Natural Communities of North Georgia
  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests

Cumberland/Ridge & Valley Pine-Oak Woodlands

Pine and pine-oak woodlands are communities where trees, often stunted, form an open canopy. Virginia and shortleaf pines are dominant, with dry-site oaks co-dominating in some stands The shrub layer is often sparse, with heaths such as blueberries and mountain laurel.  Soils are thin and acidic, having weathered from sandstone and shale. Woodlands grow on dry exposed sites, such as on sharp ridges or south-facing slopes. Some woodlands are maintained by prescribed fire, and may develop a denser ground cover.  Pine woodlands often develop after land has been cleared, with the pines seeding in when the site is allowed to revegetate;  these stands will develop into oak-pine forests over time.  
Indicator and representative species:  Virginia pine, shortleaf pine, and dry-site oaks such as rock chestnut, scarlet, blackjack, post, southern red, and black.  Grasses and legumes may be common as ground cover.
What's special: 
  The combination of trees and a ground cover adapted to the sunlight reaching the forest floor creates different 
​​habitats for wildlife, adding plant and animal diversity to the landscape. 
Related Communities:  Grades into Oak-Pine-Hickory Forest, or Acidic Glades and Barrens community.
Plants

Click on plant names to see images. Plants are listed in order by scientific name.


​Trees
Pale hickory Carya pallida
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum 
Shortleaf pine  Pinus echinata
Virginia pine  Pinus virginiana
Scarlet oak  Quercus coccinea
Southern red oak  Quercus falcata
Blackjack oak Quercus marilandica
Rock chestnut oak  Quercus montana
Post oak  Quercus stellata
Black oak  Quercus velutina


Shrubs
Common New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus
Black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata
Mountain laurel  Kalmia latifolia 

Catawba rhododendron  Rhododendron catawbiense
Gorge rhododendron  Rhododendron minus
Great rhododendron  Rhododendron maximum 

Winged sumac Rhus copallinum
​Horse sugar  Symplocos tinctoria
Sparkleberry Vaccinium arboreum 
Hillside blueberry   Vaccinium pallidum
Deerberry Vaccinium stamineum

​Vines

​Carolina jessamine Gelsemium sempervirens

 
Ground Layer
Wildflowers
Purple gerardia Agalinis purpurea
Slender gerardia Agalinis tenuifolia
Hemp dogbane Apocynum cannabinum
Butterfly weed Asclepias tuberosa
White milkweed Asclepias variegata
Honesty weed  Baptisia tinctoria
Spurred butterfly pea Centrosema virginianum
Maryland golden-aster  Chrysopsis mariana
Butterfly pea Clitoria mariana
​
Erect dayflower Commelina erecta
Woodland coreopsis Coreopsis major
Trailing arbutus  Epigaea repens (a sub-shrub)
Hyssopleaf eupatorium Eupatorium hyssopifolium
Late flowering boneset/thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
Eastern flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
Appalachian sunflower  Helianthus atrorubens
Small-headed sunflower  Helianthus microcephalus
Quaker ladies  Houstonia caerulea
Summer bluet  Houstonia purpurea
Veiny hawkweed  Hieracium venosum
​
Yellow stargrass Hypoxis hirsuta
Upland dwarf iris  Iris verna
Hairy lespedeza Lespedeza hirta
Downy trailing lespedeza Lespedeza procumbens
Smooth trailing lespedeza Lespedeza repens
Dense blazing star Liatris spicata
Blazing star Liatris squarrosa
Carolina lily  Lilium michauxii
Downy lobelia Lobelia puberula
Eastern sensitive briar Mimosa microphylla
Common wild quinine Parthenium integrifolium
Maypop Passiflora incarnata
​
Southern beardtongue Penstemon australis
Silkgrass Pityopsis graminifolia
Rabbit tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
​Fire pink Silene virginica
Rosinweed Silphium compositum
Hedge nettle Solanum carolinense
Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima
Eastern gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralus
Licorice goldenrod/Fragrant goldenrod  Solidago odora
Eastern silvery aster Symphyotrichum concolor
​Common clasping aster Symphyotrichum patens
Frost aster Symphiotrichum pilosum
​Pencil-flower  Stylosanthes biflora
Virginia goat's-rue 
 Tephrosia virginiana
​
Hairy spiderwort Tradescantia hirsuticaulis
Blue curls Trichostema dichotomum
Bird's-foot violet  Viola pedata

Grasses
Splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius
Bushy bluestem Andropogon gerardii
Poverty oat-grass  Danthonia spicata
Silky oat-grass Danthonia sericea
Bigtop lovegrass Eragrostis hirsuta
Eastern beard grass Gymnopogon ambiguus
Eastern needlegrass  Piptochaetium avenaceum
Little bluestem  Schizachyrium scoparium 
Yellow Indiangrass  
Sorghastrum nutans
Purpletop/Greasy grass Tridens flavus
​

Ferns

Bracken fern Pteridium latiusculum
Representative Trees in order by scientific name
Representative Shrubs, in order by scientific name
New Jersey tea (Ceonothus americanus) Richard and Teresa Ware
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) by Richard and Teresa Ware
Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense), strikingly beautiful in spring. by Hugh and Carol Nourse
Great rhododendron (Rhododendron maxium) by Richard and Teresa Ware
Gorge rhododendron (Rhododendron minus) by Richard and Teresa Ware
Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum) by Richard and Teresa Ware
Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum) Richard and Teresa Ware
Hillside blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)
Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) flowers by J. Pakchar
Representative wildflowers in order by scientific name.  
Slender gerardia (Agalinis tenuifolia) by J. Pakchar
Butterfly weed (Asclepias variegata) by J. Pakchar
Honesty weed (Baptisia tinctoria) by R&T Ware
Maryland golden-aster (Chrysopsis mariana) by J. Pakchar
Butterfly pea (Clitoria mariana) by J. Pakchar
Erect dayflower (Commelina erecta) by J. Pakchar
Woodland coreopsis (Coreopsis major) by J. Pakchar
Flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata) by R&T Ware
Appalachian sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens) by R&T Ware
Summer bluet (Houstonia purpurea) by J. Pakchar
Yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta) by J. Pakchar
Upland dwarf iris (Iris verna) by R&T Ware
Carolina lily (Lilium michauxii) by R&T Ware
Sensitive briar (Mimosa microphylla) by R&T Ware
Southern beardtongue (Penstemon australis) by J. Pakchar
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) by R&T Ware
Horse nettle (Solanum caroliniense). J. Pakchar
Fire pink (Silene virginica) by J. Pakchar
Pencil-flower (Stylosanthes biflora) by R&T Ware
Licorice goldenrod (Solidago odora) by R&T Ware
Virginia goat's rue (Tephrosia virginiana) by R&T Ware
Virginia goat's rue (Tephrosia virginiana) with seed pods) by J. Pakchar
Hairy spiderwort (Tradescantia hirsuticaulis) by J. Pakchar
Blue curls (Trichostema dichotomum) by J. Pakchar
Picture

​Contents of this site are based on the book The Natural Communities of Georgia, which can be purchased from the University of Georgia Press, Amazon, and other vendors.
​



This site is a work in progress: comments and suggestions are welcome.  Email: ​naturalcommsga@gmail.com

  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests