Below is a sampling of some of the lovely native plants that can make humans and pets sick or worse. Take care planting these in your garden or landscape, and think twice before planting them if you have many outside pets or small children.
Maianthemum canadense Desf. (Canada Mayflower)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae –
Order Liliales –
Family Liliaceae – Lily family
Genus Maianthemum G.H. Weber ex Wiggers – mayflower
Species Maianthemum canadense Desf. – Canada mayflower
A perennial that works well in rock gardens; Canada Mayflower will get up to one foot tall. It likes partial to full shade and will have white flowers mid spring. Its foliage is shiny and textured. BEWARE: Some parts of this are poisonous.
Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott (Jack in the Pulpit)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Arecidae –
Order Arales –
Family Araceae – Arum family
Genus Arisaema Mart. – Jack in the pulpit
Species Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott – Jack in the pulpit
You’ll find this one next to watery slopes, waterfalls, or your local watering hole. Growing up to 2 feet, these have green streaked with purple “pulpits”. It has basal leaves that stay in clumps at the base of the stalk. These have red shiny clustered berries for fruit. BEWARE: Jack in the Pulpit’s have calcium oxalate crystals present all in the plant and are toxic to most pets. Take care where you have these, but the beauty is astounding.
Asclepias incarnata L. (Swamp Milkweed)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Gentianales –
Family Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed family
Genus Asclepias L. – milkweed
Species Asclepias incarnata L. – swamp milkweed
This flower is a favorite among butterflies. It gets up to 2-3 feet high and you need to space it around 18-24 inches apart. It prefers sun to partial shade in acidic soil. The flowers are pink or purple, and bloom from mid-summer to late fall. It is a clump forming plant, and you can divide these clumps to propagate or just direct sow the seeds outside after frost. Milkweeds tend to be susceptible to aphids, but being that they are the only plant that the Monarch Butterfly’s larvae can survive on makes it worth it. It is a fragrant and beautiful plant to have in any garden. BEWARE: All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested.
Asclepias tuberosa L. (Butterfly Milkweed)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Gentianales –
Family Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed family
Genus Asclepias L. – milkweed
Species Asclepias tuberosa L. – butterfly milkweed
This fine milkweed gets up to 2-3 feet high and needs a spacing of around 14-18 inches apart. Its fire-orange blooms will appear from mid summer to early fall, and they prefer full sun. Since it is a milkweed, butterflies will flock to this plant. It is drought tolerant and prefers mildly acidic soil. Don’t be alarmed if there aren’t blooms in the first years; it may take up to 3 years to see flowers. You will need to find an aphid killer, as milkweeds tend to have aphids. To propagate you may divide or direct sow seeds outdoors after frost. BEWARE: Parts of this milkweed are poisonous. Remember Monarch larvae can only survive on Asclepias, therefore to have these incredible butterflies you will need to have some milkweeds around.
Cocculus carolinus (L.) DC. (Carolina Coralbead)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Magnoliidae –
Order Ranunculales –
Family Menispermaceae – Moonseed family
Genus Cocculus DC. – coralbead
Species Cocculus carolinus (L.) DC. – Carolina coralbead
This vine grows 10-12 feet long and needs at least 3-4 foot spacing. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Its pale green blooms come in summer and the red berries begin in fall. The foliage is shiny and deciduous, and pretty to look at. Coralbead’s berries look like coral beads, hence its name. You may propagate these by stem cuttings or by seed started indoors. BEWARE: All parts are poisonous if ingested.
Diphylleia cymosa Michx. (American Umbrellaleaf)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Magnoliidae –
Order Ranunculales –
Family Berberidaceae – Barberry family
Genus Diphylleia Michx. – umbrellaleaf
Species Diphylleia cymosa Michx. – American umbrellaleaf
This is a member of the Barberry family and will reach 3 feet in height. Space them at least 2-3 feet apart in your garden arrangement. It is found in four counties in northeast Georgia. It has opposite leaves and white 6-petal flowers growing mid spring to late summer. It has blue berry like fruit and is slow to establish. Keep in afternoon shade for better growth. Cherokee Indians used it as a root tea to induce sweating. BEWARE: This plant can be toxic.
Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) St. Hil. (Evening Trumpetflower, Carolina Jessamine)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Gentianales –
Family Loganiaceae – Logania family
Genus Gelsemium Juss. – trumpetflower
Species Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) St. Hil. – evening trumpetflower
You may need to grow these plants in pots to contain; it can get away from you in a garden. It is a vine growing up to 20 feet with bright yellow flowers appearing mid spring. It is a fragrant favorite of mailboxes. You need to divide the root ball to propagate. BEWARE: some parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested.
Iris fulva Ker-Gawl. (Copper Iris)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae –
Order Liliales –
Family Iridaceae – Iris family
Genus Iris L. – iris
Species Iris fulva Ker-Gawl. – copper iris
This will reach up to 4 feet high and have a spread of 9-12 inches. It likes full sun or partial shade. The blooms range in the rose/orange/gold/yellow/bronze color scheme. It will bloom in mid spring and is good in a water garden. BEWARE: parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested.
Lobelia cardinalis L. (Cardinalflower)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Campanulales –
Family Campanulaceae – Bellflower family
Genus Lobelia L. – lobelia
Species Lobelia cardinalis L. – cardinalflower
This perennial gets up to 5 feet tall and has toothed leaves. Its blooms are red and appear from late summer to fall. Its root was a Native American love potion. BEWARE: It may be toxic.
Lonicera sempervirens L. (Coral Honeysuckle, Trumpet Honeysuckle)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Dipsacales –
Family Caprifoliaceae – Honeysuckle family
Genus Lonicera L. – honeysuckle
Species Lonicera sempervirens L. – trumpet honeysuckle
This vine is great for wildlife gardens; growing up to 15 feet in length. It likes sun or partial shade and has red or yellow trumpet like flowers. Bloom season is April to August. This is very fragrant; a favorite of birds, bees, and butterflies. It has evergreen foliage. Propagate this from stem cuttings. BEWARE: Some parts of this are poisonous.
