Note: This document was developed for a course presented by the author for the Georgia Native Plant Society in the spring of 2003 and comprises Appendix A of the Trees Atlanta greenspace manual "Greenspace: Evaluating, Restoring and Managing Natural Areas in the Atlanta Vicinity," September 2003, revised May 2004.

It is not easy to find comprehensive information about the plant communities of the Southeast. The following descriptions and lists were compiled using the best available resources (see references). They have been further supplemented through the experienced gained over several years through the field experience of the author. These lists have been continually modified over the years and will continue to require updates as we learn more. While they are not perfect, they are good guides for determining the forest type present and for a basis for restoration plans. The community descriptions are based upon mature and relatively undisturbed natural communities.

There are three plant lists; the first two are composite lists with columns indicating the specific community type. The key to the lists is:

X = typically occurs in the particular community
D = dominant in particular community
N = may indicate conditions of northern affinities
B = may indicate the presence of basic soils
* following the common name = legally protected plant species

Please note: Many botanical names of plants have changed recently as classification and nomenclature are revised. While some of these have been updated in the following lists, not all have been. If you have difficulty finding information about any plant in the lists, look it up on the PLANTS Database website at plants.usda.gov. This site provides the current and all recent past names for each species.

Upland Forests

Mid-slope forests

The most common forest community in the Georgia piedmont is the mid-slope upland forest.

These dry-mesic forests occur on the middle portion of slopes of all aspects and on some ridge-tops where there is sufficient soil depth to sustain the community. The soils of these communities are acidic and well-drained and may become quite dry during the late summer and early fall. These forests have a dense and moderately diverse canopy dominated by white oak, post oak, southern red oak, pignut hickory, and mockernut hickory. The understory is fairly diverse with dogwood, sourwood, blackgum, American hophornbeam, and American holly typically present. The shrub layer varies in density and is fairly low in diversity. Typical components are various blueberries, dwarf paw paw, beautyberry and strawberry bush. The ground layer is low in diversity. Some areas may be widely covered in vines such as muscadine grape, Virginia creeper, Carolina jessamine and poison ivy. Typical herbaceous species include wild ginger and pipsissiwa. The following variations may be found in mid-slope forests:

Basic mid-slope forests occur where the underlying rock provides a higher level of calcium and/or magnesium than is typical in most of the piedmont, creating less acidic and richer soil conditions. These forests generally lack the abundance of acid-loving blueberries and other heath family plants found in other upland forests, and often have an abundance of chalk maple and redbud. Species that indicate the possible presence of basic soils are coralberry, fragrant sumac, Indian pink and wafer-ash. In addition to the presence of these species that are otherwise uncommon in the piedmont, often species that are commonly found in more mesic conditions, such as American beech, are found in these drier environments. The shrub and herbaceous layers are generally more diverse than in the typical mid-slope forest.

Northern affinity mid-slope forests are those that have a significant presence of species more typically found in the mountains of Georgia, in particular chestnut oak and Virginia pine. These are most commonly found in the upper range of the piedmont in or near the fault zones that separate the piedmont from the adjacent Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley regions. They are also found on some of the large rock outcroppings lower in the piedmont, including Arabia and Stone Mountains in DeKalb County, Pine Mountain near Columbus, Kennesaw Mountain in Cobb County, and Panola Mountain in Rockdale County. The understory, shrub, and ground layers are generally similar to the typical upland forest but may be more diverse than is typical in mid-slope forests.

Ridge-top forests

These sub-xeric forests are usually limited to ridge-tops, south-facing slopes, very steep slopes of other aspects, and areas that have sufficient rock to limit available soil moisture. The canopy is more open than that of mid-slope forests and may contain many of the same oak and hickory species. In addition, shortleaf and loblolly pines, post oak and blackjack oak are often dominant trees in these forests. The shrub layer is variable in density. It may be quite dense in openings and often consists primarily of blueberries. The herbaceous layer is generally low in diversity and may be sparse. Usually grasses such as the oatgrasses and broomsedge are abundant in openings of the canopy. Many herbaceous plants of dry open communities, such as asters and coreopsis, occur in the more open areas of these forests.

Variations of this community type are similar as those for mid-slope forests; that is, the presence of the same species described in mid-slope forests would indicate the presence of basic soils or define a "northern affinity" variation of the ridge-top forest.

Mesic forests

Mesic forests are typically found along the lower end of slopes, most commonly those with a northerly aspect, in ravines and along the flats associated with streams where there is available moisture most of the growing season but the water drains quickly. These are more diverse in all layers than the drier upland forests. While many of the same canopy species occur, there is a notable presence and usually dominance of mesophytic, or moisture-loving, species such as American beech, tulip poplar and northern red oak. The understory and shrub layers are diverse. Typical species include musclewood, piedmont azalea, and wild hydrangea. The ground layer is generally moderately dense except under heavy shade and much more diverse than in other upland forests. Generally there is a high presence of ephemeral spring wildflowers such as bloodroot and trilliums. Ferns (Christmas, southern lady, New York, broad beech) are often important components of the ground layer. Variations of this community type:

Basic mesic forests are found where the underlying rock contains sufficient amounts of calcium or magnesium or other properties that result in less acidic and richer soils than are typically found in the piedmont. Indicators of this environment are green violet, doll's eyes, and other herbaceous species typical of the limestone valleys of northwestern Georgia and cove forests of the mountains. In addition, a number of species usually found in floodplain or wetland environments in the piedmont are located in these well-drained conditions when basic soils are present. These species include spicebush, pawpaw, and bladdernut.

