Coastal Plain: Shrubs

By height: low | medium | tall

Other plant types: Fern/Fern Ally | Grass/Grasslike | Groundcover | Herbaceous | Herbaceous Emergent | Tree | Vine

Soil Moisture: Sunlight: Flower Color (simplified, all shades):
W = wet Su = full sun B = brown R = red O = orange
M = moist PS = part shade W = white P = pink G = green
D = dry Sh = full shade Y = yellow Pu = purple Bl = blue
    * denotes evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage

SHRUB, low
Scientific Name Common Name
W
M
D
Su
PS
Sh
Height Color Bloom
Comptonia peregrina sweet fern  
X
 
X
X
  3’ G Apr-May
Euonymus americanus strawberry bush, hearts-a-bustin’  
X
   
X
  1.5-6.5’ G May-Jun
Gaylussacia baccata black huckleberry  
X
X
 
X
X
1.5’ W, P May-Jun
Gaylussacia frondosa dangleberry
X
X
X
X
X
  2-4’ G, Pu Apr-Jun
Hypericum densiflorum dense St. John's wort
X
X
X
X
    1.5-6’ Y Jul-Sep
Kalmia angustifolia sheep laurel
X
X
X
X
X
  2-5’ W, P, Pu * May-Jul
Lyonia mariana stagger-bush  
X
   
X
X
0.5-6.5’ W, P May-Jun
Prunus maritima beach plum  
X
 
X
X
  1-8’ W Apr-May
Rhododendron atlanticum dwarf or coast azalea  
X
   
X
X
3-6’ W Apr-May
Rosa carolina pasture rose  
X
X
X
X
  0.5-3’ P May-Jun
Vaccinium vacillans (V. pallidum) early lowbush blueberry  
X
 
X
X
  1.5’ W, P Apr-May
Viburnum acerifolium maple-leaved arrowwood  
X
X
X
X
  3-6.5’ W, P Apr-May

Soil Moisture: Sunlight: Flower Color (simplified, all shades):
W = wet Su = full sun B = brown R = red O = orange
M = moist PS = part shade W = white P = pink G = green
D = dry Sh = full shade Y = yellow Pu = purple Bl = blue
    * denotes evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage

SHRUB, medium
Scientific Name Common Name
W
M
D
Su
PS
Sh
Height Color Bloom
Aronia arbutifolia red chokeberry
X
X
X
X
    1.5-13’ W Mar-May
Baccharis halimifolia high-tide bush, groundsel tree
X
X
 
X
    to 10’ W Aug-Sep
Callicarpa americana American beautyberry  
X
   
X
X
6’ Pu Jun-Aug
Cephalanthus occidentalis buttonbush
X
X
 
X
    to 10’ W Jul-Aug
Clethra alnifolia sweet pepperbush, summersweet
X
X
   
X
X
6-10’ W, P Jul-Sep
Cornus amomum silky dogwood  
X
 
X
X
  3-10’ W May-Jun
Hamamelis virginiana witch hazel  
X
X
X
X
  3-15’ Y Sep-Dec
Ilex glabra inkberry  
X
 
X
X
  3-10’ W * May-Jun
Ilex laevigata winterberry  
X
 
X
X
  10’ W May-Jul
Itea virginica tassel-white, Virginia sweetspire
X
X
 
X
X
  3-10’ W May-Jun
Leucothoe racemosa fetterbush  
X
   
X
X
13’ W, P May-Jun
Lindera benzoin spicebush  
X
X
 
X
  6.5-16’ Y Mar-May
Lyonia ligustrina male-berry  
X
   
X
X
1.5-10’ W May-Jul
Myrica cerifera wax myrtle, southern bayberry  
X
X
X
X
  6-12’ G * Mar-Apr
Myrica pensylvanica northern bayberry
X
X
X
 
X
  8’ G Apr-May
Rhododendron periclymenoides pink azalea, pinxterbloom
X
X
   
X
  3-10’ P, W Apr-May
Rhododendron viscosum swamp azalea
X
X
 
X
    6.5-10’ W, P May-Aug
Rhus glabra sweet or smooth sumac  
X
X
X
    1.5-10’ G Jun-Jul
Rosa palustris swamp rose
X
   
X
X
X
8’ P Jul-Aug
Sambucus canadensis common elderberry
X
X
 
X
X
X
6-12’ W Jun-Jul
Vaccinium corymbosum highbush blueberry  
X
X
X
X
  6-12’ W, P Apr-May
Vaccinium stamineum deerberry  
X
 
X
X
  5-10’ W, Pu Apr-Jun
Viburnum dentatum (V. recognitum) southern arrowwood  
X
X
X
X
  10’ W May-Jun
Viburnum nudum naked witherod  
X
 
X
X
  6.5-13’ W Apr-May

Soil Moisture: Sunlight: Flower Color (simplified, all shades):
W = wet Su = full sun B = brown R = red O = orange
M = moist PS = part shade W = white P = pink G = green
D = dry Sh = full shade Y = yellow Pu = purple Bl = blue
    * denotes evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage

SHRUB, tall
Scientific Name Common Name
W
M
D
Su
PS
Sh
Height Color Bloom
Alnus serrulata smooth alder
X
X
 
X
    12-20’   Mar-Apr
Aralia spinosa Devil’s walking stick  
X
 
X
X
  39’ W Jun-Aug
Ilex decidua possom haw  
X
X
X
X
  33’ W Apr-May
Kalmia latifolia mountain laurel  
X
X
X
X
X
10’ W, P * May-Jul
Rhus copallina shining or winged sumac    
X
X
X
  20-30’ G-Y Jul-Aug
Rhus typhina staghorn sumac    
X
X
    33’ Y, G Jun-Jul
Viburnum prunifolium black haw
X
X
 
X
X
  26’ W Apr-May

 Publication by USFWS BayScapes Conservation Landscaping Program
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http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesMD/coastalplain/coastal-shrubs.htm
Last updated: 9/4/01