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Woodfin City Zoning Code

APPENDIX A

RECOMMENDED PLANT LIST7

TREES

Trees Type Light Water Height Notes Native Edible
Common Name Botanical Name
Red maple Acer rubrum D F → S H → X 40-70' Low flamablility; buckles streets and sidewalks X
Sugar maple Acer saccharum D F → S M → SX 40-80' Can buckle sidewalks and clog drains; pollinators X
Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea D F → P M → SX 15-25' Bees X X
Paw paw Asimina triloba D P → S M → SX 15-30' flies, beetles (sole larval host for zebra swallowtail butterfly); Low flamability and beneficial X X
River birch Betula niqra D F → P H → X 40-70' Lots of litter X
Eastern redbud Cercis canadensis D F → S M → X 12-30' Pollinator and larval host plant; fruit food for songbirds; Native X
Fringe tree Chionanthus virginicus D F → S M → X 12-20' moths (larval host to Rustic sphinx moth); Native; fruit food for birds and wildlife X
Flowering dogwood Cornus florida D F → S M → X 15-30' butterflies, bees, flies (larval host to Spring Azure butterfly) X
Persimmon Diospyros virginiana D F → P M → SX 35-60' bees, ants, moths X X
American beech Faqus qrandifolia D F → S M → SX 50-80' X
Carolina silverbell Halesia carolina D F → S M → SX 30-40' Bees X
Common witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana D F → S M → SX 15-20' X
Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana. E F → P SX → X 8-25' X
American holly Ilex opaca E F → S M → SX 25-60' honey bees (larval host to Elf butterfly) X
Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera D F → P M → SX 60-90' X
Cucumber tree Maqnolia acuminata D P → S M → SX 40-70' X
Umbrella tree Maqnolia tripetala D F → P M → SX 15-30' X
Black tupelo Nyssa sylvatica D F → S M → X 30-50' Pollinators X
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum D F → S SX → X to 50' bees, butterflies; larval host X
Eastern white pine Pinus strobus E F → S M → SX 50-80' X
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis D F → P H → M 75-100' X
White oak Quercus alba D F → P M → X 50-80' X
Northern red oak Quercus rubra D F → P M → SX 50-70' X
*Common sassafras Sassafras albidum D F → P M → SX 30-60' X
American basswood Tilia americana D F → S M → SX 50-80' X
Eastern hemlock Tsuqa canadensis E F → S M → SX 40-70' Native; susceptible to Hemlock woolly adelgid X
Blackhaw viburnum Viburnum rufidulum D F → S M → X 10-20' butterflies X X
Yellow Buckeye Aesculus flava D F → P M → 60-75' Low flamablility; poisonous to humans; native to WNC, avoid use as street tree or new horn X
Red Horsechestnut Aesculus X carnea D F → P M → 30-40' Not ideal for walking areas—very messy
Serviceberry, Sarvis Amelanchier arborea D F → P M → 15-25' birds and butterfles, edible fruit X X
Allegheny Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis D F → P M → 18-20' birds, edible fruit X X
American Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana D P → S M → 20-30' Native; wildlife friendly; pollinator and larval host plant X
Sugarberry Celtis laevigata D F → P H → M 40-60' fruits eaten by many birds and mammals X
Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis D F → P H → M 40-60' fruits eaten by many birds and mammals; pollinators X
American Yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea D F → M → 30-50' Native; nesting for songbirds; attractive to pollinators X
Pagoda Dogwood Cornus alternifolia D F → P M → 15-25' Native; attractive to pollinators X
Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida D F → P M → 20-30' Native; fruit food for birds and wildlife X
American Smoketree Cotinus obovatus D F → M → 20-30' X
Washington Hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum D F → M → 25-30' Native; fruit food for birds and wildlife X
American Persimmon Diospyros virginiana D F → P M → SX 35-60' Native; fruit food for birds and wildlife; pollinators X X
American Beech Fagus grandifolia D F → S M → 50-70' X
European Beech Fagus sylvatica D F → S M → 50-60'
Ginkgo Maidenhair Tree Ginkgo biloba D F → M → 50-80' Street tree
Thomless Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis D F → M → 30-70' Thorns; street tree X
Kentucky Coffee Tree Gymnocladus dioica D F → M → 60-75' X
Mountain Silverbell Halesia monticola D F → P M → 20-40' X
Nellie Stevens Holly Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens' E F → P M → 15-25' Pollinator
Foster Holly Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri' E F → P M → 20-30' Birds and pollinators
Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua D F → P M → 60-75' Fruit creates littering problem X
Tulip Poplar
Yellow Poplar 		Liriodendron tulipifera D F → P M → 70-90' Birds and pollinators; avoid use as street tree X
Flowering Crabapple Malus spp. D F → M → 15-25' birds and butterfles, edible fruit
Mulberry Morus rubra D F → P M → 30-50' birds, edible fruit; not ideal in high foot traffic areas X X
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum D F → P M → 25-30' X
American Sycamore Platanus occidentalis D F → P → 75-100' X
Sargent Cherry Prunus sargentii D F → → 20-30'
Higan Cherry Prunus subhirtella D F → → 20-40'
Yoshino Cherry Prunus yedoensis D F → → 40-50'
White Oak Quercus alba D F → P → 50-80' X
Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor D F → → 50-60' X
Scarlet Oak Quercus coccinea D F → → 70-75' X
Pin Oak Quercus palustris D F → P → 60-70' X
Willow Oak Quercus phellos D F → → 60-90' X
Red Oak Quercus rubra D F → P → 60-75' X
Shumard Oak Quercus shumardii D F → P → 80-100' Beneficial to multiple insects X
White Willow Salix alba D F → P → 60-75'
Japanese Pagoda Tree Styphnolobium japonicum D F → → 50-70'
Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum D F → → 50-70' X
English Yew Taxus baccata E F → S → 30-60'
Basswood American Linden Tilia americana D F → → 60-80' Pollinator X
Littleleaf Linden Tilia cordata D F → → 60-70'
Silver Linden Tilia tomentosa D F → → 50-70'
Devilwood Osmanthus americanus E F → P → 15-20' X
American Hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana D F → P → 25-40' X

 

Table Notes:

*These plants can be vigorous growers and may need more management control.