Mesic forests having northern affinities are found in the upper piedmont in or near the fault zones that separate the region from the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley provinces. They also occur on north facing slopes associated with major rivers and in well-developed and extensive ravines. In the upper piedmont, Canada hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and rosebay rhododendron may be abundant. These species, while common in the mountains, are very uncommon in the piedmont. Further south, the presence of other species more typically found in the mountains indicate this environment. These include Carolina rhododendron, mountain laurel, basswood, flame azalea, umbrella magnolia, and ferns such as hay-scented fern and marginal woodfern. Unlike the basic mesic forest, plants of the acid-loving heath family (blueberries, mountain laurel, Carolina rhododendron) are usually common.

Heath bluffs are found along primarily north- and northeast-facing banks of rivers and large streams of the piedmont. Generally, the soil is thin and rocky and over-all fairly dry, but the microclimate creates cool, moist conditions. Many of the species that occur in these communities are more typical of the mountains. The canopy is open to sparse and consists of many of the same species found in the communities above. The shrub layer is dominated by heath species, most commonly mountain laurel and Carolina rhododendron, but rosebay rhododendron may also occur. Other typical shrubs are horsesugar, witch hazel, and maple-leaf viburnum. The ground layer is generally sparse. Ground layer species found in these environments include galax and trailing arbutus.

Plants of Upland Forests

Trees
Common name	Botanical name	Ridge-top	Mid-slope	Mesic
Ash, Green	Fraxinus pennsylvanica		X	X
Basswood	Tilia americana			B
Beech, American	Fagus grandifolia			D
Blackgum	Nyssa sylvatica	X	X	X
Cedar, Eastern Red	Juniperus virginiana	B	B
Cherry, Black	Prunus serotina	X	X	X
Chinkapin	Castanea pumila	X	X
Crabapple, Southern	Malus angustifolia		X	X
Cucumbertree	Magnolia acuminata			N
Dogwood, Flowering	Cornus florida	X	D	X
Dogwood, Pagoda	Cornus alternifolia			N
Elm, Winged	Ulmus alata	X	X	X
Hackberry or Sugarberry	Celtis laevigata		X	X
Hawthorn, Cockspur	Crataegus crus-galli	X	X
Hawthorn, Littlehip	Crataegus spathulata		X	X
Hemlock, Canadian	Tsuga canadensis			N
Hickory, Bitternut	Carya cordiformis			X
Hickory, Mockernut	Carya tomentosa	D	D	X
Hickory, Pignut	Carya glabra	D	D	X
Hickory, Red or False	Carya ovalis	X	X	X
Hickory, Sand	Carya pallida	X	X
Hickory, Shagbark	Carya ovata			B
Holly, American	Ilex opaca	X	X	X
Hophornbeam	Ostrya virginiana	X	X	X
Magnolia, Bigleaf	Magnolia macrophylla			X
Magnolia, Umbrella	Magnolia tripetala			N
Maple, Chalk	Acer leucoderme		X	X
Maple, Red	Acer rubrum	X	X	X
Maple, Southern Sugar	Acer barbatum			X
Mulberry, Red	Morus rubra			X
Musclewood	Carpinus caroliniana			D
Oak, Black	Quercus velutina	D	X
Oak, Blackjack	Quercus marilandica	D
Oak, Chestnut	Quercus montana (Q. prinus)	N
Oak, Chinkapin	Quercus muehlenbergii	B	B
Oak, Northern Red	Quercus rubra		X	D
Oak, Post	Quercus stellata	D	D
Oak, Scarlet	Quercus coccinea	X	X
Oak, Shumard	Quercus shumardii			B
Oak, Southern Red	Quercus falcata	X	D
Oak, Water	Quercus nigra		X	X
Oak, White	Quercus alba	X	D	X
Paw Paw	Asimina triloba			B
Persimmon	Diospyros virginiana	X	X
Pine, Loblolly	Pinus taeda	D	X	X
Pine, Shortleaf	Pinus echinata	D	X
Pine, Virginia	Pinus virginiana	N	N
Plum, American	Prunus americana	X	X
Plum, Hog	Prunus umbellata	X	X
Redbud	Cercis canadensis	X	X	X
Sassafras	Sassafras albidum	X	X
Serviceberry	Amelanchier arborea	X	X	X
Silverbell, Carolina	Halesia carolina			X
Sourwood	Oxydendrum arboreum	X	X	X
Sweetgum	Liquidambar styraciflua	X	X	X
Tulip Poplar	Liriodendron tulipifera		X	D

