Native Trees of Georgia

-Color denotes a tree that is rare or endangered

The Peach State, 'Wisdom, Justice, Moderation'

State Tree: Live Oak

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Native Trees of Georgia

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Georgia is a state in which you can

find history and nature woven together in

preservation. Great cities like Atlanta, Augusta,

Columbus, and Savannah focus on heritage

and natural southern beauty. This is also true

across the state and is evidenced by the

dozens of historical sites, impressive gardens,

and magestic oak trees.

The nature lover can have quite a list of 'must

sees' in Georgia. Atlanta is home to the world's

largest aquarium, with more animals than any

• Georgia Native Trees A to Z

• Georgia Tree Facts

• Georgia Tree Families and Species

• Endangered/Threatened Species

• Tree Nurseries in Georgia

Georgia Tree Facts

Forested acres: 24.8 million
Percent of land forested: 67%
Predominant forest types:
Number of State Parks or Forests: 44
Number of National Parks/Forests: 2
Number of Tree city USA communities: 139
Number of invasive tree species (declared and/or present): 41 (see state list for noxious/invasive plants)
Damaging insects of high concern: Gypsy Moth, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, Ambrosia Beetle
Disease/Pathogen of concern: Laurel wilt, Sudden Death Oak
Number of tree families in our collection: 40
Number of endangered or threatened species in our collection: 3

References:
Georgia Forestry Commission
Invasive Plants of Georgia's Forests
National Park Service, http://www.fs.usda.gov/
USDA, Forestry Service, FEIS
EDDMapS. 2013. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System.
The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Available online at http://www.eddmaps.org/; last accessed January 17, 2013.

Additional state resources:

Georgia State Parks, Annual passes available.
Official Georgia Tourism and Travel Website
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

Follow the links to view species native to Georgia. If the genus is not linked, species are listed on the family page.

Aceraceae, Maple
Anacardiaceae, Sumac
    Rhus, Sumac
Annonaceae, Custard-apple
Aquifoliaceae, Holly
    Ilex, Holly
Arecaceae, Palm
Betulaceae, Birch
     Betula, Birch
     Carpinus, Hornbeam
     Corylus, Hazelnut
     Ostrya, Hophornbeam
Bignoniaceae, Trumpet Creeper
     Catalpa, Catalpa
     Chilopsis, Desert Willow
Caprifoliaceae, Honeysuckle
     Sambucus, Elderberry
     Viburnum, Viburnum
Cornaceae, Dogwood
     Cornus, Dogwood
     Nyssa, Tupelo

Georgia Tree Families and Genera

click to enlarge.

Useful information while browsing species:

• How to read a botanical name

• How to use our species boxes:

-Color denotes a tree that is rare or endangered

Please note: This is not a complete list of all native tree families and species found in Georgia. We are constantly working towards a more comprehensive list and will add families and their species as completed.

Additional Resources:

North American Native Tree Families
North American A to Z List by Scientific Name
North American A to Z List by Common Name

Fabaceae, Pea
Fagaceae, Beech
    Quercus, Oak
Hamamelidaceae, Witch-hazel
Hippocastanaceae, Horse-chestnut
Juglandaceae, Walnut
     Carya, Hickory
    Juglans, Walnut
Lauraceae, Laurel
Leitneriaceae, Corkwood
Magnoliaceae, Magnolia
Moraceae, Mulberry
    Morus, Mulberry
Myricaceae, Bayberry
Oleaceae, Olive Family
    Fraxinus, Ash

Rhamnaceae, Buckthorn
Rosaceae, Rose
    Crataegus, Hawthorn
    Malus, Crab-apple
    Prunus, Plum/Cherry
Rubiaceae, Madder
Rutaceae, Rue
Salicaceae, Willow
    Populus, Cottonwood
    Salix, Willow
Sapindaceae, Soapberry
Sapotaceae, Sapodilla
Styracaceae, Storax
Symplocaceae, Sweetleaf
Taxaceae, Yew
Theaceae, Tea
Tiliaceae, Lindon
     Tilia, Basswood
Ulmaceae, Elm
    Celtis, Hackberry
    Ulmus, Elm
Yucca, Yucca

Cyrillaceae, Cyrilla
Ebenaceae, Ebony
Diospyros, Persimmon
Ericaceae, Heath

Pinaceae, Pine
Abies, Fir
Pinus, Pine

Georgia Endangered or Threatened Tree Species

Cupressaceae- Cypress
     Chamaecyparis, Cedar
     Juniperus, Juniper
     Taxodium, Baldcypress

This is not a comprehensive list but we are always working on adding more and will update accordingly.

Rare:
Chamaecyparis thyoides, Atlantic white cedar
Stewartia malacodendron, Silky camellia

Threatened Status:

Elliottia racemosa, Georgiaplume
Quercus oglethorpensis, Oglethorpe oak

Endangered Status:

Illicium floridanum, Florida anisetree
Lindera melissifolia, Southern spicebush
Salix floridana, Florida willow
Torreya taxifolia, Florida Torreya, Florida nutmeg

Looking for a nursery near you?
Check out our nursery listing by county below!

