IMPORTANT SOFT-MAST PRODUCING NATIVE PLANTS SUITABLE & RECOMMENDED FOR LANDSCAPE USE in ZONES 6, 7, and 8 – NORTH and SOUTH CAROLINA
For ease of identification and clear communication with landscape nursery professionals, this list has been organized according to alfa-scientific nomenclature.
- The use of confusing or colloquial plant names or nicknames has been avoided.
- Plants that are toxic, aggressively invasive, non-native, parasitic or USDA Exotic Plant Control listed are not recommended.
- If possible, select and purchase your plants by scientific name only.
NOTE: For a thorough description of a plant and its cultivars it is recommended that you consult an authority such as Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (ISBN 9780875638003) by Michael A. Dirr at your library or nursery before purchase of plant material.
| Scientific Plant Name | Common name | Fruiting | See note(s) | |
| Amelanchier arborea | Downey Serviceberry | Jun/Jul | 5 | |
| Amelanchier laevis | Allegheny Serviceberry | Jun/Aug | 4,5 | |
| Aralia spinosa | Devil’s-walkingstick a.k.a. Hercule’s-club |
Aug/Oct | 1,4,5 | |
| Callicarpa americana | American Beautyberry | Aug/Nov | ||
| Celtis occidentalis | Hackberry | Aug/Oct | 5 | |
| Celtis laevigata | Sugar Hackberry | Sep/Oct | 5 | |
| Chionanthus virginicus | Fringetree | Aug/Sep | 3,5 | |
| Cocculus carolinus | Carolina Moonseed | Oct/Nov | 1,3 | |
| Cornus alternifolia | Alternate-leaf Dogwood | Jul/Aug | ||
| Cornus amomum | Silky Dogwood | Aug/Nov | 5 | |
| Cornus canadensis | Bunchberry | Aug/Oct | 5 | |
| Cornus florida | Flowering Dogwood | Sep/Oct | 5 | |
| Cornus sericea | Redosier Dogwood | Aug/Sep | 4 | |
| Crataegusspp. | Hawthorn | Sep/Oct | 4 | |
| Cataegus spathulata | Spatulate Hawthorn | Sep/Oct | 2,5 | |
| Gaylussacia brachycera | Box Huckleberry | Jul/Aug | 4 | |
| Ilexdecidua | Possum Haw | Sep/Jan | 3 | |
| Ilexglabra | Inkberry | Sep/May | 1,3 | |
| Ilex opaca | American Holly | Oct/Feb | 3 | |
| Ilex verticillata | Winterberry | Aug/Dec | 1,3 | |
| Ilex vomitoria | Yaupon | Sep/Jan | 1,3 | |
| Juniperus virginiana | Eastern Red Cedar | Sep/Feb | 3 | |
| Lindera benzoin | Spicebush | Sep | 3 | |
| Malusspp. | Flowering Crabapple | Jul/Dec | ||
| Menispermum canadense | Common Moonseed | 1,3 | ||
| Morus rebra | Red Mulberry | May/Jun | 1,3,5 | |
| Myrica cerifera | Waxmyrtle | Aug/Dec | ||
| Myrica pensylvanica | Northern Bayberry | Sep/Dec | 1,3 | |
| Nyssa sylvatica | Black Gum | Aug/Oct | 5 | |
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Virginia Creeper | Sep/Oct | 1,5 | |
| Persea borbonia | RedBay | Oct | ||
| Prunus augustifolia | Chickasaw Plum | May/Aug | 1 | |
| Prunus caroliniana | Cherry Laurel | Oct/Nov | 1 | |
| Prunus serotina | Black Cherry | Aug/Sep | 1 | |
| Prunus virginiana | Choke Cherry | Jul/Aug | ||
| Rhamnus caroliniana | Carolina Buckthorn | Aug/Oct | ||
| Rhus glabra | Smooth Sumac | Sep/Jan | 1,3 | |
| Rhus typhina | Staghorn Sumac | Aug/Apr | 1 | |
| Sambucus canadensis | American Elder | Aug/Sep | 1 | |
| Sambucus pubens | Scarlet Elder | Jun/Jul | 4 | |
| Sassafras albidum | Sassafras | Sep | 1,3,5 | |
| Sorbus americana | American Mountainash | Sep/Dec | 4 | |
| Symphoricarpos albus | Snowberry | Sep/Nov | ||
| Symplocos tinctoria | Horse Sugar | Sep/Oct | ||
| Vaccinium corymbosum | Highbush Blueberry | Jul/Aug | 5 | |
| Viburnum dentatum | Arrowwood | Sep/Nov | 1 | |
| Viburnum lentago | Nannyberry | Sep/Nov | ||
| Viburnum trilobum | Highbush Cranberry a.k.a. American Cranberry Bush | Sep/Feb | ||
| NOTES | ||||
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1
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Somewhat invasive/viney/thicket forming
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2
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Possibly undesirable habit .. eg. thorny
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3
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Male & Female plants (1:3) for best fruit production
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4
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Best in cool/mountain environment
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5
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Notable bird favorite
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