Shrubs
Common name	Botanical name	Ridge-top	Mid-slope	Mesic
Arrowwood	Viburnum dentatum			X
Azalea, Flame	Rhododendron calendulaceum			N
Azalea, Oconee	Rhododendron flammeum			X
Azalea, Piedmont	Rhododendron canescens			D
Azalea, Pinxterbloom	Rhododendron periclymenoides (R. nudiflorum)			N
Basil, Georga	Satureja georgiana	X	X
Beautyberry	Callicarpa americana	X	X	X
Bladdernut	Staphylea trifolia		B	B
Blueberry, Elliott's	Vaccinium elliottii	X	X	X
Blueberry, Highbush	Vaccinium corymbosum			X
Blueberry, Upland Low	Vaccinium pallidum	X	X
Buckeye, Georgia	Aesculus sylvatica		X	X
Buckthorn, Carolina	Rhamnus caroliniana		B	B
Buffalonut	Pyrularia pubera			N
Coralberry	Symphiocarpos orbiculatus		B	B
Deerberry	Vaccinium stamineum	X	X
Devil's Walkingstick	Aralia spinosa	X	X	X
Doghobble	Leucothoe fontanesiana			N
Fringetree	Chionanthus virginicus	X	X	X
Hazelnut	Corylus americana		X	X
Hazelnut, Beaked	Corylus cornuta	X	X
Hydrangea, Wild	Hydrangea arborescens			X
Leatherwood	Dirca palustris			B
Mountain Laurel	Kalmia latifolia			N
New Jersey Tea	Ceanothus americanus	X	X
Paw Paw, Dwarf	Asimina parviflora		X
Rhododendron, Dwarf	Rhododendron minus			N
Rhododendron, Rosebay	Rhododendron maximum			N
Rose, Carolina	Rosa carolina	X	X
Sparkleberry	Vaccinium arboreum	X	X
Spicebush	Lindera benzoin			B
St. Andrew's Cross	Hypericum hypericoides	X	X
Storax	Styrax grandifolius			X
Strawberry Bush	Euonymus americanus	X	X	X
Sumac, Fragrant	Rhus aromatica	B	B
Sweetleaf or Horsesugar	Symplocos tinctoria			N
Sweetshrub	Calycanthus floridus		X	X
Viburnum, Blackhaw	Viburnum prunifolium		X	X
Viburnum, Mapleleaf	Viburnum acerifolium		X	X
Viburnum, Rusty Blackhaw	Viburnum rufidulum		X
Wafer-ash	Ptelea trifoliata	B	B
Witchhazel	Hamamelis virginiana			X
Yellowroot	Xanthorhiza simplicissima			X

Vines
Common name	Botanical name	Ridge-top	Mid-slope	Mesic
Bay Star-vine *	Schisandra glabra (S. coccinea)			B
Crossvine	Bignonia capreolata	X	X	X
Greenbriar	Smilax glauca, S. bona-nox	X	X	X
Greenbriar	Smilax rotundifolia, S. smallii			X
Honeysuckle, Trumpet	Lonicera sempervirens		X	X
Hydrangea, Climbing	Decumaria barbara			X
Jessamine, Carolina	Gelsemium sempervirens	X	X
Moonseed	Menispernum canadense			X
Muscadine	Vitis rotundifolia	X	X	X
Poison Ivy	Toxicodendron radicans	X	X	X
Snailseed	Cocculus carolinus		X
Spiny Pod	Matalea caroliniensis			X
Trumpetcreeper	Campsis radicans	X	X	X
Virginia Creeper	Parthenocissus quinquefolia	X	X	X
Virgin's-bower	Clematis virginiana			X

