nurturing native biodiversity
United Plant Savers At Risk plants that are native to Buncombe County and southern Appalachia
“Critical”
4 out of 8 plants listed are native to Buncombe County and the mountains of southern Appalachia
1 more is native to the North Carolina coast
(Elephant Tree – Bursera microphylla)
False Unicorn – Chamaelirium luteum
aka Fairy Wand
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/fairywand-devils-bit/
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plant-profile/CHLU
Lady’s Slipper Orchid – Cypripedium spp.
native to western north carolina
very little available about pest resistance or cultivation
(Peyote – Lophophora williamsii)
(Sandalwood – Santalum spp. (Hawaii only))
Sundew – Drosera spp.
native to western north carolina
Habit and Range: Drosera capillaris (pink sundew), D. intermedia (spoonleaf sundew), and D. brevifolia (dwarf sundew) are common in the Coastal Plain, in wet sandy places, pine wetlands, and pond edges; D. rotundifolia (roundleaf sundew) is more rare and found in mountain bogs, fens, and seeps.
https://harvest.cals.ncsu.edu/plantguidedb/index.cfm?ViewPlantID=10608
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/drosera/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/roundleaf-sundew/
Trillium, Beth Root – Trillium spp.
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/trillium-recurvatum/
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/basic-search-results?resultId=c60758cc-b40a-4cf3-b85b-a1e71a2d05fb
Venus Fly Trap – Dionaea muscipula
NC coast,, but not the mountains
“At-Risk”
25 out of 34 plants listed are native to Buncombe County and the mountains of southern Appalachia
American Ginseng – Panax quinquefolius
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/panax-quinquefolius/
Black Cohosh – Actaea racemosa
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/black-cohosh/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/actaea-racemosa/
Bloodroot – Sanguinaria canadensis
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/bloodroot/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sanguinaria-canadensis/
Blue Cohosh – Caulophyllum thalictroides
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/blue-cohosh/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/caulophyllum-thalictroides/
Butterfly Weed – Asclepias tuberosa
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/butterfly-milkweed/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-tuberosa/
(Cascara Sagrada – Frangula purshiana)
(Chaparro – Castela emoryi)
Echinacea – Echinacea spp.
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/eastern-purple-coneflower/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/echinacea-pallida/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinacea-pallida/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinacea-laevigata/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinacea-purpurea/
Gentian – Gentiana spp.
Gentiana flavida is native to western north carolina
https://www.prairiemoon.com/gentiana-flavida-cream-gentian#panel-descrip
Ghost Pipe – Monotropa uniflora
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/monotropa/
Goldenseal – Hydrastis canadensis
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hydrastis-canadensis/
Goldthread – Coptis spp.
Coptis trifofolia is native to western north carolina (near as i can tell so far)
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/coptis-trifolia/
Maidenhair Fern – Adiantum pedatum
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/maidenhair-fern/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/adiantum-pedatum/
Mayapple – Podophyllum peltatum
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/mayapple/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/podophyllum-peltatum/
Oregon Root – Berberis spp.
Berberis canadensis is native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/berberis-canadensis/
(Osha – Ligusticum porteri)
Partridge Berry – Mitchella repens
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/partridgeberry/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/mitchella-repens/
Pink Root – Spigelia marilandica
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/spigelia-marilandica/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/spigelia-marilandica/
Pipsissewa – Chimaphila umbellata
native to western north carolina
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plant-profile/CHUM
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/pipsissewa/
Chimaphila maculata
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/spotted-wintergreen/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chimaphila-maculata/
Ramps – Allium tricoccum
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/allium-tricoccum/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/allium-tricoccum/
Slippery Elm – Ulmus rubra
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ulmus-rubra/
Spikenard – Aralia racemosa
native to western north carolina
https://www.prairiemoon.com/aralia-racemosa-spikenard#panel-rangemap
Squirrel Corn – Dicentra canadensis
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dicentra-canadensis/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/squirrel-corn/
Stone Root – Collinsonia canadensis
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/collinsonia-canadensis/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/collinsonia-canadensis/
(Stream Orchid – Epipactis gigantea)
True Unicorn – Aletris farinosa
native to nc, seems like this is native to wnc
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/white-colicroot/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/aletris-farinosa/
Virginia Snakeroot – Aristolochia serpentaria
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/endodeca-serpentaria/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/aristolochia-serpentaria/
(White Sage – Salvia apiana)
Wild Indigo – Baptisia tinctoria
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/blue-wild-indigo/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/baptisia-australis/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/cream-wild-indigo/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/baptisia-alba/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/baptisia-alba/
Wild Yam – Dioscorea villosa
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dioscorea-villosa/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/dioscorea-villosa/
(Yerba Mansa – Anemopsis californica)
(Yerba Santa – Eriodictyon californicum)
“In Review”
5 out of 7 plants listed are native to Buncombe County and the mountains of southern Appalachia
Arnica – Arnica spp.
Arnica acaulis is native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/leopardbane/
Chaga – Inonotus obliquus (fungus)
(Eyebright – Euphrasia spp.)
Lobelia – Lobelia inflata
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/indian-tobacco/
Skunk Cabbage – Symplocarpus foetidus
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/symplocarpus-foetidus/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/symplocarpus-foetidus/
Solomon’s Seal – Polygonatum biflorum
native to western north carolina
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/smooth-solomons-seal/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/polygonatum-biflorum/
Wild Cherry – Prunus serotina
native to western north carolina
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-serotina/
https://nativebase.org/plant-listing/black-cherry/
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monograph sources:
United Plant Savers list of At Risk Plants
https://unitedplantsavers.org/species-at-risk-list/
North Carolina cooperative extension plant toolbox
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/find_a_plant/
Nativebase
https://nativebase.org/browse/
Prairie Moon Nursery searchable database
https://www.prairiemoon.com/plants/#/?resultsPerPage=24
USDA database
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/
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nc native plant nurseries:
Painters Nursery, Old Fort
https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/our-plants
Winding Stair Gardens
https://shop.windingstairgardens.com/collection/129/just-native-plants
Carolina Native Nursery
https://www.carolinanativenursery.com/
Mellow Marsh Farms, Franklin
https://mellowmarshfarm.com/availability/
national specialty nurseries:
Prairie Moon Nursery