Why Native Plants?

Native plants are those that are indigenous to a certain area and have adapted to the local conditions. They provide food and shelter for native wildlife, whereas exotic species cannot because they haven’t evolved with the surrounding wildlife. In addition to supporting biodiversity, they also benefit homeowners by requiring less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than exotics.

The guides below provide an overview of commercially available native plants in the Georgia eastern piedmont. Through a partnership with the Athens-Clarke County Office of Sustainability and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, these guides were created for use by both homeowners and industry professionals. Links to resources are provided for additional information. Please format the guide at 11x17 paper size or larger to print.

The guides in this series include:

• Dry-Moist Upland Clearings Restoration Species

  • A PDF printable copy is available here 

• Dry Woodland and Forest Restoration Species

  • A PDF printable copy is available here

• Floodplain Meadow: Bottomland Riparian Restoration Species

  • A PDF printable copy is available here

• Forested Floodplain Restoration Species

  • A PDF printable copy is available here 

• Moist Forested Slopes Restoration Species

  • A PDF printable copy is available here

• Moist-Wet Lowland Clearing Species 

  • A PDF printable copy is available here

Other Guides Available

If you're interested in learning more, a guide has been created to help define the different native areas that exist within Georgia. If you need more information, you can email naturalcommsga@gmail.com.