Flowering Herbaceous Plants
Common name	Botanical name	Ridge-top	Mid-slope	Mesic
Alumroot	Heuchera americana		X	X
Anemone, Lance-leaf	Anemone lancifolia			B
Anemone, Rue	Thalictrum thalictroides			X
Arbutus, Trailing	Epigaea repens			N
Aster, White Woods	Aster divaricatus			X
Avens, White	Geum canadense			X
Beard-tongue	Penstemon australis		X	X
Bedstraw	Galium spp.		X	X
Beech Drops	Epifagus virginiana			X
Beggarticks	Bidens spp.		X
Bellwort	Uvularia perfoliata		X	X
Bloodroot	Sanguinaria canadensis			X
Bluet, Summer	Houstonia purpurea		X	X
Buttercup	Ranunculus spp.		X	X
Campion, Starry	Silene stellata			X
Cardinal Flower	Lobelia cardinalis			X
Carrion-flower	Smilax herbacea			X
Chickweed, Giant	Stellaria pubera			X
Cicely, Sweet	Osmorhiza claytonii			B
Cinquefoil	Potentilla canadensis	X	X	X
Cohosh, Black	Cimicifuga racemosa			N
Columbine	Aquilegia canadensis		B	B
Coneflower, Cutleaf	Rudbeckia laciniata			X
Coreopsis, Whorled-leaf	Coreopsis major	X	X
Cucumberroot, Indian	Medeola virginiana			X
Devil's-bit, Fairywand	Chamaelirium luteum			X
Doll's Eyes	Actaea pachypoda			B
Elephant's Foot	Elephantopus tomentosus	X	X
Fire Pink	Silene virginica		X	X
Fly Poison	Amianthium muscaetoxicum			X
Foam Flower	Tiarella cordifolia			X
Galax	Galax urceolata			N
Gentian, Soapwort	Gentiana saponaria			X
Geranium, Wild	Geranium maculatum			X
Ginger, Canada Wild	Asarum candense			N
Ginger, Shuttleworth's *	Hexastylis shuttleworthii			X
Ginger, Wild; Heartleaf	Asarum arifolium (Hexastylis)		X	X
Ginseng *	Panax quinquefolia			N
Goat's-rue	Tephrosia virginiana	X	X
Goat's-beard	Aruncus dioicus			N
Goldenrod, Bluestem	Solidago caesia			X
Grass, Blue-eyed	Sisyrinchium angustifolium			X
Green and Gold	Chrysogonum virginianum	X	X
Hawkweed	Hieracium venosum	X	X	X
Heal-all	Prunella vulgaris		X	X
Iris, Dwarf Crested	Iris cristata			N
Jack-in-the-Pulpit	Arisaema triphyllum			X
Lady's Slipper, Pink *	Cypripedium acaule		X
Lady's Slipper, Yellow *	Cypripedium calceolus var pubescens			B
Larkspur	Delphinium tricorne			B
Lily, Trout	Erythronium umbilicatum			X
Lion's Foot	Prenanthes serpentaria		X	X
Liverleaf	Hepatica americana			X
Loosestrife, Fringed	Lysimachia ciliata			X
Lousewort	Pedicularis canadensis			N
Mayapple	Podophyllum peltatum			X
Mint, Mountain	Pycnanthemum incanum	X	X
Nettle, Wood	Laportea canadensis			X
Orchid, Cranefly	Tipularia discolor		X	X
Partridgeberry	Mitchella repens		X	X
Phlox, Blue Woodland	Phlox divaricata		B	B
Phlox, Carolina	Phlox carolina		X
Phlox, Hairy	Phlox amoena		X
Phlox, Smooth	Phlox glaberrima		X	X
Pink, Indian	Spigelia marilandica		B	B
Pipsissewa or Spotted Wintergreen	Chimaphlia maculata	X	X	X
Plantain, Pale Indian	Cacalia atriplicifolia			N
Plantain, Rattlesnake	Goodyera pubescens		X	X
Pussy-toes	Antennaria plataginifolia	X	X
Sage, Lyre-leaf	Salvia lyrata	X	X
Shooting Star	Dodocatheon meadia		B
Skullcap	Scutellaria integrifolia	X	X
Solomon's Seal	Polygonatum biflorum		X	X
Solomon's Seal, False	Smilacina racemosa			X
Spurge, Allegheny	Pachysandra procumbens			B
Spurge, Flowering	Euphorbia corollata		X
Tick-trefoil	Desmodium spp.	X	X	X
Toothwort	Cardamine diphylla			N
Trillium, Catesby's	Trillium catesbaei			X
Trillium, Sessile	Trillium cuneatum			X
Trillium, Southern Nodding	Trillium rugelii			B
Violet, Bird's-foot	Viola pedata		X	X
Violet, Green	Hybanthes concolor			B
Wood-sorrel, Violet	Oxalis violacea			X
Yam, Wild	Dioscorea villosa			X

Ferns
Common name	Botanical name	Ridge-top	Mid-slope	Mesic
Bracken Fern	Pteridium aquilinum	X	X
Broad Beech Fern	Phegopteris hexagonoptera			X
Christmas Fern	Polystichum acrostichoides		X	X
Cinnamon Fern	Osmunda cinnamomea			X
Coarse-lobed Grape Fern	Botrychium biternatum			X
Cut-leaf Grape Fern	Botrychium dissectum			X
Glade Fern	Diplazium pycnocarpon			B
Hay-scented Fern	Dennstaedtia punctilobula		N	N
Marginal Wood Fern	Dryopteris marginalis			N
New York Fern	Thelypteris noveboracensis			X
Northern Maidenhair Fern	Adiantum pedatum			N
Rattlesnake Fern	Botrychium virginianum		X	X
Resurrection Fern	Pleopeltis polypodioides		X	X
Rockcap Fern	Polypodium virginianum			N
Royal Fern	Osmunda regalis			X
Sensitive Fern	Onoclea sensibilis			X
Silvery Glade Fern	Deparia acrostichoides			B
Small or Netted Chain Fern	Woodwardia areolata			X
Southern Fragile Fern	Cystopteris protrusa			B
Southern Lady Fern	Athyrium filix-femina			X
Spleenwort, Ebony	Asplenium platyneuron		X	X

