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Native North Carolina Shrubs That Won’t Damage Your Home’s Foundation
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items Explore bushes native to North Carolina that are non-invasive, foundation-safe, and perfect for planting near your home, deck, patio, or sidewalk.
Inkberry is a fantastic alternative to boxwood—and best of all, it’s native! This evergreen holly shrub has smooth, dark green leaves and produces black berries that birds love. It grows in a compact, rounded shape, making it great for foundation pla...
Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
This showstopper boasts large, cone-shaped flower clusters and stunning oak-like foliage that turns deep red and purple in fall. Native to the Southeast—including much of North Carolina—it’s ideal for adding a lush, ornamental vibe near patios and de...
Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
This fragrant, flowering shrub bursts with upright spikes of white or pink blooms in mid-to-late summer—and it’s a pollinator magnet. It’s also highly deer-resistant and tolerant of wet soil, making it great for low spots near your home.
Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
With graceful white flowers in spring and brilliant red-purple fall color, this native shrub is both beautiful and adaptable. It does well in rain gardens, near driveways, and along the sides of houses.
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
This lesser-known gem is native to the Southeastern U.S. and offers fragrant white bottlebrush blooms in spring, along with stunning orange and red fall foliage. Its mounded habit makes it ideal for planting under windows or near entryways.
Fothergilla
Known for its vibrant purple berries in fall, this shrub adds a splash of unexpected color and supports local wildlife. While it can get a little wide, it’s easy to prune to shape and thrives in sun-dappled spots near the home.
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
This arching evergreen shrub thrives in shady, moist environments, like the north side of a home or beneath taller shrubs and trees. It features leathery green leaves and small bell-shaped white flowers in spring.
Leucothoe axillaris
Native azaleas offer springtime blooms in shades of pink, coral, and white, with a lighter, more delicate structure than their non-native cousins. They do best in woodland or filtered shade areas around your home.
Rhododendron periclymenoides
Though the name might sound off-putting, Dwarf Yaupon Holly is one of the most popular native evergreen shrubs for Southern landscapes. It has small, dense leaves and a tidy, rounded growth habit that makes it a favorite for low hedges and foundation...
Ilex vomitoria
This iconic Appalachian native is prized for its clusters of pink and white flowers that bloom in late spring. It grows well in woodland settings and adds a touch of elegance to shaded areas around homes.
Kalmia latifolia
A cousin to wild azalea, this beauty lights up spring with vivid orange, yellow, and red blooms—living up to its fiery name. It’s native to the mountain regions of North Carolina but can be grown in the Piedmont as well.
Flame Azalea - Live Plant - #1 Gallon
Though lesser known, this compact native shrub is a pollinator powerhouse. It produces frothy white flowers in late spring and was historically used as a tea substitute during the Revolutionary War—hence the name.
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Possumhaw, also known as deciduous holly, is a native shrub or small tree that brings vibrant color to the winter landscape with its bright red berries. Unlike its evergreen relatives, possumhaw sheds its leaves in the fall, allowing its fruit-laden ...
Possumhaw Holly (ilex Decidua)
Red chokeberry is a native deciduous shrub that offers year-round visual interest. In spring, it produces clusters of white flowers, followed by glossy red berries in the fall that persist into winter. Its leaves turn a brilliant red in autumn, enhan...
Aronia arbutifolia
Sparkleberry, also known as tree huckleberry, is a member of the blueberry family. It has glossy green leaves, tiny white bell-shaped flowers in spring, and produces shiny black berries that persist into winter. This shrub transitions into a small tr...
Vaccinium arboreum (Farkleberry)
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