Buy North Carolina Berry Plants, Grape Vines, Fruit Trees (Fig), Flowering Tree, Shade Tree, Bamboo Plants & Nut Trees

In North Carolina, gardeners usually like to grow berry plants, grape vines and fruit trees that will produce a crop as early as possible. They also want to plant a shade tree that will produce shade in a hurry to reduce the electric power bills, reduce soil erosion and to increase property enjoyment and value of the real estate. N. C. has USDA climatic zones of 6, 7 and 8, so that it is important in the colder zones that tree selection is very careful, and otherwise during cold extreme winters like that of 2014, the trees can be damaged or even killed, if the tree is not sufficiently cold hardy. In order to grow a mature crop of fruit or shade in a hurry, a gardener is faced with two apparent choices, either to plant a large tree or a fast growing tree. The underlying problem is that fast growing trees produce cell walls that are artificially elongated or enlarged. The cell walls contain high concentrations of lignin or cellulose that insulates the tree from sudden temperature drops, but in N.C,, fast growing trees that planted in a very cold area may be deficient on concentrations of lignin and cellulose that is deposited within the cell wall insulation against frigid winters and may be injured or killed. Some botanists recommend planting a slow growing tree to avoid this problem.


Because North Carolina has three favorable zones for planting shade trees, it is good news that many shade trees will thrive in the State and will reduce your electric air conditioning bill, reduce soil erosion, increase property enjoyment and increase the value of your real estate. Sassafras trees, Swamp Tupelo trees and the Sweet Gum tree will dramatically shade your home and turn bright colors of yellow, orange and purple in the fall. Green Ash trees, River Birch Trees and Tulip Poplar trees grow into very large shade trees. The Elm tree, Oak tree and Red Maple trees are native to North Carolina forests, and that makes all of them good choices to grow. The Weeping Willow tree, the Bald Cypress trees and Lombardy Poplar Tree are all fast growing trees in N.C. The Southern Magnolia tree, Magnolia grandiflora, is a giant evergreen shade tree, and the Dwarf Little Gem Magnolia tree both grow into excellent shade trees, but they both produce beautiful white fragrant flowers beginning in June, and these flowering trees rebloom until the fall. Two other excellent shade trees that are also good flowering trees are the Catalpa tree and the Japanese Magnolia tree that blooms in giant pink during the spring, and the flowers are very sweet and aromatic. The Loblolly Pine tree is a good evergreen shade tree that many homeowners plant in close rows to function as a privacy fence or block. The Ginkgo tree and the Pond Cypress trees turn a spectacular yellow color in the fall. For use as a NC privacy screen or windbreak, the Lombardy poplar tree is one of the fast growing trees, that has registered as much as 10 feet of growth during the first year of transplanting. When planting a tree for fall leaf dramatic color, the Sour Wood tree is spectacular to enjoy after the first frost falls.

Berry Plants are an important commercial agricultural crop for North Carolina gardeners. Both Red raspberry bushes and black raspberries can be grown in organic, pick-your-own, berry farms in N.C. The University of North Carolina at Raleigh, N.C. recommends the red heritage raspberry, an ever- bearing cultivar, the Bristol red raspberries and the Dorman red raspberry that is a trailing raspberry bush. The Cumberland black raspberry plant grows well near Cumberland Gap, N.C., and the tasty sweet raspberries are high quality delicious dessert treat, but the shelf life is short and the black raspberry cannot be shipped to stores.

The Premier blueberry plant is one of the Rabbiteye blueberries that grows well in North Carolina backyard gardens. Blueberry plants are native to growing in North Carolina. Several types of thornless blackberry bushes are perfect for N.C. Gardens, according to N.C. State University publications. The Arapaho thornless blackberry plant, Apache blackberry and Navaho blackberry plants will grow in numerous North Carolina soil profiles.

Many types of grapevines are adapted for planting in North Carolina. The Bunch grapes that were originated for growing as a cold hardy grape in N.C. Gardens came from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. The Catawba grapevine grows a red grape that is used as a table grape or for making red grape wine. The Fredonia black bunch grape and Niagara white grapes are also used in wine making and for excellent fresh eating. The Concord bunch grape vine is, perhaps, the most famous grapevine in America that produces giant blue clusters of bunch grape that are handily used as grape juice, table grapes, jelly and wine making. Cabernet Sauvingnon grapes are black, and the Chardonnay fruit is a white grape that produces a very high sugar content, and that is ideal for fermenting into red wine and white wine making in North Carolina.

