Living in the South and want to plant a native garden? Here is the garden inspiration you were looking for. These native plants are easy to find, easy to plant, and will look stunning in your Southern garden. Scroll on for inspiration, alongside southern native nurseries to visit.
This article is filled with ideas for Southern native gardens (plant profiles! nurseries! online sellers!)
Before we get into it, let’s start with a basic question.
Why plant native in the South?
Planting native plants ensures the plants can thrive in the South’s heat, weather, and water while saving time (and money), especially when compared to lawns. Here are four reasons to plant native:
1. Native plants are built to thrive in Southern heat and weather
Native plants have existed in their home area for thousands of years. They have seen every drought, hurricane, or rainstorm in their area and thrived. Southern native plants are the best plants to grow in all Southern gardens since they know and love the South.
2. Native plants take the least amount of care (and water)
Because Southern native plants have seen all the weather and soil in the South, they are ready for the natural weather. This means that just normal rainfall should keep them happy once established.
This is a BIG difference from non-native plants, which may need lots of extra watering to get through droughts or southern heat. Plant native and save on your water bill.
3. Southern native plants help butterflies and hummingbirds
Some of our most iconic butterflies—such as Monarchs and Gulf Fritillaries—only lay their eggs on one plant. These monogamous plant-butterfly pairings are called host plants. Without native host plants, iconic North American butterflies will not survive.
4. Native plants are gorgeous
Finally, as you’ll see below—the native plants from the South are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. They will quickly become your garden favorites and last for years and years.
We’ve covered the benefits. Now let’s meet some Southern native favorites.
Find your plants
These native plants are perfect for Southern gardens
All these plants have thrived in Southeastern North America for thousands of years—they are ready to thrive in your garden. Each of these plants is also a perennial, meaning they will return year after year looking better than ever.
Native plants are the easiest to grow, especially compared to non-native. After their first year being established, each of these flowers will come back year after year and require nothing fancy to keep going besides rain. Planting native plants ensures our gardens look amazing and our water bills stay low. You don’t have to have a botany degree to have a garden! Plant these easy natives and enjoy a gorgeous yard all year long—and spend 2400% LESS TIME than if you were doing lawn care.
Looking for more expertise? We got you:
Hear from Southern experts
Hear tips and tricks for planting in the South in our interview series:
Where can I find natives for the South?
Looking for places to buy or source natives? We have a list below, and here’s a tip:
Plants and seeds grown close to home are tuned to your soil, weather, and pollinators. Stay within 500 miles—or about a day’s drive—to help your garden thrive naturally.
Buy native plants online from Southern sellers
Here are recommendations for buying native seeds and plants online in the south:
- Eden Brothers (Asheville, NC)
- Native Wildflower Nursery (Gruetli-Laager, TN)
- Plant Delights (NC)
- Plants for Pollinators (Fairview, TN)
- Roundstone Seed (Upton, KY)
- Woodlanders (Aiken, SC)
Southern native plant nurseries
Finding natives can be challenging—unless you visit a nursery specializing in them. Here are some native nurseries to visit:
Southeastern native nurseries include:
Alabama
- Creation Sings Native Plants (Wilsonville)
- Kim’s Nursery (Wilmer)
- Native Nursery Landscaping (Fairhope)
- Nemophily Natives (Auburn)
- Petals from the Past (Jemison)
- Recreative Natives (Cropwell)
- Ruffner Mountain (native plant sales in the spring, Birmingham)
- Wildgrass Wilderness Nursery (Dothan)
Florida
North Florida
- Florida Wildflowers (Havana)
- Native Nurseries (Tallahassee)
- Sandhills Native Nursery (Fountain)
- Southern Horticulture (St. Augustine)
Central Florida
- Blossoms of Light (Orlando)
- Colombia Gardens Nursery (Howey-in-the-Hills)
- Green Isle Gardens (Groveland)
- Native & Uncommon Plants (Melbourne)
- Native Florida Landscapes (Orlando)
- Southeast Native Plants (Melbourne)
- Spruce Creek Eco-Systems (Port Orange)
- The Natives (Davenport)
- Wildflowers of Florida (Clermont)
South Florida
- All Native Garden Center & Plant Nursery (Fort Myers)
- Amelia’s SmartyPlants (Lake Worth)
- Change of Greenery (Davie)
- Green Seasons Nursery (Parrish)
- Palm Hammock Orchid Estate (Miami)
- Southeast AgriServices (Palm Beach Gardens)
- Southern Habitats (Lecanto)
- Sustainable Kashi (Sebastian)
- Wilcox Nursery & Landscape (Largo)
Georgia
Northeast Georgia (Blue Ridge Area)
- The Herb Crib (Blairsville)
Northwest Georgia (Ridge and Valley)
- Native Forest Nursery (Chatsworth) by appointment; also ships
- Plant Life Nursery (Rome)
- Spirit Tree Farms (Ringgold) by appointment
Central Georgia (Piedmont)Â
- Asclepias and More (Grovetown)
- Beech Hollow Farm (Scottdale + Lexington)
- Cottage Garden Natives (Lithonia)
- Gardens of the Blue Ridge (Danielsville)
- Little Creek Farm Nursery (Dallas)
- Nearly Native Nursery (Fayetteville)
- North Georgia Native Plant Nursery (Canton)
- Piccadilly Farm (Bishop)
- Sunrise Nursery (Winterville)
- Swallowtail Center (Decatur) nonprofit native nursery and education center
- Wild Roots Native Nursery (Stockbridge/Tucker)
Southwest Georgia
