arching branches that reach wide from the base of the plant. It can easily be propagated and encouraged to spread by air layering these arching branches, a method where a branch is rooted while still attached to the parent plant.
See how to grow American beautyberry
4. American Beautyberry
(Callicarpa americana)
Native to the southeastern U.S. from Texas and Oklahoma east to South Carolina and Florida, plus Missouri and North Carolina
Best showy autumn fruit. American beautyberry produces purple fruit in autumn that birds love. Its overall habit is open, with arching branches that reach wide from the base of the plant. It can easily be propagated and encouraged to spread by air layering these arching branches, a method where a branch is rooted while still attached to the parent plant.
See how to grow American beautyberry
Photo by Miguel Vieira
5. Saw Palmetto
(Serenoa repens)
Native to the southeastern U.S. from Louisiana east through Florida to South Carolina
Toughest native palm for dry sites. Saw palmetto makes a consistently thick understory foliage plant that’s drought-tolerant. It’s useful for coastal areas and sandy soils under light canopy or in full shade. The sprawling plant is extremely long-lived, so be sure to plant it where it won’t be moved. Saw palmetto is tough to transplant, but once established in the right spot, it’s trouble-free for many years.
See how to grow saw palmetto
5. Saw Palmetto
(Serenoa repens)
Native to the southeastern U.S. from Louisiana east through Florida to South Carolina
Toughest native palm for dry sites. Saw palmetto makes a consistently thick understory foliage plant that’s drought-tolerant. It’s useful for coastal areas and sandy soils under light canopy or in full shade. The sprawling plant is extremely long-lived, so be sure to plant it where it won’t be moved. Saw palmetto is tough to transplant, but once established in the right spot, it’s trouble-free for many years.
See how to grow saw palmetto
Photo by Homer Edward Price
6. Needle Palm
(Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
Native to the southeastern U.S., primarily Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia
Most cold-hardy palm. Needle palm brings tropical-looking foliage to gardens that otherwise might get too cold. As one of the most cold-hardy palms, surviving temperatures down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12.2 degrees Celsius, needle palm is a reliable choice for gardeners in more inland landscapes who want a tropical touch without worrying about their plants being killed by frost. The foliage is dark green with deeply divided palmate fronts and slightly silvery undersides.
See how to grow needle palm
6. Needle Palm
(Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
Native to the southeastern U.S., primarily Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia
Most cold-hardy palm. Needle palm brings tropical-looking foliage to gardens that otherwise might get too cold. As one of the most cold-hardy palms, surviving temperatures down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12.2 degrees Celsius, needle palm is a reliable choice for gardeners in more inland landscapes who want a tropical touch without worrying about their plants being killed by frost. The foliage is dark green with deeply divided palmate fronts and slightly silvery undersides.
See how to grow needle palm
Photo by Marianne Serra
7. Dahoon
(Ilex cassine)
Native to the coastal southeastern U.S. but can be planted inland
Best large evergreen hedge plant. Dahoon makes a lovely evergreen screen where you need privacy. It’s a large shrub or small tree that creates an evergreen backdrop to the small garden. Small red holly berries appear in autumn, a tasty food for songbirds that visit your yard. Dahoon also has many garden hybrids that are perfect for formal gardens.
See how to grow dahoon
7. Dahoon
(Ilex cassine)
Native to the coastal southeastern U.S. but can be planted inland
Best large evergreen hedge plant. Dahoon makes a lovely evergreen screen where you need privacy. It’s a large shrub or small tree that creates an evergreen backdrop to the small garden. Small red holly berries appear in autumn, a tasty food for songbirds that visit your yard. Dahoon also has many garden hybrids that are perfect for formal gardens.
See how to grow dahoon
Photo by peganum
8. Dusty Zenobia
(Zenobia pulverulenta)
Native to the southeastern U.S., primarily Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Virginia
Best midsize flowering shrub. Dusty zenobia is smaller in stature than the other shrubs listed here. Gardening in the South can sometimes be a challenge, as our extended growing season can create large, overgrown plants that require constant maintenance. Dusty zenobia, however, is a slow-growing shrub that stays on the small side, making it a great garden addition to the compact yard.
See how to grow dusty zenobia
8. Dusty Zenobia
(Zenobia pulverulenta)
Native to the southeastern U.S., primarily Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Virginia
Best midsize flowering shrub. Dusty zenobia is smaller in stature than the other shrubs listed here. Gardening in the South can sometimes be a challenge, as our extended growing season can create large, overgrown plants that require constant maintenance. Dusty zenobia, however, is a slow-growing shrub that stays on the small side, making it a great garden addition to the compact yard.
See how to grow dusty zenobia
Photo by Fritz Flohr Reynolds
9. Buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Native to the eastern and central U.S. from Texas east to south Florida, and in Canada in Ontario and Nova Scotia; also native to a few scattered areas in Arizona, California and Mexico
Best wetland shrub. Buttonbush thrives in most of the eastern U.S. It’s included here as a standout because it can tolerate marshy, water-logged soils better than many other shrubs can. It’s a perfect shrub for the southern rain garden or swale and has the cutest button flowers in early summer.
See how to grow buttonbush
9. Buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Native to the eastern and central U.S. from Texas east to south Florida, and in Canada in Ontario and Nova Scotia; also native to a few scattered areas in Arizona, California and Mexico
Best wetland shrub. Buttonbush thrives in most of the eastern U.S. It’s included here as a standout because it can tolerate marshy, water-logged soils better than many other shrubs can. It’s a perfect shrub for the southern rain garden or swale and has the cutest button flowers in early summer.
See how to grow buttonbush
10. Spicebush
(Lindera benzoin)
Native from southern Maine to northern Florida and west to Missouri and Texas
Best shrub for wildlife. Spicebush is a great choice if you want to bring wildlife to your yard. With berries in early autumn that feed the birds, this woodland shrub has the right structure for bird nesting and perching throughout the day. Spicebush is also a host plant for several native swallowtail butterflies.
See how to grow spicebush
Browse more plants native to your region
(Lindera benzoin)
Native from southern Maine to northern Florida and west to Missouri and Texas
Best shrub for wildlife. Spicebush is a great choice if you want to bring wildlife to your yard. With berries in early autumn that feed the birds, this woodland shrub has the right structure for bird nesting and perching throughout the day. Spicebush is also a host plant for several native swallowtail butterflies.
See how to grow spicebush
Browse more plants native to your region
1. Mountain Azalea
(Rhododendron canescens)
Native from Texas and Florida north to North Carolina
Best azalea. Azaleas epitomize the classic garden of the South. With so many species out there, it’s tough to pick just one. Mountain azalea is a common native azalea that grows in woodlands throughout the Southeast. It reaches 8 feet tall and produces numerous showy, fragrant flowers each spring on elegant, slender and spreading branches.
See how to grow mountain azalea