The original Scuppernong grape was found growing in Tyrrel County, N.C. in 1760 and many hybrid Muscadines and Scuppernong (bronze) grape hybrids that have come from the native grown, North Carolina Muscadine grape vine. Muscadine and Scuppernong grapevines have been grown very successfully in North Carolina for more than 400 years. The most popular Muscadine plants grown in North Carolina and recommended by N.C. State University, Raleigh, N.C. are: Carlos Scuppernong vines, Magnolia, Noble and Nesbitt Muscadines, all that are cold hardy in all zones of North Carolina. All these grapes vines, both Bunch grapes are important plants for feeding wildlife animals, such as deer and wildlife birds of many types to include turkey, quail, duck and geese. The White Mulberry tree, Morus alba, is a native Mulberry tree to North Carolina, and Red and Black Mulberry trees have been hybridized by academic researchers to offer new types of Mulberries for both eating by gardeners and also for feeding the wildlife animals, like deer and quail.

Japanese Persimmon trees can be easily grown in many North Carolina gardens. The Japanese Fuyu persimmon is sweet and crisp to taste, even in the green stage while ripening on the tree, and the Japanese, Jiro persimmon should be ripe and soft before eating. The American persimmon tree is a native persimmon tree to N.C., and the persimmon fruit is very important to attract deer and other wildlife animals and birds for food to eat during the winter when other wildlife food is very scarce..

North Carolina plum trees are extensively planted, including the old favorite plums to include, Methley plum, a deep red sweet plum with a red skin and red pulp inside, and the Methley plum tree is recommended by N.C. State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Ozark Premier plum tree is a red plum when completely ripe, and the Luther Burbank, hybrid plum X cross named “Burbank" plum tree that ripens red-green in color. The Stanley (Damson) plum tree is blue purple and is the most cold hardy North Carolina plum tree that can be grown in the mountains of North Carolina's Western Gardens. Apple trees are one of the most popular fruit trees to grow in N.C., but it is important to remember that because of pollination requirements, it is necessary to plant a second apple tree cultivar to produce apples. Peach trees grow well in North Carolina, however, it is important that sometimes early frosts will nip the peach tree flowers in Norther parts of the State.

The Chicago Hardy fig tree and the Tennessee Mountain fig trees can be grown even in the coldest areas of North Carolina. Chicago fig trees survived the extreme winter temperature of the year 2014 when properly mulched in IL, and the TN Mountain fig tree also survived the winter in the USDA climate zone 5. The Green Ischau fig tree, and the green Kadota fig tree survive zone 6 and 7, the Jack Black fig tree, and the Mystery X fig tree also grow in zone 6 and 7. The surviving fig trees only in zone 8 of North Carolina are the Black Mission fig tree, the Italian White fig tree and Patrick's Super Giant fig.



Most Japanese persimmon trees can be grown well, including the Tam o pan persimmons that were introduced in N.C. In 1915. The Fuyu Japanese persimmon and the Tanenashi persimmon tree is a cross of Japanese and Russian persimmon trees and can be grown, even in the coldest North Carolina orchards. Several peaches and nectarines are recommended by UNC in Chapel Hill, N.C. Red Haven peach trees and Hale Haven peach trees are cold hardy in North Carolina orchards along with several white peaches. The N.C, State University at Raleigh N. C. recommends the Moonglow pear tree and the Kieffer pear. The Moonglow pear is soft, sweet, and yellow in color. The Kieffer pear tree has been planted successfully for decades, and the gardeners who love hard pears that are used to make pear preserves and pear pie, love the Kieffer pears. These pears are also favorite a winter food plot tree on wildlife hunting deer preserves, since food for wildlife is scarce in late fall and winter. Pecan trees have extensive orchard history success in North Carolina. The Cape Fear pecan tree was first distributed by Dr. Smit at Willard, N.C., near the Cape Fear, N.C., established Schley pecan orchards. The Cape Fear pecan tree has a thin shell like the Schley parent pecan, similar in shape to an oval Stuart pecan. The Pawnee pecan and the Sumner pecan trees are recommended by N.C State University along with the Gloria Grande pecan tree cultivar, that was developed and successfully grown in South Carolina. The American black walnut tree, the Hall's Hardy almond trees and the American filbert tree are good producers of high quality nut kernels. Chinese chestnut trees are cold hardy enough to grow in all climate zones of North Carolina, and the almost extinct American chestnut trees have been replaced with the new hybrid American chestnut tree that is blight resistant. Hickory nut trees and Chinquapin trees grow every where in the forests of NC, especially at the foot of Mount Leconte.