Table Key:

Type:

D = Deciduous
E = Evergreen

Light:

F = Full sun
P = Part sun
S = Shade

Soil Moisture:

H = hydric; wet, plants periodically or often inundated by water.
M = mesic; moist, adequate soil moisture retention year round.
SX = sub-xeric; moist to dry, seasonally moist, periodically dry.
X = xeric; dry & drought resistant little moisture retention, excessively drained.

SHRUBS

Shrubs Type Light Water Height Pollinator
Common Name Botanical Name
*Tag alder Alnus serrulata D F → P H → M 12-20' bees; larval host
Red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia D F → P H → SX 6-10'
Black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa D F → P H → X 3-6'
Sweetshrub Calycanthus floridus D P → S H → SX 4-6' beetles
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus D P → S M → X 3-4' hummingbirds, butterflies
Cinnamonbark Clethra acuminata D F → P SX → X 7-12' hummingbirds, butterflies, honey bees
Silky dogwood Comus amomum D F → P H → SX 4-10' bees, flies, butterflies; larval host
Hazelnut Corylus americana D F → S M → SX 10-16' edible nuts; wildlife
Bush honeysuckle Diervilla sessilifolia D F → S M → X 4-5' bumble bees, (larval host to bumblebee hawkmoth)
Hearts-a-bustin Euonymus americanus D P → S M → SX 3-6' bees, beetles, flies, ants; larval host
Large fothergilla Fothergilla major D F → P M → SX 6-10'
Wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens D P → S M → SX 4-5' butterflies, bees
Oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia D P → S M → 3-12' bees
Dense St. John's wort Hypericum densiflorum D F → P M → X 2-6' Bees
Shrubby St. John's wort Hypericum prolificum D F → P H → X 1-5' birds
Common winterberry Ilex verticillata D F → S H → M 6-20' honey bees, butterflies (larval host to Elf butterfly)
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica D F → S H → SX 3-5'
Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia E F → P SX → X 8-20' butterflies, hummingbirds
Drooping leucothoe Leucothoe fontanesiana E P → S M → X 18-24" bees, butterflies
Spicebush Lindera benzoin D P → S M 6-12' butterflies (larval host for Eastern tiger swallowtail, spicebush
Mock orange Philadelphus inodorus D F → P M → SX
Sweet azalea Rhododendron arborescer D F → S H → M 8-12' butterflies, hummingbirds; larval host
Flame azalea Rhododendron calendulac E P → S M → SX 4-8' butterflies, hummingbirds; larval host
Carolina rhododendron, Punctatum Rhododendron carolinianu E P → S M → SX 3-6' hummingbirds, butterflies
Catawba rhododendron Rhododendron catawbiens D F → S M → SX 6-10' hummingbirds, butterflies
Rosebay rhododendron Rhododendron maximum E P → S M → SX 5-15'
Pinxter azalea Rhododendron periclymen D P → S H → SX 6-12' hummingbirds, bumble bees
Pinkshell azalea Rhododendron vaseyi E F → P M → SX 5-10' butterflies, bees
*Smooth sumac Rhus glabra D F → P M → SX 9-15' fruit attractive to wildlife
Carolina rose Rosa carolina D F → P M → SX 3-6' bees, flies, beetles; larval host
*Silky willow Salix sericea D F → S H → SX 6-13' bees and butterflies; larval host
*Elderberry Sambucus canadensis D F → S M 5-12' flies, bees, butterflies, moths (larval host for Spring Azure butterfly)
*Coral berry Symphoricarpos orbiculatu D F → S M → X 2-5' birds
*Highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum D F → P SX → X 6-12' bees, bumble bees; edible fruit
Cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon E F → P H → M <1' Bees
Lowbush blueberry Vaccinium pallidum D P → S M → X bees, butterflies; edible fruit
Maple-leaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium D P → S M → X 3-6' butterflies
Witherod viburnum Viburnum cassinoides D F → S M → SX 5-6' butterflies
*Arrowwood Viburnum dentatum D F → P M → SX 6-8' bees, bumble bees, butterflies, moths

 

Table Notes:

*These plants can be vigorous growers and may need more management control.

Table Key:

Type:

D = Deciduous
E = Evergreen

Light:

F = Full sun
P = Part sun
S = Shade

Soil Moisture:

H = hydric; wet, plants periodically or often inundated by water.
M = mesic; moist, adequate soil moisture retention year round.
SX = sub-xeric; moist to dry, seasonally moist, periodically dry.
X = xeric; dry & drought resistant little moisture retention, excessively drained.

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 1, 6-17-2025)

Footnotes:
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Editor's note— Prior to reenactment by Ord. No. 2025-010, Ord. No. 2022-151101, § 1, adopted Nov. 15, 2022, repealed App. A, which pertained to permitted uses table and derived from Ord. of 5-18-2021. The user's attention is directed to § 54-143.