One of the most important aspects of the Society's mission is education. Whether you are an SCNPS member looking to learn more about a particular species, a homeowner needing information on landscaping with native plants, or an educator looking for help with a lesson plan, we hope the articles provided here will be of help. If you know of an article that would be informative to others and have the author's permission to use it, please contact the webmaster. Also, don't forget to check our links page for native plant information available elsewhere on the web.

Coastal Native Plant List: Attached is a plant list developed by Karl Ohlandt for Dewees Island. It is very well put together and encompasses many coastal native species. Hope it will serve as a good reference.

Shoreline Buffers & Water Quality: A shoreline buffer acts as nature’s own septic system — an inexpensive, effective, and agreeable means to help treat typical runoff from a watershed and preserve the cleanliness of open water bodies. Vegetation that is planted or purposely left in place next to a water body serves as a barrier against sediment and other nonpoint- source pollutants, and is sometimes called a “vegetative shoreline buffer,” “filter strip,” “conservation buffer” or “streamside management zone.”

Whatever we call them, these bands of greenery provide much more than a natural look and sheltered feeling for those humans and wild things living along the shore.

Handouts for the youngsters: Color your world with natives!

Columbine
Flame Azalea
Hummingbird
Chickadee

Feel free to download and print these handouts (.pdf) which will be educational and fun for the kids!

Habitat Map Worksheet: In order to choose the best plants for creating great wildlife habitat on your property, you should find out what types of native plant communities occurred there before land uses like intensive farming, forestry, and suburban development changed the landscape. There are four basic things you should know about your property that will lead to a much greater understanding of its natural ecology and its natural history, they are: geography (where your land is in SC), topography (is you land hilly, flat, low-lying, etc.), soils (what soil types have been mapped on your land), and persisting native plants (what is still naturally growing there).

Invasive or just Exotic?: This article describes the characteristics of invasive exotic plants.

New Invasive Species Threat: Cogongrass is an invasive exotic species which has been a problem for Gulf Coast states and Georgia but is starting to show up in South Carolina. Please make yourself aware of this serious pest plant and be on the lookout for it. Report findings to the National Forest District Office or Clemson University (details in the article).

Pause for Plants September 2006: Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your golden hair: Evening Primrose

"Go Native!"
An article written by Upstate Chapter President Rick Huffman about using natives in the home landscape.

Pause for Plants April 2006: Carolina Bristle Mallow
Dr. Jan Haldeman describes this interesting plant with its "wagon wheel" seed pod.

Native Plants for wildlife
This publication lists site-specific native plants which can be used in the landscape to attract wildlife.

Native Plant Alternatives
This publication lists native plants which can be used as alternatives to common non-native species in the home landscape.

Pause for Plants Spring 2006: Wild Geraniums
Dr. Jan Haldeman describes two species of wild geraniums found in our area.

"Weed of the Week" article from USDA Forest Service: Winter Creeper, Climbing Euonymus
Traits that make climbing euonymus a desirable ornamental plant, such as its rapid growth, evergreen nature and tolerance of harsh conditions, also make euonymus a threat to natural areas. It has escaped from neglected gardens and is carried by water, to undisturbed forest and riparian areas. Climbing euonymus can out-compete native vegetation by depleting soil moisture and nutrients, blocking sunlight, and by forming a dense vegetative mat that impedes the growth of seedlings of native species. Vines on trees can interfere with photosynthesis.

Endangered-plant lovers unite in effort to boost U.S. protection
by Eric Hand ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Monday, Nov. 28 2005 - Plants make up more than half of the 1,290 plant and animal species on the federal endangered or threatened list. But animals get 97 percent of the money, according to the 2003 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expenditure report, which includes money spent by all federal and state agencies.

You want color? Butterfly Milkweed!
by Dr. Bill Stringer - a beautiful native plant loved by people and butterflies alike.

Bloomin' Winged Elm (.pdf)
by Dr. Jan Haldeman - the Winged Elm is a true harbinger of spring, blooming in February.

Under the Mistletoe - Myth, Medicine & More (.pdf)
by Dr. Jan Haldeman - the holidays may be over but this interesting parasitic plant lingers!

