The original Native Plant Trail has blossomed into many areas of the Nature Trail. The trail identifies plants native to our island that when incorporated into home landscapes will add color and variety.
Map areas A, B, C, and D mark our Club's planting areas.
NATIVE PLANT TRAIL GUIDE
1. Aesculus pavia - RED BUCKEYE
Small tree, five parted leaves, scarlet bloom spike followed by a light brown seed. (C)
2. Acer rubrum - RED MAPLE
Tall tree, leaves dediduous, deeply divided into 3-5 lobes. Red in the spring, seed paired with divergent wings. (A)(B)
3. Amelanchier arborea - SERVICEBERRY, SHADBLOW
Small deciduous tree, one of the first of spring, five white petals, small edible reddish apple. (C)(E)
4. Aralia spinosa - DEVIL'S WALKING STICK
Prickly shrub or small tree, deciduous. Purple-black berry that birds love. (C)
5. Asimina tribola - PAWPAW
Tree up to 30'. Oval leaves turn bright yellow in fall, flowers purplish or brown, oval fruit often called Michigan banana. (C)
6. Callicarpa americana - AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY
Flower small pale blue, clustered in angle of stem berries that turn magenta in fall, which are loved by birds. (C)
7. Cercis canadensis - EASTERN REDBUD
Small tree, red heart-shaped leaves follow rosy pink flowers. (C)
8. Chionanthus virginica - FRINGE TREE
Small tree, white fringe like flowers cover tree as leaves come out, fruit - bluish-black. (C)
9. Clethra alnifolia - SWEET PEPPER-BUSH
Deciduous shrub - fragrant five petal white flower in terminal cluster. (C)
10. Cornus florida - DOGWOOD
Small tree, four showy white notched bracts, scarlet in fall red seed in winter. (C)(E)
11. Crinum americanum - SOUTHERN SWAMP LILY
Fragrant white flowers, 2' stems appear from spring to late fall. Deep shade, wet soil.
(Pictured below)
12. Gelsemium sempervirens - YELLOW JESSAMINE, CAROLINA JESSAMINE
Woody vine. Yellow tubular flowers in spring, very fragrant. South Carolina state flower. (A)
13. Gordonia lasianthus - LOBLOLLY BAY
Large tree, dark green leaves turn scarlet before falling, showy white five petal flowers in summer. (C)
14. Halesia diptera - SILVERBELLS
Small deciduous tree, showy bell shaped fragrant flowers in spring hang from last year's wood. On Conservation List. (C)
15. Illicium floridanum - FLORIDA ANISE
Broad leaved evergreen shrub with flowers emitting odor of live fish. All parts toxic. (Pictured below)
16. Ilex cassine - DAHOON HOLLY
Small evergreen tree of swamp margin. Leathery leaves, showy large red berries. (C)
17. Ilex glabra - INKBERRY
White flowers in spring followed by shiny black round berries giving name to plant. (C)(E)
18. Ilex vomitoria - YAUPON HOLLY
Slender shrub or tree, red berries on female tree. Birds love berries. (E)
19. Itea virginica - SWEETSPIRE
Grows 3'-4'. Brilliant purplish-red foliage with hanging flower in red clusters up to 4" long. (C)
20. Malus angustifolia - SOUTHERN CRABAPPLE
Small deciduous tree of the swamp, white five petaled flowers, yellow-green fruit. (C)
21. Nyssa sylvatica - BLACKGUM
Decisuous tree to 100' dark green shiny leaves turn red-orange in fall. Dark blue fleshy fruit. (C)
22. Oxydendrum - SMALL SOURWOOD
Deciduous leaves dark green, fruit conical dry capsule hanging in clusters. Bright red in autumn.
23. Prunus angustifolia - CHICKASAW PLUM
Large deciduous shrub, five petaled white flowers in early spring. Fruit is juicy red or yellow when ripe. Prized by wildlife.
24. Rhododendron canescens - NATIVE AZALEA
Pink. (Pictured below)
25. Rhododendron austrinum - NATIVE AZALEA
Yellow (C) (Pictured below)
26. Rosa Iaevigata - CHEROKEE ROSE
Evergreen high climbing plant with sharp thorns, white flower in spring - red hips favorite food for birds. Georgia State Flower. (C) (Pictured below)
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Special thanks to our photographers: Fitz Clarke, Doug Herrick, and Russ Wigh.
