North Carolina Shrubs & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plants Pages | Jeff's Wildflowers Page | Jeff's Nature Pages

Note Below are a few shrubs and trees found in North Carolina. This page is no longer updated, however, due to the sheer number of shrubs and trees in the state that I have now photographed. For many more photos and species of NC shrubs and trees, please browse my main plants page at: Jeff's Plants Pages. Thanks for visiting!

Fagaceae

	Water Oak (Quercus nigra) Tyrrell Co, NC 10/2/2005 Common in wet areas in the NC piedmont & coastal plain.

Viscaceae

Oak Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum)
DareCo., NC
3 Mar 2006

Common in the coastal plain, fairly common in the piedmont, and uncommon in the mountains, Oak Mistletoe is an evergreen parasite on various hardwoods. Pictured here on blooming Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Oak Mistletoe has also been called American Mistletoe, which might be a better name as it is often found on many non-oak species of trees.

Oak Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) on Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
DareCo., NC
3 Mar 2006

Oak Mistletoe is the caterpillar host plant for Great Purple Hairstreaks (Atlides halesus).

Annonaceae

	Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006 Dwarf Pawpaw is a small shrub that flowers in the spring and is a caterpillar host plant for Zebra Swallowtails.
	Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006
	Dwarf Pawpaw (Asimina parviflora) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006

Calycanthaceae

	Sweet-Shrub (Calycanthus floridus laevigatus) Graham Co., NC 5/1/2004 Uncommon in woodlands in the NC mountains and piedmont
	Sweet-Shrub (Calycanthus floridus laevigatus) Graham Co., NC 5/1/2004

Lauraceae

	Redbay (Persea borbonia) Dare Co., NC 11/3/2005 Common in the NC coastal plain. Host plant for Palamedes Swallowtail. Note the dark blue fruit (drupe).
	Redbay (Persea borbonia) Dare Co., NC 11/3/2005 Redbay is the caterpillar host plant for Palamedes Swallowtail

Aquifoliaceae

	Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) Dare Co., NC 3/4/2006 Common in maritime forests along the coast. Also commonly planted throughout the state as a landscape plant. Yaupon Holly is an excellent shrub for wildlife.
	Myrtle Dahoon (Ilex myrtifolia) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006 Also called Myrtle Holly, this plant is uncommon in wet open areas of the NC Coastal Plain.

Hippocastanaceae

	Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) New Hanover Co., NC 8/27/2005 Found mostly in the coastal plain in NC, in moist woodlands and swamp edges.

Rhamnaceae

Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana)
Orange Co., NC
7/20/2005

This fairly rare species is on the Watch List with the NC Natural Heritage Program. The population where this photo was taken was discovered by Will Cook a few years ago in the Duke Forest.

Eleagnaceae

	Autumn-olive (Eleagnus umbellata) Orange Co., NC4/17/2006 This exotic species (native to Asia) has become a serious ecological pest, displacing native vegetation.
	Autumn-olive (Eleagnus umbellata) Orange Co., NC4/17/2006 With fragrant spring flowers Autumn-olive frequently attract butterflies. Fruits ripen in the fall. Note the tiny glands covering the leaves.

Ericaceae

	Sand-Myrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium) Brunswick Co., NC 4/24/2004 Uncommon in NC from the lower coastal plain, lower piedmont and mountains.
	Sand-Myrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium) Brunswick Co., NC 4/24/2004
	Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006 Common in sandy woods in the coastal plain and eastern piedmont of NC, the leaves of this shrub are toxic and have been noted to cause sheep, cattle, and horses to stagger and fall after being eaten.
	Staggerbush (Lyonia mariana) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006
	Fetter-Bush (Lyonia lucida) Brunswick Co., NC 4/24/2004 Common in the NC coastal plain
	Coastal Doghobble (Leucothoe axillaris) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006 Leaves and flower nectar are reported highly toxic if ingested. This plant is common in the NC coastal plain in & around pocossin and wet woodland habitats.
	Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Orange Co., NC 20 Apr 2006
	Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Orange Co., NC 20 Apr 2006
	Sheep Laurel (Kalmia carolina) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006 Also known as Lambkill or Sheepkill, consumption of this plant can be toxic. Various concoctions have been used throughout history to treat colds, but this is not recommended!
	Sheep Laurel (Kalmia carolina) Pender Co., NC 23 Apr 2006
	Dwarf Rhododendron (Rhododendron atlanticum) Pender Co., NC 4/24/2004 Common in the NC coastal plain in pine woods and savannas
	Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) Orange Co., NC 20 Apr 2006 Common statewide in NC in dry woods, the fruits are enjoyed by a wide variety of wildlife (including me)!
	Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) Orange Co., NC 20 Apr 2006 Deerberry is one of several members of the blueberry family used as caterpillar host plants by Brown Elfins.
	This is NOT a flower! It's a flower-mimic fungus growing on a blueberry shrub (Vaccinium) Brunswick Co., NC 5/15/05
	same as above

Rubiaceae

	Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Durham Co., NC 7/2/2005 Common and statewide in NC (although uncommon in the mountains), Buttonbush is found along creeks, reservoirs, ditches, and other wet habitats. This is a favorite nectar source for many butterflies.
	Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Durham Co., NC 7/2/2005

Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook and Harry LeGrand.

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Created on ... April 4, 2005 | Updated ... April 25, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com