Grasses and Sedges
Common name	Botanical name	Ridge-top	Mid-slope	Mesic
Bentgrass, Small	Agrostis hyemalis			X
Bluegrass, Early	Poa cuspidate			X
Bluegrass, Woodland	Poa sylvestris			X
Bluestem, Little	Schizachyrium scoparium	X	X
Broomsedge	Andropogon virginicus	X
Indiangrass	Sorghastrum nutans	X	X
Melic Grass, Two-flowered	Melica mutica			X
Needlegrass, Black Seeded	Piptochaetium avenaceum (Stipa)	X	X	X
Oat Grass, Poverty	Danthonia spicata		X	X
Oatgrass, Downy Poverty	Danthonia sericea	X	X
Panic Grass, Beaked	Panicum anceps	X	X
Plumegrass	Saccharum alopecuroidum (Erianthus)	X	X
River Cane	Arundinaria gigantea			X
Rosette Grass	Dichanthelium spp.	X	X	X
Sedge	Carex spp.	X	X	X
Wood Rush	Luzula acuminata			X
Woodoats, Longleaf	Chasmanthium sessiliflorum		X	X

Bottomlands

Bottomlands of the piedmont consist of floodplains and wetlands. These are two distinct community types but are grouped together because they contain many of the same plant species. The type of community that evolves in low areas will depend on the topography of the area, soils and geology, and the size of the river or stream associated with the area. Floodplains are generally not wetlands themselves, but often contain wetlands within them. Wetlands are areas that are saturated or inundated at least part of the growing season that develop distinctive soils and are dominated by vegetation tolerant of these conditions.

Large floodplains consist of the levee forest nearest the river, the floodplain forest located beyond the levee, and, in some cases, swamp forests in low-lying areas, which are wetlands. In smaller floodplains, these features generally do not develop. Small streams do not have floodplains but may have wetlands associated with them.

The soils of bottomlands tend to be high in fertility due to the deposition of sediment during flooding. Because of this, bottomlands have been extensively cleared and drained for agricultural crops. Examples of intact, relatively undisturbed bottomlands are difficult to find as a result. Compounding the widespread clearing is the typically high presence of invasive plants, especially Chinese privet, which thrive in these environments and readily invade soils that are exposed from natural flood events.

Floodplains

Floodplain forests comprise most of the area of a typical floodplain. They are located on one or more terraces behind the levee and, while flooded one or more times a year, generally drain fairly rapidly. These forests are dominated by species that tolerate this flooding such as water oak, willow oak, overcup oak, and eastern cottonwood. The understory and shrub layers tend to be fairly sparse under dense canopies although extensive stands of river cane may occur. Vines such as crossvine and greenbriers are often important components of these forests. The ground layer is relatively sparse and is dominated by vines and flood-tolerant ferns, forbs, grasses, sedges, and rushes.

Levee forests occur on river banks and point bar deposits on large floodplains. The levee is formed by deposits of sediment during flood events and is generally higher than the land on its back side. These environments are well-drained and exposed to sunlight on the river side. They are typically dominated by river birch, sycamore, and boxelder. Also usually present are black willow, river cane, river oats, and sun-tolerant shrubs such as alder, elderberry, silky dogwood, and Virginia sweetspire, and a number of herbaceous plants and vines.

Wetlands

Swamp forests are forested wetlands. Within a floodplain, these are located in the lowest areas or in areas that do not drain readily. Dominant trees are typically green ash, red maple, swamp tupelo, and often sweetgum. Shrubs occur sporadically and may include swamphaw, winterberry, alder, and the shrub dogwoods. The ground layer is generally poorly developed under dense canopies. Typical ground layer species include sensitive fern, small chain fern, cardinal flower, false nettle, and smartweeds. Extensive swamp forests are relatively uncommon in the Georgia piedmont. Small areas of swamp forest may occur along smaller streams that lack floodplains and are often associated with seepages from adjacent slopes.

Open wetlands are usually called marshes (treeless wetlands) or emergent wetlands and are dominated by shrubs and herbaceous plants. Typical woody plants are alder, buttonbush, silky dogwood, black willow, and elderberry. Rushes and sedges, most notably woolgrass, soft rush, and a number of sedges, usually dominate the ground layer. In the Georgia piedmont, these communities are frequently associated with beaver activity.

In the following list, the "floodplain" column includes the levee forest and the "wetland" column includes all wetland communities.

