Recommended Native Plant Species for Stream Restoration in North Carolina

 

 

Produced By:

Karen Hall

NC Stream Restoration Institute

NCSU

January, 2001

 

 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGION:

MOUNTAIN

PIEDMONT

COASTAL PLAIN

 

  

The following tables are recommended plants for stream restoration by North Carolina physiographic region based on known commercial availability.  This list is certainly not exhaustive and is intended to act as a basic guide.  Each restoration site is different; therefore revegetation plans should be developed on a case-by-case basis.  Not all of the plants listed in the following tables are appropriate for all restoration sites.  Consult with local plant guides and/or plant professionals if in doubt about your restoration plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountain Region

 

 

TREES

SMALL TREES/SHRUBS

HERBACEOUS

Aesculus octandra

yellow buckeye

Alnus serrulata

tag alder

Arisaema triphyllum

jack-in-the-pulpit

Betula lenta

cherry birch

Amelanchier arborea

serviceberry

Asclepias incarnata

swamp milkweed

Betula nigra

river birch

Aronia arbutifolia

red chokeberry

Carex crinata

fringed sedge

Carya cordiformis

bitternut hickory

Asimina triloba

common pawpaw

Carex intumescens
bladder sedge

Carya ovata

shagbark hickory

Calycanthus floridus

sweet-shrub

Carex lupulina

hop sedge

Diospyros virginiana

persimmon

Carpinus caroliniana

ironwood

Carex lurida

lurid sedge

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

green ash

Cornus alternifolia alternate leaf dogwood

Carex scoparia

broom sedge

Halesia caroliniana silverbell

Cornus amomum

silky dogwood

Carex stricta

tussock sedge

Nyssa sylvatica

blackgum

Corylus americana hazel-nut

Carex vulpinoidea

fox sedge

Platanus occidentalis sycamore

Hamamelis virginiana

witch-hazel

Chelone glabra
turtlehead

Prunus serotina

black cherry

Ilex verticillata

winter berry

Cyperus strigosus
umbrella sedge

Salix nigra

black willow

Leucothoe axillaris doghobble

Elymus hystrix
bottlebrush grass

Tilia heterophylla

white basswood

Lindera benzoin spicebush

Eupatorium fistulosum
Joe-pye-weed

 

Lyonia ligustrina

male-berry

Eupatorium perfoliatum

boneset

Magnolia tripetala

umbrella tree

Impatiens capensis

jewel-weed

Physocarpus opulifolius

ninebark

Juncus effusus

soft rush

Rhododendron periclymenoides

wild azalea

Leersia oryzoides

rice cutgrass

Rhododendron viscosum

swamp azalea

Lobelia cardinalis

cardinal flower

Rosa palustris

swamp rose

Lobelia siphilitica

great blue lobelia

Salix sericea

silky willow

Ludwigia alternifolia

bushy seedbox

Spirea latifolia

meadowsweet

Panicum virgatum

switchgrass

Symplocos tinctoria

sweet leaf

Polygonum sagittatum
tearthumb
Viburnum cassinoides

Withe-rod

Scirpus atrovirens
green bulrush

Xanthorhiza simplicissima

yellow-root

Scirpus cyperinus

woolgrass

 

 

Scirpus validus
soft stem bulrush
Sparganium americanum
bur-reed
Thelypteris palustris
marsh fern

Uniola latifolia

river oats
Vernonia noveboracensis

ironweed


Piedmont Region

 

 

 

TREES

SMALL TREES/SHRUBS

 

HERBACEOUS

Betula nigra

river birch

Acer floridanum

southern sugar maple

Arisaema triphyllum

jack-in-the-pulpit

Carya cordiformis

bitternut hickory

Aesculus sylvatica

painted buckeye

Asclepias incarnata

swamp milkweed

Carya ovata

shagbark hickory

Alnus serrulata

tag alder

Carex crinata

fringed sedge

Celtis laevigata

sugarberry

Amelanchier arborea

serviceberry
Carex intumescens

bladder sedge

Celtis laevigata

sugarberry

Aronia arbutifolia

red chokeberry

Carex lupulina

hop sedge

Diospyros virginiana

persimmon

Asimina triloba

common pawpaw

Carex lurida

lurid sedge

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

green ash

Calycanthus floridus

sweet-shrub

Carex scoparia

broom sedge

Nyssa sylvatica

blackgum

Carpinus caroliniana

ironwood

Carex stricta

tussock sedge

Platanus occidentalis sycamore

Cephalanthus occidentalis

buttonbush

Carex vulpinoidea

fox sedge

Prunus serotina

black cherry

Cornus alternifolia alternate leaf dogwood

Chelone glabra

turtlehead

Quercus michauxii

swamp chestnut oak

Cornus amomum

silky dogwood

Cyperus strigosus

umbrella sedge

Quercus nigra

water oak

Corylus americana hazel-nut

Elymus hystrix

bottlebrush grass

Quercus phellos

willow oak

Hamamelis virginiana

witch-hazel

Eupatorium fistulosum

Joe-pye-weed

Quercus shumardii

Shumard oak

Hibiscus moscheutos

marsh mallow

Eupatorium perfoliatum

boneset

Salix nigra

black willow

Ilex decidua

deciduous holly
Impatiens capensis

jewel-weed

Tilia heterophylla

white basswood

Ilex verticillata

winter berry

Juncus effusus

soft rush

 

