Dendrology Series
WSFNR10-22
July 2010
Native Trees For
All Of Georgia
Native trees represent great ecological bounty and rich cultural history in Georgia. Native trees
live from the mountains to the sea in many diverse habitats and under many environmental constraints.
Native trees add value, comfort, and beauty to life in Georgia. Native trees are wonderfully adapted to a
local area’s climate, soils, pests and other plants. There is a native tree well-suited for every planting
site or landscape position.
A “tree” is defined as a perennial, woody, single-stemmed plant capable of attaining a size
greater than 15 feet in total height and greater than 4 inches in stem diameter. A “native” tree is generally defined as being found within the last three centuries growing wild and reproducing naturally, and
not introduced to an area by human activities. A tree is considered “native in Georgia” if it was not
originally brought to Georgia by people, it is found growing and reproducing naturally in the Georgia
landscape, and its gene sets developed and succeeded under Georgia’s environmental conditions before
human dominance of the land.
Some native trees can grow successfully in every Georgia county, in any part of the State. Key in
proper selection of a native tree for planting is assuring it can handle various climatic and micro-site
characteristics. Critical values for native trees is surviving and thriving statewide as shown under one of
three environmental resources constraint rating systems. These three rating systems include the cold
hardiness zone (Figure 1), heat tolerance zone (Figure 2), and the Coder tree planting zone (Figure 3).
All three rating systems examine tree growth success from a different point of view. Many trees
can survive for many years beyond their native range, especially in high quality or protected areas.
Young trees are much more tolerant of environmental constraints than are older trees. Beginning tree
planting close to a tree’s native range, as well as a species falling within the statewide boundaries of one,
two, or all three of these environmental resources constraint rating systems will help provide many
pliable, plantable, and sturdy trees capable of surviving and thriving under many conditions.
Table 1 lists, in alphabetical order by scientific name, the tree species listed as having the greatest potential of all native species in surviving and thriving anywhere within the State. The zone codes
listed help identify which rating system led to species inclusion on this statewide list. Table 2 provides
the same list as Table 1 but sorted by zone codes. Note how 27 tree species (zone code = chp) are listed
as having potential for statewide planting success as shown in all three rating systems.
In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sections 503 and 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Georgia does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic
origin, age, disability, or military service in its administration of educational policies, programs, or activities; its admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other
University-administered programs; or employment. In addition, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation consistent with the University non-discrimination
policy. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the director of the Equal Opportunity Office, Peabody Hall, 290 South Jackson Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.
Telephone 706-542-7912 (V/TDD).
Fax 706-542-2822.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INSTITUTION.
Figure 1: Tree Cold Hardiness Zones of Georgia.
(derived from Cathey, H.M. 2001. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Misc. Pub. #1475, USDA-ARS-National Arboretum, Washington D.C.)
6b
7a
Hardiness Zones
zone
number
7a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
7b
7b
average annual
minimum
temperature oF
-5
0
5
10
15
8a
8a
8b
8b
Dr. Kim D. Coder, 2010
2
Figure 2: Tree Heat Tolerance Zones of Georgia.
(derived from the Plant Heat-Zone Map of the United
States produced by the American Horticultural Society,
Alexandria, VA. 1997)
5
6
7
4
Heat Zones
7
8
zone
number
average number
of days per year
above 86oF
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
14
30
45
60
90
120
150
8
9
9
8
10
Dr. Kim D. Coder, 2010
3
Figure 3: Coder Tree Planting Zones of Georgia.