Plants of Piedmont Bottomlands

Trees
Common name	Botanical name	Floodplain	Wetland
Ash, Green	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	X	D
Birch, River	Betula nigra	D	X
Boxelder	Acer negundo	D	X
Carolina Silverbell	Halesia carolina	X
Cottonwood, Eastern	Populus deltoides	X	X
Elm, American	Ulmus americana	X
Elm, Slippery or Red	Ulmus rubra	X
Elm, Winged	Ulmus alata	X
Hackberry or Sugarberry	Celtis laevigata	X	X
Hawthorn, Parsley	Crataegus marshallii	X
Hawthorn, Green	Crataegus viridis	X	X
Hickory, Bitternut	Carya cordiformis	X
Holly, American	Ilex opaca	X
Magnolia, Sweetbay	Magnolia virginiana		X
Maple, Red	Acer rubrum	X	D
Maple, Southern Sugar	Acer barbatum	X
Mulberry, Red	Morus rubra	X
Musclewood	Carpinus caroliniana	X
Oak, Cherrybark	Quercus pagoda	X
Oak, Overcup	Quercus lyrata	X	X
Oak, Swamp Chestnut	Quercus michauxii	X	X
Oak, Water	Quercus nigra	D
Oak, Willow	Quercus phellos	D
Paw Paw	Asimina triloba	X
Pine, Loblolly	Pinus taeda	X
Poison Sumac	Toxicodendron vernix		X
Sweetgum	Liquidamber styraciflua	D	D
Sycamore	Platanus occidentalis	D	X
Tulip or Yellow Poplar	Liriodendron tulipifera	X
Tupelo, Swamp	Nyssa biflora (N. sylvatica biflora)	X	D
Walnut, Black	Juglans nigra	X
Willow, Black	Salix nigra	X	D

Shrubs
Common name	Botanical name	Floodplain	Wetland
Alder, Tag	Alnus serrulata	X	D
Azalea, Swamp	Rhododendron viscosum	X	X
Azalea, Sweet	Rhododendron arborescens	X
Blueberry, Highbush	Vaccinium corymbosum	X	X
Buckeye, Georgia or Painted	Aesculus sylvatica	X
Buttonbush	Cephalanthus occidentalis	X	X
Chokeberry	Aronia arbutifolia		X
Devil's Walking-Stick	Aralia spinosa	X
Dogwood, Silky	Cornus amomum	X	D
Dogwood, Swamp or stiff	Cornus foemina	X	X
Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis	X	D
Indigobush	Amorpha fruticosa		X
Leucothoe, Swamp	Leucothoe racemosa		X
Maleberry	Lyonia ligustrina	X	X
Possumhaw	Ilex decidua	X	X
Rose, Swamp	Rosa palustris	X	X
Snowbell, American	Styrax americana	X	X
Spicebush	Lindera benzoin	X	X
St. John's-wort, Naked-flowered	Hypericum nudiflorum	X
Strawberrybush	Euonymus americanus	X
Swamphaw	Viburnum nudum	X	D
Sweetspire, Virginia	Itea virginica	X	X
Winterberry	Ilex verticillata	X	X
Yellowroot	Xanthorhiza simplicissima	X

Vines
Common name	Botanical name	Floodplain	Wetland
Blackjack Vine	Berchemia scandens	X	X
Climbing Hemp	Mikania scandens		X
Crossvine	Bignonia capreolata	X
Greenbriar	Smilax rotundifolia, S. smallii. S. laurifolia	X	X
Groundnut	Apios americana	X
Hydrangea, Climbing	Decumaria barbara	X
Muscadine	Vitis rotundifolia	X
Poison Ivy	Toxicodendron radicans	X
Spiny Pod	Matelea carolinensis	X
Trumpetcreeper	Campsis radicans	X
Virgin's Bower	Clematis virginiana	X
Wisteria, American	Wisteria frutescens	X

Flowering Herbaceous Plants
Common name	Botanical name	Floodplain	Wetland
Arrow Arum	Peltandra virginica		X
Arrow Vine	Polygonum sagittatum		X
Aster, Swamp	Aster puniceus		X
Avens, White	Geum canadense	X	X
Bedstraw	Galium spp.	X
Beggarticks	Bidens aristosa, B. frondosa	X	X
Blue Lobelia	Lobelia puberula	X	X
Buttercup	Ranunculus spp.	X
Butterweed or Ragwort	Senecio glabellus	X	X
Cardinal Flower	Lobelia cardinalis	X	X
Clearweed	Pilea pumila		X
Crown-beard	Verbesina alternifolia	X
Cutleaf Coneflower	Rudbeckia laciniata	X
Dayflower, Virginia	Commelina virginica	X
Duck Potato, Arrowhead	Sagittaria latifolia	X	X
Gentian, Soapwort	Gentiana saponaria	X	X
Ginger, Shuttleworth's *	Hexastylis shuttleworthii var. harperi		X
Goldenrod	Solidago rugosa, S. gigantean	X	X
Grass, Blue-eyed	Sisyrinchium angustifolium	X
Green Dragon	Arisaema dracontium	X	X
Iris, Virginia	Iris virginica		X
Ironweed	Vernonia altissima, V. novaboracensis	X	X
Jack-in-the-Pulpit	Arisaema triphyllum	X
Jewelweed or Touch-me-not	Impatiens capensis	X	X
Joe Pye Weed	Eupatorium fistulosum	X	X
Lily, Atamasco	Zephyranthes atamasco	X	X
Lily, Spider	Hymenocallis occidentalis	X
Lizard's Tail	Saururus cernuus		X
Loosestrife, Fringed	Lysimachia ciliata	X	X
Lopseed	Phryma letpostachya	X	X
Mallow, Swamp	Hibiscus moscheutos		X
Mayapple	Podophyllum peltatum	X
Mistfower	Eupatorium coelestinum	X
Monkeyflower, Swamp	Mimulus ringens		X
Nettle, False	Boehmeria cylindrica	X	X
Ragweed, Giant	Ambrosia trifida	X	X
Smartweed	Polygonum spp.	X	X
Sneezeweed	Helenium autumnale	X	X
St. John's Wort	Hypericum mutilum	X
Stinkweed	Pluchea camphorata		X
Sunflower, Swamp	Helianthus angustifolius		X
Trillium, Sessile	Trillium cuneatum	X
Turtlehead	Chelone glabra		X
Yam, Wild	Dioscorea villosa	X

