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Publication May 2020 Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care / University Hill Fellow University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Native trees represent great ecological bounty and 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 Georgia. Native trees are wonderfully adapted to an area’s climate, soils, pests and other plants. There are native trees common to every Georgia county well-suited for most planting sites or landscape position. 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 generally defined as being found within the last three centuries growing wild and reproducing naturally, and not introduced into an area by human activities. A tree is considered “native in Georgia” if it was not originally brought to Georgia by people, it is now found growing and reproducing naturally in Georgia landscapes, and its gene sets have developed and succeeded under Georgia’s environmental conditions for centuries. Some native trees grow successfully in every Georgia county and in any part of the State. Key to proper selection of a Georgia native tree for planting is assuring it can handle various climatic and micro-site characteristics. Critical measures of native trees surviving and thriving statewide are shown in one of three environmental resources constraint rating systems: cold hardiness zone (Figure heat tolerance zone (Figure and Coder tree planting zone (Figure All three rating systems examine tree growth success from a different point of view. Many tree species can survive for years when planted outside of their native range, especially in high quality or protected areas. Young trees can be more tolerant of environmental constraints than older trees. Planting a tree species within its native range, along with selecting a tree species falling within the statewide boundaries of one, two, or all three of these environmental resources constraint rating systems will help provide trees capable of surviving and thriving under many conditions. Figure 4 lists, in alphabetical order by scientific name, 43 tree species growing and having the greatest potential for surviving and thriving, anywhere within the State. The zone codes listed help identify which rating system led to species inclusion on this statewide list. Figure 5 provides the same list as Figure 4, but sorted not by species but by zone codes. Note how 27 tree species (zone code = chp) are listed as having potential for statewide planting success as shown in all three rating systems. Na Na Na Na Nati titi titive e e e e Trees F ees F ees F ees F ees Found Sta ound Sta ound Sta ound Sta ound State te te te tewide wide wide wide wide Acr Acr Acr Acr Across Geor oss Geor oss Geor oss Geor oss Georgia gia gia gia gia The University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources offers educational programs, assistance, and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, gender, or disability. The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. Citation: Coder, Kim D. 2020. Native Trees Found Statewide Across Georgia. University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Outreach Publication Pp.8. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder Hardiness Zones average annual minimum zone temperature oF 6b -5 7a 0 7b 5 8a 10 8b 15 9a 20 (derived from USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (New Revised Version) by ARS & Oregon State University, 2012) 9a 9a 9a 9a 9a 8a 8a 8a 8a 8a 8b 8b 8b 8b 8b 7a 7a 7a 7a 7a 7b 7b 7b 7b 7b 7a 7a 7a 7a 7a 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b Figure 1: Tree Cold Hardiness Zones. Map based upon average annual minimum temperatures. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder Figure 2: Tree Heat Tolerance Zones. Map based upon average annual number of days above 86oF. Heat Zones average number of days per year zone above 86oF 5 30 6 45 7 60 8 90 9 120 10 150 5 6 7 8 10 10 10 10 10 8 9 (derived from: Plant Heat-Zone Map of the United States by the American Horticultural Society, Alexandria, VA. 1997) ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder 1 Figure 3: Coder Tree Planting Zones of Georgia. Map based upon average temperature & precipitation cluster analysis. 2 3 4 5 6 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder chp Acer rubrum red maple chp Alnus serrulata hazel alder chp Aralia spinosa devil’s walkingstick cp Betula nigra river birch chp Carpinus caroliniana American hornbeam chp Carya glabra pignut hickory c Carya ovalis red hickory chp Carya tomentosa mockernut hickory chp Castanea pumila chinquapin chp Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush chp Chionanthus virginicus fringetree chp Cornus florida flowering dogwood chp Diospyros virginiana persimmon cp Fraxinus green ash c Halesia carolina little silverbell chp Hamamelis virginiana American witch-hazel chp Ilex opaca American holly chp Juniperus virginiana Eastern redcedar p Liquidambar styraciflua sweetgum chp Liriodendron tulipifera yellow-poplar chp Morus rubra red mulberry zone codes scientific name common name Figure 4: List of native Georgia trees growing statewide based upon any of three growth constraint rating systems: cold hardiness heat tolerance and/or Coder tree planting zone. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder chp Nyssa sylvatica blackgum c Pinus echinata shortleaf pine chp Pinus taeda loblolly pine cp Platanus occidentalis American sycamore c Prunus angustifolia Chickasaw plum chp Prunus serotina black cherry cp Quercus alba white oak chp Quercus falcata Southern red oak cp Quercus marilandica blackjack oak p Quercus michauxii swamp chestnut oak chp Quercus nigra water oak chp Quercus stellata post oak chp Rhus copallinum winged sumac c Salix nigra black willow chp Sambucus canadensis American elder chp Sassafras albidum sassafras ch tinctoria sweetleaf cp Tilia white basswood c Toxicodendron vernix poison sumac chp Ulmus americana American elm chp Vaccinium arboreum farkleberry c Viburnum rufidulum rusty blackhaw zone codes scientific name common name Figure 4: List of native Georgia trees growing statewide based upon any of three growth constraint rating systems: cold hardiness heat tolerance and/or Coder tree planting zone. (continued) ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder c Carya ovalis red hickory c Halesia carolina little silverbell c Pinus echinata shortleaf pine c Prunus angustifolia Chickasaw plum c Salix nigra black willow c Toxicodendron vernix poison sumac c Viburnum rufidulum rusty blackhaw ch tinctoria sweetleaf cp Betula nigra river birch cp Fraxinus green ash cp Platanus occidentalis American sycamore cp Quercus alba white oak cp Quercus marilandica blackjack oak cp Tilia white basswood p Liquidambar styraciflua sweetgum p Quercus michauxii swamp chestnut oak chp Acer rubrum red maple chp Alnus serrulata hazel alder chp Aralia spinosa devil’s walkingstick chp Carpinus caroliniana American hornbeam chp Carya glabra pignut hickory chp Carya tomentosa mockernut hickory chp Castanea pumila chinquapin chp Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush chp Chionanthus virginicus fringetree Figure 5: List of native Georgia trees growing statewide sorted by one of three individual growth constraint rating systems: cold hardiness 41 species; heat tolerance 28 species; or Coder tree planting zones 35 species. zone codes scientific name common name ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 Native Trees Found Statewide K.D. Coder chp Cornus florida dogwood chp Diospyros virginiana persimmon chp Hamamelis virginiana American witch-hazel chp Ilex opaca American holly chp Juniperus virginiana Eastern redcedar chp Liriodendron tulipifera yellow-poplar chp Morus rubra red mulberry chp Nyssa sylvatica blackgum chp Pinus taeda loblolly pine chp Prunus serotina black cherry chp Quercus falcata Southern red oak chp Quercus nigra water oak chp Quercus stellata post oak chp Rhus copallinum winged sumac chp Sambucus canadensis American elder chp Sassafras albidum sassafras chp Ulmus americana American elm chp Vaccinium arboreum farkleberry Figure 5: List of native Georgia trees growing statewide sorted by one of three individual growth constraint rating systems: cold hardiness 41 species; heat tolerance 28 species; or, Coder tree planting zones 35 species. (continued) zone codes scientific name common name