Native Plants in North Carolina

Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. These important plant species provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds, and other animals. Unlike natives, common horticultural plants do not provide energetic rewards for their visitors and often require insect pest control to survive (US Forest Service).

North Carolina’s native plants provide well-adapted food and cover for North Carolina’s native animals, and a well-planned landscape of native plants can help you attract a diversity of wildlife to your property. North Carolina’s native wildlife has become adapted to using native plants over thousands of years. These plant species meet the needs, including food and cover, of our native wildlife without causing long-term damage to local plant communities.