Native Evergreens in the Southeast

Patridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

In the quiet of winter, green plants in the southeast are a welcome sight. They are a beacon of life in what can be a very brown time. And of course they are good shelter for birds and help to provide a bit of privacy.

Last week I talked about invasive evergreen plants. We are fortunate to have a good selection of native evergreen plants to use in the landscape, from perennials to shrubs to vines and, of course, trees. 



Here are a few of the ones you might consider if you are looking to add some winter green to your landscape.

Perennials: Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) is a lovely yellow-flowering ground cover; partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) offers bright red berries in winter; the leaves of beetlewand (Galax urceolata) bronze to a rich mix of green and burgundy; ground orchids like Tipularia discolor and Goodyera pubescens delight you with the thought that you are growing orchids outside; evergreen gingers (Hexastylis spp.) bravely hold green leaves above the leaf litter; Christmas (Polystichum acrostichoides) and ebony spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) ferns are so hardy; and patches of moss glisten when revealed among the fallen leaves.

Chrysogonum virginianum in April on a
roadside embankment in North Georgia

Hexastylis arifolia in December at Hard
Labor Creek State Park 

Shrubs: Florida anise (Illicium floridanum) likes shade and moist conditions; Florida leucothoe (Agarista populifolia) is my go-to deer-resistant shrub for part-sun; dwarf wax myrtle (Morella cerifera var. pumila) is great for full sun; dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) is a bit of a meatball but looks better if you avoid the pruners; creeping pieris (Pieris phillyreifolia) is surprisingly garden worthy considering where it grows naturally (swamps); inkberry (Ilex glabra) is so handsome; mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) cultivars give us so many choices; and Rhododendron is perfect for that eastern side of the house.

Many of these plants have their natural range in the Coastal Plain, so do consider what might be most appropriate for where you are and your landscape goals.

Agarista populifolia in January

Kalmia latifolia in December

Trees: Thank goodness for so many native pine trees (Pinus spp.)–they keep the green front and center; eastern and southern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)–which is not a cedar at all; the festive American holly (Ilex opaca) which has red berries and green leaves (well the female does); Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) has glossy leaves; southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is very regal; wax myrtle (Morella cerifera) in tree form provides fragrant small berries (female, again); and our native hemlocks (Tsuga spp.) gracefully anchor our shade gardens.

So if you love a bit of green come winter, select some of these great native plants to be a part of your landscape.

Southern redcedar
(Juniperus virginiana var silicicola)

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)