Green Landscaping: Bringing Native Beauty Back to the Upstate (.pdf)
An excellent article written by Lydia Dishman for Greenville Magazine, January 2003. Article reprinted with permission.

Exotic Pest Plant list (.pdf)
Invasive Plant Species list that the SC Exotic Pest Plant Council developed and approved January, 2008.

Plant Communities of the SCNPS Canby’s Dropwort Preserve (.pdf)
Article written by Jeff Glitzenstein describes the SC Native Plant Society's very own "Canby's Dropwort Preserve" in Bamberg County. The 52 acre preserve, given to SCNPS by the Nature Conservancy, presents a tremendous opportunity for SCNPS to manage and restore our own property. This article describes the property along with the history behind its acquisition and plant species present and includes a photograph of the property.

Targeted for Extinction: Bunched Arrowhead
This article by Susan Young describes the very rare Bunched Arrowhead (sagittaria fasciculata) found in Greenville County at Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve and at Furman University.

6 Acre Park a SCALE model of South Carolina
SCALE is a scale model of the state transformed into a park across the street from Duncan Elementary School. Article appearing in The State newspaper describes the park, which was designed by Upstate Chapter President, Rick Huffman.

Rare Plants of South Carolina (.pdf)
Article written by Patrick McMillan exploring the different categories of rare plants in South Carolina. Included is a discussion of the outlook for rare plant species in our state.

Mystery Of The Miccosukee Gooseberry (.pdf)
Article written by Susan H. Young about this Federally Endangered species found in South Carolina.

Eastern redcedar (.pdf)
Article about Juniperus virginiana, Eastern redcedar provided by Professor Jan Haldeman, Erskine College.

Mercury Contamination Issue Rising
An article written by Chester Sansbury, a member of Republicans for Environmental Protection, concerning the issue of mercury contamination in South Carolina and its impact on each one of us.

Carolina Bay Wetlands: Unique Habitats of the Southeastern United States (ABSTRACT)
This abstract of an excellent article on Carolina Bays appeared in WETLANDS, Vol. 23, No. 3, September 2003, pp. 550-562 and is reprinted with permission by the author: Rebecca R. Sharitz, Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia and Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Reprints of the entire article available upon request.

Sunflowers: "You are my sunshine..."
Sunflowers originated in North America and for centuries have been grown for seed.  Native Americans domesticated them early on, and seeds had many uses including flour, oil, and snack food. Archaeological evidence has revealed that as early as 3000 B. C. sunflowers were cultivated in our southwestern states.

Rare Venus flytrap plants stolen from Horry County wildlife Heritage Preserve
A news release from the SCDNR about the senseless destruction of a rare community of Venus' Flytrap plants at the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve in Horry County.

Goldenrod Becomes South Carolina State Wildflower (from The State)
North Carolina, Georgia and Florida already had state wildflowers. And with Gov. Mark Sanford's signature on May 14, 2003, South Carolina has one, too.

Yucca - Not So Yucky?
This article is about research done with the Yucca plant and Yucca moth in Due West in May, 2003. Each species of yucca has its own pollinating moth species, and their relationship is a classic example of a type of symbiosis called mutualism

Don't Native Plants Deserve Endangered Species Protection?
Retiring Rep. James Hansen (R-UT) has filed a bill which would exempt private property, military lands and ALL PLANTS from federal Endangered Species Act protection! Read his press release describing the bill

SCNPS Vision for Reedy River Falls Park in Greenville
Native plants are beautiful, they are magnets for native wildlife, and they are low-maintenance. These plants and the wildlife they attract are what the Native Americans and Richard Pearis beheld as they strolled along the Reedy almost 300 years ago.

Who Let the Pears Out? The Trouble with Bradford Pears
This informative article written by Prof. Jan Haldeman of Erskine College (reprinted with permission) is well worth the read!

Attract More Birds to Your Yard
This article written by Susan Young was published in the May, 2003 issue of the Upstate Chapter's newsletter. Great ideas for using native plant species to attract different types of birds to your yard!

Native Grasses for the Home Landscape
This article highlights a lecture given at an Upstate chapter meeting by Patrick McMillan, curator of the Clemson University Herbarium. Patrick provided information about under-utilized native grasses and sedges for landscaping and wildlife in South Carolina.


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