Many flowering trees are native to N.C forests such as the white dogwood tree and the non-native grafted red and pink flowering dogwood tree. The early spring flowering redbud tree is covered with bright red-pink flowers for extended periods. The Japanese Kwanzan flowering cherry trees are perhaps the most spectacular North Carolina flowering tree, the Akebone flowering cherry, the Japanese white Yoshino cherries. Japanese flowering magnolias during the early spring burst forth with giant, pink magnolia flowers. White, red and purple flowering Japanese magnolia trees are stunning in North Carolina landscapes and the yellow flowered Magnolia is a rare find. The Southern Magnolia tree, Magnolia grandiflora is a white flowering summer tree that is a native tree with evergreen leaves, and the dwarf half-size Little Gem Magnolia tree flowers more times with more numerous blossoms The Sweet Bay Magnolia tree, Magnolia virginiana, produces cup sized, more spreading flowers with a creamy color bloom. Thornless honeylocust trees are great shade trees that flower abundantly with white or pink fragrant blooms. The Japanese pink, flowering apricot tree is the earliest flowering of the Prunus genus. There are several colors of flowering peach trees, like the pink, white and red that bloom early in the spring, and the peppermint (red x white x pink) peach tree is rare to find but worth the effort to find and buy. Flowering crabapple trees produce very fluffy flowers in colors of red, pink or white, and some crabapple tree cultivars grow red leaves. The Aristocrat flowering pear tree is an excellent white blooming tree that flowers early in the spring, and the leaves are bright red, orange or yellow in the fall. The Paulownia trees, also known as the Empress tree or the Princess blue dragon tree, are very fast growing, but considered a weed tree by the forest service. The Wisteria tree flowers in blue-purple, white or pink, and can also be ordered as a spring blooming vine. The Chaste tree is a summer flowering tree that can be purchased with flower colors of white, blue or pink The golden rain tree blooms in early summer and the flowers after maturing are transformed into little Chinese-like lanterns. The Cassia tree (Senna bicapsularis) is a brilliant yellow flowering tree that forms giant clusters of glowing yellow pea-like flowers that is adapted to grow in zone 8 with the flowering climax occurring in the fall. The white, delicate, fragrant flowers of Grancy Greybeard tree follow the bloom-end of the azalea flowering shrubs in the spring. Crape Myrtle flowering shrubs can be branch trimmed and grown like trees as tall as 25 feet, and some crape myrtles can be grown as single trunk specimens, but most are preferred to get as multi-trunk growers. North Carolina crape myrtle trees are adapted to grow in all climate zones of the State. The fluffy flowers have become a favorite flowering tree that blooms in all the old standard colors of red, white and pink, but new dwarf crape myrtle introductions called "True Blue" crape myrtle tree, " Black diamond", and "Purple Yuma" crape myrtle, show the true colors of the blooms throughout the summer, and the leaves turn dramatic yellow, red and orange in the fall. Oleander shrubs can grow into trees with the proper pruning and can be successfully grown in zone 8 coastal areas of N C where the oleanders are tolerant to full sun, salt water, heavy pruning and high pH (alkaline) conditions. The 'Firestarter' red is the most cold hardy oleander tree and the white and pink flowered oleanders are good to plant as a privacy hedge and screen. The yellow and purple oleander trees are rare to find and the dwarf apricot oleander shrub is a plant that blooms for 9 successive months.