- Garden Delights at Lazy K Nursery (Pine Mountain) largest selection of Native Azaleas to be found anywhere Â
Southeast Georgia (Coast)Â
- Florabundance Gardens Native Plant Nursery (Darien)
- Warner Robins Native Plant Center (Warner Robins)
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Kentucky
- Beargrass Thunder (Louisville)
- Dropseed Native Plant Nursery (Goshen)
- ExtraFlora (Salvisa) also ships online via Etsy
- Ironweed Native Plant Nursery (Waddy)
- Joy Of Natives (Nancy)
- Native Yardening (Covington) local pickup only
- Oakland Farm Trees (Paris) by appointment only
- Roundstone Seed (Upton)
Louisiana
Greater New Orleans
- Baumgardens (New Orleans area)
- Chickadee Natives (New Orleans)
- City Park Pelican Greenhouse (New Orleans)
- Harold’s Plants (New Orleans)
Northshore & Gulf Coast
- Bois d’Arc Gardens (Schriever)
- Pastorek Habitats (Covington)
Baton Rouge & Surrounding Areas
- Beaver’s Abundance (Prairieville)
- Friendship Acres Farm (West Baton Rouge)
- Maypop Hill (Norwood)
- Meadow Creek Natives (St. Francisville)
Acadiana & Southwest Louisiana
- Acadiana Native Plant Project (Arnaudville)
- Almost Eden (Merryville)
- Cajun Native Plants (Abbeville)
- Coastal Prairie Farms, ULL Ecology Center (Lafayette)
- Gail’s Native Garden (Breaux Bridge)
- Louisiana Native Seed (Lafayette)
- Soggy Prairie Stalks and Seeds (Iowa)
- The Urban Naturalist (Lafayette)
North Louisiana
- Grown by Grace Native Plants (Monroe)
Mississippi
- Backhouse Garden (Carriere)
- Camp Creek Native Plants (New Albany)
- Clinton Community Nature Center (Clinton)Â offers seasonal plant sales, check website for dates
- Homestead Farms (Coldwater)
- In Bloom Garden and Gifts (Crystal Springs)
- Mississippi Woodland Nursery (Ridgeland)
- Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries (Starkville)
- Oxford in Bloom (Oxford)
- Pine Hills Nursery & Garden Center (Pass Christian)
North Carolina
- Bring Back the Butterflies (Charlotte) order online + local pick-up
- Carolina Heritage Nursery (Charlotte) open by appt only
- Carolina Native Nursery largest native azalea producer in the US! Read our interview with the owner. (Burnsville)
- Deep Roots Natives Garden Center (Durham)
- Eden Brothers (Asheville)
- Plant Delights Nursery at Juniper Level Botanic Garden (Raleigh)
- Queen City Native Nursery (Charlotte) email for visits
- Rachel’s Native Plants (Pittsboro)
Open Year-Round. Tuesday – Sunday, 10a – 4p and by Appointment!
- Sandy Mush Herb Nursery (Leicester) open by appt only
South Carolina
- Bells Creek Wildflower Farm (Walhalla) by appt only
- Blue Oak Horticulture (Taylors) confirm schedule for hours
- Carolina Wild (Anderson) by appt only
- Joyful Butterfly (Blackstock, visits by appt only)
- Native Plants to the People (James Island)Â pop-up sales in spring and fall
- Naturescapes of Beaufort (Beaufort) by appt only
- Roots & Shoots (Charleston)
- South Carolina Native Plant Society, Upstate Nursery
Tennessee
- Bates Nursery (Nashville)
- East Tennessee State Nursery (Delano)
- Euchee Meadows Nursery (Decatur)
- GroWild, Inc. (Fairview) by appointment
- Memphis Native Tree Works (Memphis)
- Millers Cove Native Plants (Walland)
- Native Plant Rescue Squad (Knoxville)
- Native Wildflower Nursery (Gruetli-Laager)
- Overhill Gardens (Vonore)
- Plants for Pollinators (Fairview)
- Reflection Riding (Chattanooga) nonprofit nature center and nursery
- Shy Valley Farm (Fall Branch)
- Tennessee Naturescapes (Clinton)
Best books for Southern native gardens
Sometimes, you just want to flip through beautiful photos on glossy pages. Here are some of our favorites:
Gardening with Native Plants of the South
Sally Wasowski, 2020
Originally published in 1994 and updated in 2020, this book has lots of pictures of gardens—not just individual plants.
Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens
Gil Nelson, 2010
Gil is an expert, and it shows in this incredible compendium of southern plants. It’s filled with lots of images to help it from being too overwhelming.
The Southeast Native Plant Primer: 225 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden
Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross, 2020
With tons of pictures and easily organized, this is a great source of inspiration for Southeast gardeners.
And that sums up our guide to the best native plants for Southern gardens. These native flowers, shrubs, and trees have the DNA to be the most resilient and beautiful choices for southern gardens. Sadly, native plants have been overlooked for generations (we partly blame Marie Antoinette), but we can change this, even in our lifetimes. Native plants are beautiful, powerful choices for our landscaping—especially compared to lawncare or non-native plants. Explore some of our most popular plant profiles: Beginner’s Guide to Coneflowers or our Beginner’s Guide to Native Magnolias to find some new favorites. Happy planting!
Sources
- Missouri Botantical Garden, Rhododendron catawbiense
- Native Plant Trust, Rhododendron carolinianum
- NC State Extension, Rhodendron maximum
- Nelson, Gil. Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens: A Handbook for Gardeners, Homeowners, and Professionals. (2010).
- Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Provider Directory
Written by
Emily Lessard
Founder & Editor, The Plant Native
Emily Lessard is the founder and editor of The Plant Native, the site that helps homeowners across North America get started with native plants. She holds a Sustainable Landscapes certificate through the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association, is finishing a Native Perennial Garden Design Certificate at Temple University, and is the author of World of Native Plants (Quarto, February 2027). She gardens outside Philadelphia in the 8.3 Southeastern Plains ecoregion.
