NATIVE PLANT EDUCATION GARDEN
Discover the Georgia Native Plant Education Garden
Located at the entrance to the Blue Heron Nature Preserve, this curated display of ecologically essential species is here to show just how beautiful and bountiful native plants can be.
This page is under construction. Check back as we continue to add information for the rest of the native plants in our education garden!
Discover the Georgia Native Plant Education Garden
Located at the entrance to Blue Heron Nature Preserve, this curated display of ecologically essential species is here to show just how wonderful native plants can be.
This page is under construction. Check back as we continue to add information for the rest of the native plants in our education garden!
Interactive Garden Map
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Learn about these species
Tell me more?
Click on the name of each plant to learn what makes them a vibrant and valuable part of the ecosystem!
1. American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
This native shrub is famous for its bunching clusters of berries that ripen in late summer and persist into winter, providing food for wildlife. They are a favorite favorite among birds such as cardinals, mockingbirds, finches, woodpeckers and more. Their leaves can be crushed to release a pleasantly fragrant oil which contains a chemical compound named callicarpenal, a natural mosquito repellant!
2. Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
This versatile shrub shows beautiful features year-round: striking white-and-pink flowers in spring, brilliant red foliage in fall, and dark purple berries that feed birds and mammals through the winter. Its nectar and pollen feeds native bees, and it is a host plant for other native pollinators such as the Coral Hairstreak butterfly and Large Lace-Border Moth.
3. Rose Vervain (Verbena canadensis)
Long-blooming pink-purple flowers of Rose Vervain attract butterflies, hummingbirds, rabbits and deer. Its spreading habit helps prevent erosion, and the plant thrives well difficult soils, such as acidic, sandy or rocky areas. Vervain’s fragrant flowers support pollinators throughout the growing season, contributing to the ecosystem’s health and biodiversity.
4. Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)
Despite its name, this plant is not a grass at all, but is a member of the Iris family. Its delicate blue star-shaped flowers with golden centers attract small native bees and hover flies, supporting pollinator diversity in the early spring. The seeds provide food for small songbirds and mammals. Blue-eyed Grass’s ability to thrive in both moist and dry conditions makes it adaptable to many locations.
5. Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Butterfly Milkweed serves as a host plant for the Monarch butterfly, providing food for the developing larvae, and offering nectar for adult butterflies. Above the surface, bright orange blooms provide nectar for swallowtail butterflies, native bees, and hummingbirds. Below ground, the plant’s taproot can grow up to several feet deep, which stabilizes the land against erosion, absorbs and contains large amounts of water to help reduce the impacts of flooding, and filters rainwater before it reaches the nearby creeks, improving the health of our waterways.
6. Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
Delicate purple seed heads of Purple Lovegrass create a lovely misty effect in late summer, with airy plumes that seem to “dance” in the breeze. It’s an excellent native grass for dry, sandy, or gravelly soils where few other plants can survive, and is especially equipped for survival in Atlanta with its high drought resistance and tolerance for air pollution. Lovegrass is a host plant for the Zabulon Skipper butterfly.
7. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Tall native grass that provides shelter, food and nesting material for birds and small mammals. Its feathery seed heads sway gracefully in the wind, adding year-round texture to the landscape. The native butterflies Delaware Skipper and Dotted Skipper depend on this grass for food as larvae and as adults.
Fun fact: Switchgrass is one of the most important ethanol biofuel crops globally, due to its ability to produce five times the energy of corn-based biofuels.
8. Spiderwort (Tradescantia)
Spiderworts are so named because the angular leaf arrangement suggests a squatting spider. The flowers open only in the morning; the petals then wilt and turn to a jelly-like fluid by midday, to be replaced by new blooms the next morning. They are especially beneficial to native bees.
9. Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)
The striking red and yellow flowers of Indian Pink are a favorite flower of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. It is a tropical plant that prefers warm, humid climates. Butterflies also enjoy this flower’s nectar.
10. Texas Sedge (Carex texensis)
This low growing sedge has a fine texture and soft green foliage that can create a natural, flowing aesthetic that complements native gardens, woodland edges, and low-maintenance landscapes. With minimal water needs and only occasional mowing, it offers an effortless way to add greenery while supporting local ecosystems. Its deep roots help anchor soil, prevent erosion, and enrich the ground with organic matter, fostering healthier soils over time. Beyond its beauty, Texas Sedge provides valuable habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, making it a smart choice for those looking to cultivate a landscape that is both sustainable and ecologically rich.
11. Short-toothed Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)
The nectar-rich flowers of Short-toothed Mountain Mint attract a diverse array of pollinators, including native bees, bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps. The Wavy-lined Emerald moth in particular depends on this plant to feed and support its caterpillars. As the name suggests it is a mint-family relative, and releases an aromatic scent when the leaves are crushed.
12. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Black-eyed Susan isn’t just a burst of golden-yellow in the landscape—it’s a powerhouse for wildlife. Its nectar-rich blooms attract bees and butterflies. It is a host for Bordered Patch and Gorgone Checkerspot caterpillars, and its seed heads feed American goldfinches long after the petals have faded. This hardy wildflower is also a pioneer species, meaning it’s one of the first plants to colonize disturbed soil, helping to restore ecosystems.
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Why Native Plants?
Native plants are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. Unlike non-native species, they have evolved over thousands of years alongside the local wildlife and environmental conditions. As a result, they are uniquely supportive to the land and creatures that have come to rely on them.
By planting natives, we increase the resilience, biodiversity, and overall health of ecosystems. Native plants provide essential sustenance and shelter, supporting entire food webs—from insects to the birds that rely on them, and from pollinators to people, whose food supply depends on the work of these vital species.
Many pollinator and bird species have suffered significant population declines in recent decades due to the loss of these resources, but we can fight this trend with something as small as the plants we grow in our backyards. Every plant makes a difference.
Learn more about the vital role of native plants from the experts: Georgia Native Plant Society.
SPREAD YOUR WINGS