(based upon normal temperature & precipitation data clustering)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Dr. Kim D. Coder 2010
4
Table 1: List of native Georgia trees found potentially
statewide based upon any of three rating
systems: heat tolerance (h), cold hardiness (c),
and/or Coder tree planting (p) zones.
zone
codes
scientific name
common name
chp
chp
chp
Acer rubrum
Alnus serrulata
Aralia spinosa
red maple
hazel alder
devil’s walkingstick
cp
Betula nigra
river birch
chp
chp
c
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
Carpinus caroliniana
Carya glabra
Carya ovalis
Carya tomentosa
Castanea pumila
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Chionanthus virginicus
Cornus florida
American hornbeam
pignut hickory
red hickory
mockernut hickory
chinquapin
buttonbush
fringetree
flowering dogwood
chp
Diospyros virginiana
persimmon
cp
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
green ash
c
chp
Halesia carolina
Hamamelis virginiana
little silverbell
American witch-hazel
chp
Ilex opaca
American holly
chp
Juniperus virginiana
Eastern redcedar
p
chp
Liquidambar styraciflua
Liriodendron tulipifera
sweetgum
yellow-poplar
chp
Morus rubra
red mulberry
5
Table 1: List of native Georgia trees found potentially
statewide based upon any of three rating
systems: heat tolerance (h), cold hardiness (c),
and/or Coder tree planting (p) zones. (continued)
zone
codes
scientific name
common name
chp
Nyssa sylvatica
blackgum
c
chp
cp
c
chp
Pinus echinata
Pinus taeda
Platanus occidentalis
Prunus angustifolia
Prunus serotina
shortleaf pine
loblolly pine
American sycamore
Chickasaw plum
black cherry
cp
chp
cp
p
chp
chp
Quercus
Quercus
Quercus
Quercus
Quercus
Quercus
white oak
Southern red oak
blackjack oak
swamp chestnut oak
water oak
post oak
chp
Rhus copallinum
winged sumac
c
chp
chp
ch
Salix nigra
Sambucus canadensis
Sassafras albidum
Symplocos tinctoria
black willow
American elder
sassafras
sweetleaf
cp
c
Tilia heterophylla
Toxicodendron vernix
white basswood
poison sumac
chp
Ulmus americana
American elm
chp
c
Vaccinium arboreum
Viburnum rufidulum
farkleberry
rusty blackhaw
alba
falcata
marilandica
michauxii
nigra
stellata
6
Table 2: List of native Georgia trees potentially growing
statewide based upon one of three individual rating
systems: cold hardiness zones (c) -- 41 species,
heat tolerance zones (h) -- 28 species, and/or Coder
tree planting zones (p) -- 35 species.
zone
codes scientific name
common name
c
c
c
c
Carya ovalis
Halesia carolina
Pinus echinata
Prunus angustifolia
c
c
c
Salix nigra
Toxicodendron vernix
Viburnum rufidulum
red hickory
little silverbell
shortleaf pine
Chickasaw
plum
black willow
poison sumac
rusty blackhaw
ch
Symplocos tinctoria
sweetleaf
cp
cp
cp
Betula nigra
river birch
Fraxinus pennsylvanica green ash
Platanus occidentalis
American
sycamore
Quercus alba
white oak
Quercus marilandica
blackjack oak
Tilia heterophylla
white basswood
cp
cp
cp
p
p
Liquidambar styraciflua sweetgum
Quercus michauxii
swamp
chestnut oak
chp Acer rubrum
chp Alnus serrulata
chp Aralia spinosa
red maple
hazel alder
devil’s
walkingstick
zone
codes scientific name
common name
chp Carpinus caroliniana
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
oak
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
chp
American
hornbeam
Carya glabra
pignut hickory
Carya tomentosa
mockernut
hickory
Castanea pumila
chinquapin
Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush
Chionanthus virginicus fringetree
Cornus florida
flowering
dogwood
Diospyros virginiana
persimmon
Hamamelis virginiana
American
witch-hazel
Ilex opaca
American holly
Juniperus virginiana
Eastern
redcedar
Liriodendron tulipifera
yellow-poplar
Morus rubra
red mulberry
Nyssa sylvatica
blackgum
Pinus taeda
loblolly pine
Prunus serotina
black cherry
Quercus falcata
Southern red
Quercus nigra
Quercus stellata
Rhus copallinum
Sambucus canadensis
Sassafras albidum
Ulmus americana
Vaccinium arboreum
water oak
post oak
winged sumac
American elder
sassafras
American elm
farkleberry
7