Sorry, we do not currently have any tree nursery listings for this state. We do update these lists, so please check back.

treesforme.com Webutation

white flower with reddish tips on Cornus florida

Tree lists:
•A-Z by scientific
name
•A-Z by common
name
•By Family

For state A-Z list click state name below.

Home>Browse by State>Georgia

Platanaceae, Plane-tree
Platanus, Sycamore

A firmaret radicem flectit et clamoribus durante tempestas, sed supersit quia est flexibilis. Talis vita est.

Named the State tree in 1937, Live oak trees are an iconic image of the southeastern United States and a beloved emblem of Georgia's historical past. Requested by the Daughters of the American Revolution to be named the State tree, live oak is commonly found in historic areas first settled by the colonists. It is found throughout the coastal region and southern half of the state

but is widely used in landscaping all over Georgia- and the entire south for that matter. Quercus virginiana is revered as a city treasure in Savannah. The city even established a Park and Tree Department in 1896 to care for and protect the trees in the downtown

area. The Spanish moss hanging from the thick, far reaching branches gently swaying in the warm breeze surely helps add to the allure of mystery in America's historical and rumored most haunted city.
The National Champion Live oak is 80 feet tall and found in the Baptist Village Retirement Community. Named Village Sentinal, this tree has been standing guard from

Photo courtesy Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

between 300 to 500 years and providing shade for travelers on hot summer days with its 160 foot crown spread since before Georgia became a state!
Typically, Quercus virginiana only grows to about 50 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet in diameter.
Part of the Coastal Plain ecosystems, it is resistant to salt spray and soils with high salinity, can tolerate periodic short term flooding, and prefers sites with sandy soils that can be dry or moist. Live oak trees will sprout prolifically from the roots and root collar and can create many clones. Through adaptations like these, they can survive being top killed by fire, are hard to kill, and may produce dense stands. The leathery thick dark green leaves, which persist through winter, are the reason behind Quercus virginiana's common name. A wide variety of wildlife, such a squirrels, rabbits, deer, black bears and wild turkeys, forage on the acorns. There are also a great many bird species that nest and take shelter in live oaks. The Florida Scrub Jay, a threatened species, is one bird species in addition to owls, pigeons, and orioles.
Learn More

Live Oak, Quercus virginiana, Frampton Plantation House- South Carolina

Live Oak, Quercus virginiana, Brevard Co., Florida

other aquarium and 10 million gallons of water. While in Atlanta, you could also visit the Atlanta

Botanical Garden where they have several gardens including the Dwarf and Rare Conifer

Garden, Hardy Palms Garden, and the Orchid Display House. Another botanical garden, the

State Botanical Garden of Georgia, is located east of Atlanta and just a little north of the

Oconee National Forest in the city of Athens.

Georgia has a wide variety of tree species, many of which have registered champions.

There are 22 National Champions including Georgia plume, nutmeg hickory, Florida maple,

myrtle oak, post oak, mayhaw and red mulberry! Some of the state's most magnificent trees

are showcased by the Savannah Tree Foundation on their Coastal Tree Tour and leads you to

some of the city's most impressive trees such as The Majestic Oak , the 500 year old

Middleton Oak and many others. Being the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the National

Appalachian Trail begins in north Georgia. From Amicalola Falls State Park, an 8.5-mile trail

leads to Springer Mountain, which is southern end of the Appalachian Trail. Ending in Maine

and taking about 6 months to hike, the Appalachian Trail meanders through the Appalachian

Mountains for 2,175 miles. Tumbling and rumbling 728 feet, Amicalola Falls State Park also

has the southeast's tallest cascading waterfall. If hiking to find waterfalls is your pastime,

visiting the Tallulah Gorge State Park would be well worth your time.

Southern Georgia is the place to be for fun on the water. There are numerous beaches, one

of which is a National Seashore, where you can beach comb, relax in the sun, swim, and learn

about nature. The family friendly Massengale Park on St. Simon's Island is a popular among

beach-goers. There is also East Beach, popular for its shells and the Coastal Encounters

Nature Center. You can learn about barrier island ecology with walks and kayak excursions. For the little more rugged,

another watery adventure into the wilds of nature is the Great Okefenokee Swamp. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of

Georgia, it is the largest un-fragmented freshwater and black water wilderness swamp in North America. It boasts 120

miles of paddle trails which criss-cross this virtually untouched expanse.

While Georgia holds many natural wonders, a variety of wild treasures, and a deep, vivid, well preserved history, the most

famous thing in all of Georgia requires timing and an empty stomach. Come June, it is all about the peaches. From the very

large to the locally modest, there are numerous peach festivals with competitions, cobbler, ice cream, peach pie and fun! A

juicy peach or peach ice cream with a dab of cobbler or slice of pie sounds like a perfect way to end an afternoon of

enjoying the splendor of Georgian nature.