Pub. No. 31 September 2016 Native Tree Species Of Georgia By CoderCoder PlantingPlanting ZonesZones by Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia Native tree species surround us, representing a great ecological bounty and a 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 Geor- gia. They have provided medicine, food, fiber, shelter, recreation and aesthetic values. Native trees witnessed the arrival of many groups of explorers and settlers, many groups of Native Americans, and a number of ice ages. Native trees are wonderfully adapted to a local area’s climate, soils, pests and other plants. There is a native tree well-suited for most planting sites or landscapes. 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 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. Key to proper selection of a native tree for planting on any particular site is assuring it can handle various climatic and micro-site characteristics. One critical value for native trees is surviving and thriving under the normal temperature and precipitation regimes expected on a site. This at- tribute of surviving and thriving under normal, average temperature and precipitation conditions is summarized into Coder Tree Planting Zones (CTPZ). The Coder Tree Planting Zone map for Geor- gia is given in Figure 1. Most trees can do well for many years beyond their planting zones, especially in high quality or protected areas. Young trees are much more tolerant of environmental constraints than are older trees. Coder tree planting zones help demonstrate where native tree species should perform best. Tree planting close to a tree species’ native range, as shown in this publication, will help you design and plant an effective and efficient native landscape. Figure 2 = trees growing in CTPZ #1 -- 112 species; Figure 3 = trees growing in CTPZ #2 -- 113 species; Figure 4 = trees growing in CTPZ #3 -- 102 species; Figure 5 = trees growing in CTPZ #4 -- 105 species; Figure 6 = trees growing in CTPZ #5 -- 123 species; Figure 7 = trees growing in CTPZ #6 -- 139 species; Figure 8 = trees growing in CTPZ #7 -- 116 species; Figure 9 = trees growing in all CTPZs in Georgia -- 35 species (CTPZ #1-7 -- a statewide planting distribu- tion). The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. 111 222 333 444 555 666 777 Figure 1: Coder Tree Planting Zones (CTPZ) of Georgia. Map based upon composite average temperature & precipitation cluster analysis. by Dr. Kim D. Coder Warnell School University of Georgia 2 Figure 2: Native Trees of Georgia in CTPZ #1. (112 species) scientific name zone common name scientific name zone common name Acer leucoderme 1 chalk maple Diospyros virginiana 1 persimmon Acer negundo 1 boxelder Fagus grandifolia 1 American beech Acer nigrum 1 black maple Fraxinus americana 1 white ash Acer rubrum 1 red maple Fraxinus pennsylvanica 1 green ash Acer saccharinum 1 silver maple Fraxinus quadrangulata 1 blue ash Acer saccharum 1 sugar maple Aesculus glabra 1 Ohio buckeye Gleditsia triacanthos 1 honeylocust Aesculus sylvatica 1 Georgia buckeye Alnus serrulata 1 hazel alder Halesia carolina 1 little silverbell Amelanchier arborea 1 serviceberry Halesia tetraptera 1 mountain silverbell Aralia spinosa 1 devil’s Hamamelis virginiana 1 American walkingstick witch-hazel Asimina triloba 1 pawpaw Ilex longipes 1 Georgia holly Betula alleghaniensis 1 yellow birch Ilex montana 1 mountain holly Betula lenta 1 sweet birch Ilex opaca 1 American holly Betula nigra 1 river birch Ilex verticillata 1 winterberry Carpinus caroliniana 1 American Juglans cinerea 1 butternut hornbeam Juglans nigra 1 black walnut Carya australis 1 Southern shagbark Juniperus virginiana 1 Eastern redcedar hickory Carya cordiformis 1 bitternut hickory Kalmia latifolia 1 mountain-laurel Carya glabra 1 pignut hickory Carya laciniosa 1 shellbark hickory Liquidambar styraciflua 1 sweetgum Carya ovalis 1 red hickory Liriodendron tulipifera 1 yellow-poplar Carya ovata 1 shagbark hickory Carya pallida 1 sand hickory Magnolia acuminata 1 mountain Carya tomentosa 1 mockernut hickory cucumber-tree Castanea dentata 1 American chestnut Magnolia tripetala 1 umbrella-tree Castanea pumila 1 chinquapin Malus angustifolia 1 Southern crabapple Celtis laevigata 1 sugarberry Malus coronaria 1 sweet crabapple Celtis occidentalis 1 hackberry Morus rubra 1 red mulberry Cephalanthus occidentalis 1 buttonbush Cercis