Itea virginica

Virginia willow
Leersia oryzoides

rice cutgrass

 

Leucothoe axillaris doghobble

 
Lobelia cardinalis

cardinal flower

Lindera benzoin spicebush

Ludwigia alternifolia

bushy seedbox

 

Lyonia ligustrina

male-berry

Panicum virgatum

switchgrass

Magnolia tripetala

umbrella tree

Polygonum sagittatum

tearthumb

Morus rubra

red mulberry

Scirpus atrovirens

green bulrush

Physocarpus opulifolius

ninebark

Scirpus cyperinus

woolgrass

Rhododendron periclymenoides

wild azalea

Scirpus validus

soft stem bulrush

Rhododendron viscosum

swamp azalea

Sparganium americanum

bur-reed

Rosa palustris

swamp rose
Thelypteris palustris

marsh fern

Salix sericea

silky willow

Uniola latifolia

river oats

Staphylea trifolia

bladdernut

Vernonia noveboracensis

ironweed

Stewartia malacodendron

silky camellia

 

Symplocos tinctoria

sweet leaf

Viburnum cassinoides

Withe-rod

Viburnum dentatum
Southern arrow-wood

Xanthorhiza simplicissima

yellow-root

 

 

 

 


Coastal Plain Region*

 

 

 

TREES

SMALL TREES/SHRUBS

 

HERBACEOUS

Betula nigra

river birch

Aesculus pavia

red buckeye

Acorus calamus

sweet flag

Carya aquatica

water hickory

Alnus serrulata

tag alder

Arisaema triphyllum

jack-in-the-pulpit

Carya cordiformis

bitternut hickory

Aronia arbutifolia

red chokeberry
Asclepias incarnata

swamp milkweed

Celtis laevigata

sugarberry

Asimina triloba

common pawpaw

Aster novi-belgii

New York aster

Chamaecyparis thyoides

Atlantic white-cedar

Carpinus caroliniana

ironwood

Carex comosa

bottle brush sedge

Diospyros virginiana

persimmon

Clethra alnifolia

sweet pepperbush
Carex crinata

fringed sedge

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

green ash

Cornus amomum

silky dogwood

Carex intumescens
bladder sedge

Fraxinus profunda

pumpkin ash

Cornus stricta

swamp dogwood
Carex lupulina
hop sedge

Gordonia lasianthus

loblolly-bay

Corylus americana hazel-nut

Carex lurida

lurid sedge

Nyssa aquatica

water tupelo

Cyrilla racemiflora

titi

Carex stricta

tussock sedge

Nyssa biflora

swamp tupelo

Fraxinus caroliniana

water ash

Carex vulpinoidea

fox sedge

Nyssa sylvatica

blackgum

Hamamelis virginiana

witch-hazel

Chelone glabra
turtlehead

Persea borbonia

redbay

Hibiscus moscheutos

marsh mallow

Cyperus strigosus

umbrella sedge

Platanus occidentalis sycamore

Ilex coriacea

gallberry

Dichromena colorata

white-top sedge

Populus heterophylla

swamp cottonwood

Ilex decidua

deciduous holly

Eleocharis parvula

dwarf spike-rush

Prunus serotina

black cherry

Ilex glabra

inkberry

Eupatorium fistulosum
Joe-pye-weed

Quercus lyrata

overcup oak

Itea virginica

Virginia willow

Eupatorium perfoliatum

boneset

Quercus michauxii

swamp chestnut oak

Leucothoe racemosa doghobble

Impatiens capensis

jewel-weed

Quercus nigra

water oak

Lindera benzoin spicebush

Juncus effusus

soft rush

Quercus pagoda

cherrybark oak

Lyonia ligustrina

male-berry
Kosteletzkya virginica

seashore mallow

Quercus phellos

willow oak

Lyonia lucida

fetter-bush
Leersia oryzoides

rice cutgrass

Quercus shumardii

Shumard oak

Magnolia tripetala

umbrella tree

Lobelia cardinalis

cardinal flower

Salix nigra

black willow

Magnolia virginiana

sweetbay

Ludwigia alternifolia

bushy seedbox

Taxodium distichum var. distichum

bald cypress

Morus rubra

red mulberry

Osmunda cinnamomea

cinnamon fern

Taxodium distichum var. nutans

pond cypress

Myrica cerifera

wax myrtle

Osmunda regalis

royal fern

 

Rhododendron periclymenoides

wild azalea

Panicum virgatum

switchgrass

Rhododendron viscosum

swamp azalea
Peltandra virginica

arrow arum

Rosa palustris

swamp rose

Polygonum sagittatum
tearthumb

Salix sericea

silky willow

Scirpus americanus

American three-square

Storax americana

snowbell

Scirpus cyperinus

woolgrass

Symplocos tinctoria

sweet leaf

Scirpus validus
soft stem bulrush
Viburnum dentatum
arrow-wood
Sparganium americanum
bur-reed

Xanthorhiza simplicissima

yellow-root

Thelypteris palustris
marsh fern

Zenobia pulverulenta

zenobia
Vernonia noveboracensis

ironweed

*This assumes fresh water stream restoration sites only.