“In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October.” — Alexander Smith. 

“October is the opal month of the year. It is the month of glory, of ripeness. It is the picture-month.” — Henry Ward Beecher. 

“October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins…. Merry October!” — Rainbow Rowell.

Our southern landscapes have much to offer from the wooded and natural areas to each specific community and home landscape. Advantages that we get to enjoy and appreciate include warmer weather, sufficient rainfall and a longer growing season. The challenges we must endure include sustained heat, extended drought, and maximum humidity. However, plants that are native to the southeast are survivors in this warm to hot, and humid environment.

There are a number of reasons people unaccustomed to native plants might object to their proposed use in a landscape planting. The most frequent objection stems from the perception that native plants are messy and unruly. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and proper use of native plants in urban and suburban settings can provide excellent results with great curb appeal.

Once these native plants are established, they will survive quite well on average annual rainfall. The southeast receives between 40 to 80 inches of rainfall per year, depending on your locale. Take note of each plant’s preferred soil conditions and partner them to the soil in your landscape. Matching natives with the right conditions will help reduce your landscape’s irrigation needs and further create a wildlife-friendly environment. The following native plants include such icons as the southern live oak tree and the Carolina jessamine vine.

The beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is native to the southeast from Texas and Oklahoma east to Florida and north to Maryland. Beautyberry is fairly easy to grow, non-aggressive, and offers a bright purple fruit in the fall. It’s an excellent wildlife attractant, as it attracts pollinators in spring and birds in fall and grows best in full sun-part shade and in moist soil conditions.

The Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is native in the southeast from Virginia to Tennessee, Florida, and Texas. It is an extremely vigorous flowering vine but is not invasive, like kudzu and wisteria. Its twining stems need a support system to wrap around and climb. It works well on a trellis, arbor or on a wall. It flowers in early spring, exhibiting its beautiful yellow flowers against its evergreen foliage. It grows best in full sun and moist soil conditions.

The crimson-eyed rosemallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is native to the southeast, east and into the mid-west. A very good herbaceous perennial, it grows in wet soils near streams, ponds and swales. There are many types of hibiscus from the non-native Rose of Sharon to the tropical hibiscus species which prefer heat and do not like wet soil conditions. Of the many hibiscus species, the crimson-eyed rosemallow is an excellent choice because of its ease in adaptability and easy maintenance. It grows best in full sun and wet soil conditions.

The fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a specimen that is native to the southeast and is hardy into the colder zones. It is a small, flowering tree with a fragrance. It offers lacy white flowers in the spring and lively purple fruits in the fall.  It grows best in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil conditions. 

The inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is native from Florida to New York, and into the mid-west to New Mexico. This perennial ornamental grass is native to shaded streams and river banks east of the Rocky Mountains. It offers flat leaves on slender stems and flower heads that develop into light, papery, golden brown seeds in the fall. It grows best in part shade and moist soil conditions.

The piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens) is native to North Carolina and Tennessee south to central Florida and west to east Texas. It is one of the most common and readily available deciduous azalea shrubs. Its light white-pink blooms come out in the spring just prior to the emergence of its foliage thus showing off its branching structure. This azalea grows best in part shade in acidic, moist soil conditions.

The saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is native from South Carolina to Florida and west to Texas. It is an excellent choice for use on slopes and coastal areas where there is space for spreading. It is slow growing and drought tolerant. Exercise care in selecting a place to plant the saw palmetto because it is not easily removed once established. It grows best in full sun in dry, sandy soil conditions.

The southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) is native to coastal areas in the southeast, from Virginia to the Florida Keys, and to the Gulf Coast and into coastal Texas. As a large canopy tree, the southern live oak is a highly regarded, iconic tree. Traditionally, it was used along wide country driveways to colonial homes. Today it’s used as a street tree and forms massive canopies in lawns throughout the south. The best time to plant a live oak was 30 years ago (the next best time is now) and it grows best in full sun in well-drained soil conditions.

The southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a native that grows throughout the Carolinas, Georgia, northern-central Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi and into eastern coastal Texas. It is an awesome large flowering tree with attractive evergreen foliage. It’s deep, glossy green leaves with rusty red undersides and fall fruit make the southern magnolia an excellent ornamental specimen. It grows best in full sun and well-drained soil conditions.

Think in terms of native and sustainable plants in the landscape. May this bit of awareness spark your desire to learn and ask questions, encourage you to further apply your gained knowledge, and bring you to further realize that environmental stewardship and sustainability should be at the foundation of all your home landscape activities.

Think in terms of native and sustainable plants in the landscape. Keep your hanging baskets and potted plants refreshed with water and food. Remember to feed and water the songbirds, and give your pets the care they need (better to have a dog on the sofa than one on the chain). Be on the lookout for children playing and bicyclists riding along the streets and roadways throughout our communities. Pay attention to school buses and respect their stop signs and other signals as they transport our children to and from school and home. And remember to safely share the road with motorcycles. Drive alert and arrive alive. Don’t drive distracted or impaired, don’t text while driving, and “click it” or ticket. Let’s keep everyone safe! Help those in need and the homeless as each opportunity arises. And as you receive blessings, always pay them forward and share with others. Pay for a stranger’s meal the next time you are eating out!

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23. 

“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11. 

“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” Mark 9:41. 

Seagle is a Sustainability Verifier, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland), Agronomist and Horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International) LLC, Professor Emeritus and Honorary Alumnus (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College), Distinguished Professor for Teaching and Learning (University System of Georgia) and Short Term Missionary (Heritage Church, Moultrie). Direct inquiries to csi_seagle @yahoo.com.