Wildlife conservation and food preservation is important to bird lovers, hunters and to animal loveers. The Kieffer hard pear is slow in ripening in the fall, like the American persimmon tree, and both trees emit a ripening scent that acts as an attractant for deer, other wildlife animals and game birds in the fall when the ripening pears and overripe persimmons drop underneath the trees and the flocking birds and gathering animals get their fill of pears and persimmons when winter food sources are few. The crabapple tree the fast growing mulberry trees and the Chickasaw plum trees are filled with abundant loads of fruit that feeds the birds and wildlife NC animals. The thorny dewberry vines and the blackberry plants are protected by the prickly bramble berries, and the animals enjoy eating the berries as they ripen. Other berries ripening for a food source are the elderberry plants, the strawberry bushes and the autumn olive tree. White oak trees seem to be slow in maturing their acorns, but once the tree reaches the bearing age, the white oak acorns are produced at an astonishing rate. The turkey oak tree, the Gobbler oak tree and the sawtooth oak trees are abundant producer of acorns and mast that are available to forage over a long period of time.



Great interest has been shown in North Carolina in planting Northern cold hardy palm trees to shade their swimming pool and enjoy the tropical appearance that palm trees provide. The Windmill palm tree is perhaps the best of the palms for North Carolina landscapes. The Windmill palm trees are successfully growing in extreme Northern climates such as Canada and even in Switzerland near lake Lucerne. Other palm trees that survive in North Carolina plantings are Needle palm trees, Pindo palm and Dwarf palmetto palm trees. Golf courses in Coastal N.C. Are covered with various cold hardy palm tree plantings.


Growing North Carolina bamboo plants as a fast growing, privacy screen is easy, if you plant the bamboo in full sun or partial shade in a damp organic-based soil medium, however, it is critical that you plant the proper bamboo cultivar that is cold hardy to survive winter temperatures that drop below zero in some parts of North Carolina. Bamboo Plants can be tropical or cold hardy in nature, and gardeners near the Atlantic coastal beaches look for plants that are salt water tolerant that will slow beach erosion and are resistant to winds experienced in storms and hurricanes. The canes of bamboo grow in thick, dense clumps embedded with green vigorous leaves and the exterior of the stalks can be purchased in various colors of glowing yellow, black-green or blue, and often are streaked with brilliant variegation. As a privacy fence, N.C. Bamboo plants will quickly block out automobile noises and toxic exhaust fumes and unwanted visitors to your property. You can buy bamboo plants from Ty Ty Bamboo Nursery, tytyga.com, that will be boxed and shipped immediately to your house at any time of the year.


For the persistent gardener and plant lover in North Carolina, Agave plants, Yucca trees and Aloe plants are very easy low maintenance subjects to grow that are blessed with thick fleshy leaves that contain storehouses of reserved water supplies, and these desert plants need no fertilization and are extremely drought resistant. The Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree), the Yucca gloriosa (Spanish Dagger or Bayonet) and the Yucca rostrata will survive out of doors when planted in any NC climate zone. The Red Yucca, Hesperaloe parviflora has very vivid red leaves during the winter cold snaps but change back to green coloration in the spring. The Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard' is a dramatically striped leaf plant with variegation that is glowing and iridescent coursing the length of the leaf. The Agave tequilana is filled with a liquid syrup that is sweet and is fermented into the powerful alcoholic drink, tequila. The Agave vilmoriniana 'Octopus', is imbedded with fleshy curved back leaves that have the scary appearance of the sinister leggy tentacles of the octopus sea monster. The native plant to America, Century Plant, Agave americana, is long lived, and at maturity flowers with an impressive inflorescence that rises 30 feet above the giant mother plant that dies after blooming, but at the base of the plant remains a cluster of small century plants that regenerates the species. There is an alternate form of the Agave americana, 'Marginata' that has encircling stripes of white variegation that surround the leaves. A similar variegated Agave angustifolia 'Marginata is brightly striped with iridescent glowing of vibrant white luminance. There is also a soft leaf Agave attenuata that has a medium, blue-green coloration on the leaves looking like shark skin. Perhaps, the most famous Aloe is the healing first aid plant, Aloe vera that is impacted with a syrupy juice that will heal any minor complaints of stings and bites from yellow jackets, hornets and fire ants. The Aloe vera plant will also treat skin burns and minor flesh wounds. The Agave Manfreda is an unearthly NC, strange plant that is native to VA. where it is called the 'Rattlesnake Aloe, and the serpentine markings on the leaves certainly reminds us that a plant collector has been given a fair warning of BEWARE.