Georgia Native Plant Society

A member of the bean (Fabaceae) family, the seeds are contained in slim pods that form after the flowers are pollinated. Heart-shaped leaves and a pleasing vase-shaped form, plus beautiful flowers, have made this a favorite medium-sized tree in many a yard.

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is one of our earlier blooming trees and it is already blooming as far north as Bibb County. No doubt the bees are grateful – this is a great tree for supporting native bees. It is native in most of the eastern US and throughout Georgia. (1/2) #nativeplants

Painted buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica, also called Georgia buckeye) is found north of red’s range and the two look very similar (red buckeye has redder flowers). The hummingbirds and the bees will love you for it. Look for these unfurling, palmate leaves in part-shade areas now.

Shrubs are starting to leaf out and those new leaves can be mighty nice! Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is one of our early blooming shrubs in Georgia, but the flower buds are wrapped up in the same fat bud as the leaves. It is largely native to the Coastal Plain area in Georgia. (1/2) #nativeplants

Hog plum (Prunus umbellata) is a similar species and shares a similar range. If the bees do their work right, small plums will follow.

Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia) is a large shrub or small tree native throughout Georgia. Small white flowers appear before the leaves and are popular with early bees. It is shrubby and tends to form a thicket (how you distinguish it from upright ornamental pear volunteers). (1/2) #nativeplants

We are so appreciative of the leadership from Senators Rick Williams and Senator Matt Brass for moving this bill forward. We also are excited to continue working with Representative Deborah Silcox as the work moves forward in the House.

SB 240 PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 53-0!!! GNPS Board Chair, Michael Cowan, and Past-Chair, Ellen Honeycutt, were at the State Capitol in support. Our work is not done yet! Reach out to your State Representative to let them know how important it is to change the state flower to native Sweetbay Magnolia.

It naturally grows in moist areas and can take some shade. All parts of the plant are aromatic and that is a good way to help identify it (tear a leaf). It is a larval host plant for several butterflies, including the Spicebush Swallowtail. This shrub is starting to bloom now in its natural range.

One of the earliest blooming shrubs in northern Georgia is spicebush (Lindera benzoin), a dioecious member of the Laurel family. Both male and female plants are needed to set fruit on the female. The shiny red fruit is popular with migrating birds because it is high in fat. (1/2) #nativeplants

We are getting results! We are hearing from those of you who have made contact that their senators are in support. The time is NOW to act, the vote is tomorrow! Call your Georgia State Senator today to ask for their support of Senate Bill 240. #nativeplants

All parts of the plant are said to cause skin irritation so handle with care. According to Missouri Botanical Garden, “Native Americans used the twigs and bark for a number of purposes including making bow strings, baskets, fishing line and rope.”

Eastern leatherwood (Dirca palustris) is an early blooming shrub in the Thymelaeaceae family. While it is native throughout the eastern US, there are only scattered populations reported in Georgia. It grows in shaded woodlands, growing up to 6 feet or more. (1/2) #nativeplants

Our legislators are listening! Senate Bill 240 will hit the floor for a vote this week. Let’s encourage them to support this simple solution to making our state flower a Georgian flower. Our advocacy webpage has resources to help you: vist.ly/4te66

ACTION ALERT: Please contact your senator TODAY to ask for their support of SB 240. If you have already done so, please share this post!

For guidance on "How to Contact Your Legislator" see this helpful resource: vist.ly/4tcgw

@gaasla @treesatlanta @birdsgeorgia

Our advocacy webpage has resources to help you spread the word - an info sheet, a FAQ, and “How to” instructions for contacting your legislators. Check it out now: https://gnps.org/conservation/advocacy/

We are excited that Senate Bill 240 is making its way to the senate floor next week. This is the time to contact your state senator and ask for their support of a native state flower! #nativeplants #Georgia

Yes, these flowers seem to be a little earlier than usual but the early bees are working overtime to get them pollinated. Native bees are super pollinators of blueberries, with some species using buzz pollination to get the job done. We even have a specialist bee – the southeastern blueberry bee.

This is Elliott’s blueberry (Vaccinium elliottii), which is perhaps the earliest of all the blueberries. Georgia has 16 native species of this superfruit. The blueberries you buy in the store are from native stock which has been bred to have larger, sweeter fruit. (1/2) #nativeplants

For "How to Contact Your Legislator" see this helpful resource: https://gnps.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-State-Flower-How-To-02.27.28.pdf

ACTION ALERT: Call your Georgia State Senator today! Senate Bill 240 that proposes the state flower be changed to the native Sweetbay Magnolia and designates April as Native Plant Month will be voted on by the state senate this Tuesday. #nativeplants

While some red maples (Acer rubrum) are still blooming, others are making seeds. The bright red color makes it seem like it is still blooming when viewed from a distance. Maple seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals so it’s a great wildlife tree, and grows in a variety of soils. #nativeplants

The common name comes from the reddish juice that flow from cut rhizomes. Even after the flowers are done, this plant makes a handsome groundcover for several months in good moisture conditions.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is blooming! This perennial wildflower is native throughout Georgia and the eastern half of the US, as far north as Canada and south to Texas and Florida. It is a welcome early flower to humans and bees who gather pollen from it. (1/2) #nativeplants

Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) is also blooming in the mountains now. A trip to the Pocket at Pigeon Mountain (Walker County) found them in bloom, most in white but with a few purple ones here and there. A small native bee was already working the flowers. #nativeplants

Round-lobed hepatica (Hepatica americana) is one of our early blooming native wildflowers. The soft purple flowers are accompanied by the previous year’s lobed leaves which will be replaced in by new leaves in a few weeks. Native range is the upper half of the state. #nativeplants

Other common names include fawn lily and dog-tooth violet.

Trout lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum) are blooming in south Georgia and leaves are breaking ground in north Georgia. These petite members of the lily family are spring ephemerals with bright yellow petals and purple anthers. The speckled leaves do resemble trout. #nativeplants

Georgia Native Plant Society Shop | Official Merchandise | Bonfire Championing the stewardship and conservation of Georgia’s native plants and their habitats since 1994.

2026 Plant of the Year merch drop! We are so excited to share the artwork for the 2026 Plant of the Year, Pawpaw, created by Laura Qadri of the Intown Atlanta Chapter of GNPS. A variety of shirt styles and even the classic coffee mug are available now in our online store: vist.ly/4sh5t

This photo is courtesy of Francis Michael Stiteler in Conyers, GA.