canadensis 1 redbud Nyssa sylvatica 1 blackgum Chionanthus virginicus 1 fringetree Cladrastis kentukea 1 yellowwood Ostrya virginiana 1 Eastern Cornus alternifolia 1 alternate-leaf hophornbeam dogwood Oxydendrum arboreum 1 sourwood Cornus florida 1 flowering dogwood Cotinus obovatus 1 smoketree by Dr. Kim D. Coder Warnell School University of Georgia 3 Figure 2: Native Trees of Georgia in CTPZ #1. (continued) scientific name zone common name scientific name zone common name Pinus echinata 1 shortleaf pine Rhamnus caroliniana 1 buckthorn Pinus strobus 1 Eastern white pine Rhododendron catawbiense 1 purple-laurel Pinus taeda 1 loblolly pine Rhododendron maximum 1 rosebay-laurel Pinus virginiana 1 Virginia pine Rhus copallinum 1 winged sumac Platanus occidentalis 1 American Rhus glabra 1 smooth sumac sycamore Robinia hispida 1 pink locust Prunus americana 1 American plum Robinia pseudoacacia 1 black locust Prunus angustifolia 1 Chickasaw plum Prunus mexicana 1 Mexican plum Salix nigra 1 black willow Prunus serotina 1 black cherry Sambucus canadensis 1 American elder Sassafras albidum 1 sassafras Quercus alba 1 white oak Sideroxylon lycioides 1 buckthorn bumelia Quercus coccinea 1 scarlet oak Staphylea trifolia 1 bladdernut Quercus falcata 1 Southern red oak Stewartia ovata 1 mountain camellia Quercus imbricaria 1 shingle oak Quercus marilandica 1 blackjack oak Tilia americana 1 American Quercus michauxii 1 swamp chestnut basswood oak Tilia heterophylla 1 white basswood Quercus montana 1 chestnut oak Toxicodendron vernix 1 poison sumac Quercus muehlenbergii 1 chinquapin oak Tsuga canadensis 1 Eastern hemlock Quercus nigra 1 water oak Quercus palustris 1 pin oak Ulmus alata 1 winged elm Quercus phellos 1 willow oak Ulmus americana 1 American elm Quercus prinoides 1 dwarf chinquapin Ulmus rubra 1 slippery elm oak Ulmus serotina 1 September elm Quercus rubra 1 Northern red oak Quercus shumardii 1 Shumard’s oak Vaccinium arboreum 1 farkleberry Quercus stellata 1 post oak Viburnum cassinoides 1 Northern Quercus velutina 1 black oak possumhaw Viburnum prunifolium 1 blackhaw Viburnum rufidulum 1 rusty blackhaw by Dr. Kim D. Coder Warnell School University of Georgia 4 Figure 3: Native Trees of Georgia in CTPZ #2. (113 species) scientific name zone common name scientific name zone common name Abies fraseri 2 Fraser fir Diospyros virginiana 2 persimmon Acer leucoderme 2 chalk maple Euonymus atropurpureus 2 burningbush Acer negundo 2 boxelder Acer pensylvanicum 2 striped maple Fagus grandifolia 2 American beech Acer rubrum 2 red maple Fraxinus americana 2 white ash Acer saccharinum 2 silver maple Fraxinus pennsylvanica 2 green ash Acer saccharum 2 sugar maple Acer spicatum 2 mountain maple Halesia carolina 2 little silverbell Aesculus flava 2 yellow buckeye Halesia tetraptera 2 mountain silverbell Aesculus sylvatica 2 Georgia buckeye Hamamelis virginiana 2 American Alnus serrulata 2 hazel alder witch-hazel Amelanchier arborea 2 serviceberry Aralia spinosa 2 devil’s Ilex longipes 2 Georgia holly walkingstick Ilex montana 2 mountain holly Asimina triloba 2 pawpaw Ilex opaca 2 American holly Ilex verticillata 2 winterberry Betula alleghaniensis 2 yellow birch Betula lenta 2 sweet birch Juglans cinerea 2 butternut Betula nigra 2 river birch Juglans nigra 2 black walnut Juniperus communis 2 common juniper Carpinus caroliniana 2 American Juniperus virginiana 2 Eastern redcedar hornbeam Carya australis 2 Southern shagbark Kalmia latifolia 2 mountain-laurel hickory Carya cordiformis 2 bitternut hickory Liquidambar styraciflua 2 sweetgum Carya glabra 2 pignut hickory Liriodendron tulipifera 2 yellow-poplar Carya ovalis 2 red hickory Carya ovata 2 shagbark hickory Magnolia acuminata 2 mountain Carya pallida 2 sand hickory cucumber-tree Carya tomentosa 2 mockernut hickory Magnolia fraseri 2 mountain magnolia Castanea dentata 2 American chestnut Magnolia tripetala 2 umbrella-tree Castanea pumila 2 chinquapin Malus angustifolia 2 Southern crabapple Cephalanthus occidentalis 2 buttonbush Malus coronaria 2 sweet crabapple Cercis canadensis 2 redbud Morus rubra 2 red mulberry Chionanthus virginicus 2 fringetree Cladrastis kentukea 2 yellowwood Nyssa sylvatica 2 blackgum Clethra acuminata 2 sweet pepperbush Cornus alternifolia 2 alternate-leaf Ostrya virginiana 2 Eastern dogwood hophornbeam Cornus florida 2 flowering dogwood Oxydendrum arboreum 2 sourwood Crataegus flabellata