Native Plants
What are Natives?
Native species are those that occur naturally in an area, having not been introduced by human action.
Over time, they have evolved with the physical and biological factors specific to their region, such as climate, soil, rainfall, and interactions with other plants, animals, and insects that live in the area.
Thus, they are uniquely adapted to the local conditions and the area's wildlife, including important pollinators and migratory birds.
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An ecologically diverse mosaic of growing conditions and habitats in NC leads to the 4000 native plant species constituting part of NC's precious natural resources.
Planting a garden? Grow natives. Why? From celebrating our natural heritage to providing food and shelter for native wildlife, the benefits are manifold.
Visit the Plant Gallery to browse for plants that may work well in your garden. The clickable-letters take you to lists ordered by scientific name. You can also do a regular simple search from the main pages, or perform an Advanced Search. Search for things such as soil type, sunlight and Common Names. There is also a Pictures-only browsing option. Clicking on a plant's name you like takes you to its details page.
Consider joining a local Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society near you - or start one! We have many special Events you may be interested in also!
Have fun learning about native plants! Browse the entire site!