Ferns
Common name	Botanical name	Floodplain	Wetland
Cinnamon Fern	Osmunda cinnamonea	X	X
Coarse-lobed Fern	Botrychium biternatum	X
New York Fern	Thelypteris noveboracensis	X
Rattlesnake Fern	Botrychium virginianum	X
Royal Fern	Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis	X	X
Sensitive Fern	Onoclea sensibilis	X	X
Small or Netted Chain Fern	Woodwardia areolata	X	X
Southern Lady Fern	Athyrium filix-femina	X

Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes
Common name	Botanical name	Floodplain	Wetland
Broomsedge, Bushy	Andropogan glomeratus	X	X
Bur-reed, Eastern	Sparganium americanum		X
Cattail	Typha latifolia		X
Cutgrass	Leersia oryzoides	X	X
Deer-tongue Grass	Panicum clandestinum	X	X
Eastern Gama Grass	Tripsacum dactyloides	X
Fowl Manna Grass	Glyceria striata	X	X
Long-leaf wood oats	Chasmanthium sessiliflorum	X
River Cane	Arundinaria gigantea	X
River Oats	Chasmanthium latifolium	X
Rush, Soft	Juncus effusus		X
Sedges	Carex and Cyperus spp.		X
Slender Woodoats	Chasmanthium laxum	X	X
Sugarcane Plume Grass	Saccharum giganteus (Erianthus)	X
Switch Grass	Panicum virgatum	X	X
Woodreed	Cinna arundinacea		X
Woolgrass	Scirpus cyperinus		X

Open Upland Communities

The piedmont of Georgia largely consists of forested communities. However, where disturbance creates openings in a forest or there are conditions that prevent the development of a forest, open communities may develop.

The most well-studied open community type is the granitic outcrop. These are unique communities that develop over exposures of granite and granite-like rock. The vegetation consists of a number of species found in other communities that can tolerate the hot, dry environments and thin soils, including loblolly pine, winged elm, eastern red cedar, fringe-tree, sparkleberry, and broomsedge. Many of the species found in these communities have developed adaptations such as succulent or hairy leaves and stems to retain moisture and many are annuals that are dormant throughout the hottest time of the year. Granite outcrops contain many unusual species, some of them endemic or restricted to these communities, including several rare species. The best known examples of this community type in the Atlanta area are Stone, Panola, and Arabia Mountains. These highly specialized communities are sporadically located throughout the Georgia piedmont. Since they are not common in Atlanta area greenspaces and the species list is quite involved, these communities will not be discussed further.

Other open communities are not as well understood. Because of the extent of land disturbance since European settlement, non-forested land is far more common than it was before 1700. Since then, many introduced plants have naturalized and have become common components of open communities. It is likely that there are many differences in the abundance and diversity of native species. For example, broomsedge is probably more dominant in open areas today because it establishes rapidly in disturbedareas, while, very likely, little bluestem may have been more common prior to European settlement. These changes make studying and understanding "natural" open communities difficult. Historically, open communities would develop where natural disturbances such as fires or wind throws occurred and whereNative Americans managed by controlled fires for hunting and agriculture. In some areas, thin or rocky soil might limit the development of a permanent canopy and there would be a more or less stable open community that would be maintained by periodic fires and/or grazing by native herbivores. With the elimination of large native herbivores and the wide-scale suppression of fire, what open communities exist now are generally maintained by mowing or active management.

Grasses typically dominate stable open communities (other than granitic outcrops) and usually comprise 70-80% of the vegetation. An assortment of annual and perennial forbs occurs within the grasses. We commonly refer to such areas as meadows or prairies. The community is called a savanna where there are scattered trees within such grasslands. Several woody species such as Chickasaw plum and sumacs are frequently found within or around open communities. The following list includes the species found in dry to dry-mesic conditions only. Further study is needed to develop more comprehensive lists for open communities.

Plants of Dry to Dry-Mesic Open Communities (Grasslands and Meadows)

Grasses and Sedges
Common name	Botanical name
Barley, little	Hordeum pusillum
Bentgrass, Small	Agrostis hyemalis
Bluegrass, Forest	Poa sylvestris
Broomsedge, Virginia	Andropogon virginicus
Bluestem, Elliott's	Andropogon gyrans
Bluestem, Little	Schizachyrium scoparius
Bluestem, Splitbeard	Andropogon tenarius
Carpetgrass	Axonopus fissifolius
Hairgrass or Pink Muhly	Muhlenbergia capillaris
Indiangrass, Elliott's	Sorghastrum elliottii
Indiangrass, Yellow	Sorghastrum nutans
Lacegrass	Eragrostis capillaries
Lovegrass, Bigtop	Eragrostis hirsuta
Lovegrass, Purple	Eragrostis spectabilis
Oat Grass	Danthonia spicata
Oat grass, Downy	Danthonia sericea
Panic grass, Beaked	Panicum anceps
Plumegrass, Bent-awn	Saccharum brevibarbe var. contortum
Plumegrass, Silver	Saccharum alopecuroides
Purpletop	Tridens flavus
Rosette Grass	Dichanthelium spp.
Sedge, Upland	Carex nigomarginata
Switchgrass	Panicum virgatum
Three-awn Grass	Aristida spp.

Flowering Herbaceous Plants
Common name	Botanical name
Angelica	Angelica venenosa
Asters	Aster dumosus, A. ericoides, A. patens & A. pilosus
Black-eyed Susan	Rudbeckia hirta
Blazing-star	Liatris graminifolia
Coreopsis	Coreopsis major, C. lanceolata
Daisy Fleabane	Erigeron philadelphicus
Dog Fennel	Eupatorium capillifolium
False-dandelion	Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
Goat's Rue	Tephrosia virginiana
Goldenrods	Solidago altissima, S. canadensis, S. rugosa, S.nemoralis, S. odora, S. speciosa
Maryland Golden Aster	Chrysopsis mariana
Milkweed, Butterfly Weed	Asclepias tuberosa
Milkweed, Clasping	Asclepias amplexicaulis
Milkweed, White	Asclepias variegata
Mountain Mint, Narrowleaf	Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Mountain Mint, White	Pycnanthemum incanum
Partridge Pea	Chamaecrista fasciculate (Cassia)
Purple-disc Sunflower	Helianthus atrorubens
Ragwort, Common	Senecio anonymous
Rattlesnake Master	Eryngium yuccifolium
Sage, Lyre-leaf	Salvia lyrata
Sensitive Brier	Schrankia microphylla
Silkgrass	Pityopsis graminifolia
Silphiums	Silphium astericus, S. compositum
Spotted Horsemint	Monarda punctata
Sundrops	Oenothera biennis, O. fruticosa
Thistle, Pasture	Cirsium discolor
Toadflax	Nuttallanthus canadensis (Linaria)
Wild Bergamot	Monarda fistulosa
Yucca, Adam's Needle	Yucca filamentosa

Trees, Shrubs, and Vines
Common name	Botanical name
Beautyberry	Callicarpa americana
Blackberry	Rubus argutus
Carolina Jessamine	Gelsemium sempervirens
Chickasaw plum	Prunus angustifolia
Eastern red cedar	Juniperus virginiana
Elm, Winged	Ulmus alata
Fringe-tree	Chionanthus virginicus
Hawthorn, Cockspur	Crataegus crus-galli
Muscadine	Vitis rotundifolia
New Jersey Tea	Ceanothus americanus
Pasture or Carolina Rose	Rosa carolina
Pine, Loblolly	Pinus taeda
Poison ivy	Toxicodendron radicans
Red bud	Cercis canadensis
Serviceberry	Amelanchier arborea
Sparkleberry	Vaccinium arboreum
Sumac, Smooth	Rhus glabra
Sumac, Winged	Rhus copallina
Trumpetcreeper	Campsis radicans
Virginia creeper	Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Sources:

The PLANTS National Database, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). www.plant.usda.gov
Brown, Claud L. and L. Katherine Kirkman. 1990. Trees of Georgia and Adjacent States. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Brown, Lauren. 1979. Grasses: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, NY.
Carman, Jack B. 2001. Wildflowers of Tennessee. Highland Rim Press, Tullahoma, TN.
Duncan, Wilber H. and Marion B. Duncan. 1988. Trees of the Southeastern United States. UGA Press, Athens, GA.
Foote, Leonard E. and Samuel B Jones, Jr. 1989. Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast: Landscaping Uses and Identification. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Godfrey, Robert K. 1988. Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Northern Florida and Adjacent Georgia and Alabama. UGA Press, Athens, GA.
Murdy, W.H. and M.E.B. Carter. 2000. Guide to the Plants of Granite Outcrops. University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA.
Porcher, Richard Dwight and Douglas Alan Rayner. 2001. A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina. University of SC Press.
Radford, A.E., H. E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC.
Schafale, Michael P. and Alan S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the Natural Communities of North Carolina. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh, NC. www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/nhp/publications/class.pdf
Snyder, Lloyd H., Jr. and James G. Bruce. 1987. Field Guide to the Ferns and Other Pteridophytes of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, Athens, GA.
Swanson, Robert E. 1994. A Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Southern Appalachians. John Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore, MD.
Wharton, Charles H. 1978. The Natural Environments of Georgia. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Georgia Geologic Survey, 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30334; (404) 657-6127.