Shrubs

Common

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Notes
Southern Wax Myrtle	Morella cerifera	Wet to dry, versatile	Evergreen; nitrogen-fixer
Northern Bayberry	Morella pensylvanica	Sandy soils, edges	Waxy berries
Spicebush	Lindera benzoin	Moist forests	Host for Spicebush Swallowtail
American Beautyberry	Callicarpa americana	Forest edges, openings	Magenta berry clusters
Winterberry Holly	Ilex verticillata	Wet soils, swamp edges	Deciduous; red winter berries
Inkberry Holly	Ilex glabra	Wet acidic soils	Evergreen; black berries
Yaupon Holly	Ilex vomitoria	Maritime forests, sandy	Evergreen; caffeine-containing
Sweet Pepperbush	Clethra alnifolia	Swamp margins	Fragrant white summer spikes
Buttonbush	Cephalanthus occidentalis	Pond margins, wetlands	Puffball flowers
Highbush Blueberry	Vaccinium corymbosum	Acidic swamp edges	Edible; great fall color
Common Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis	Wet edges, disturbed	Edible flowers and berries
Witch Hazel	Hamamelis virginiana	Mesic forests	Fall-blooming
Winged Sumac	Rhus copallinum	Dry edges, old fields	Red fall color; wildlife food
Arrowwood Viburnum	Viburnum dentatum	Wet to mesic forests	Blue-black berries
Blackhaw Viburnum	Viburnum prunifolium	Forest edges	Edible fruit
Virginia Sweetspire	Itea virginica	Streambanks, wet areas	Fragrant white racemes
Silky Dogwood	Cornus amomum	Wet edges	Blue fruit; red stems

Uncommon / Less Frequent

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Notes
Dwarf Azalea	Rhododendron atlanticum	Sandy pine-oak woods	Fragrant white-pink flowers
Pinxter Flower	Rhododendron periclymenoides	Dry to moist woods	Pink spring azalea
Swamp Azalea	Rhododendron viscosum	Bogs, swamp edges	White; clove-scented
Red Chokeberry	Aronia arbutifolia	Wet to mesic edges	Persistent red berries
Black Chokeberry	Aronia melanocarpa	Bog margins	Black fruit; fall color
Fetterbush	Eubotrys racemosus	Pocosin edges, wet pine	White bell flowers
Shining Fetterbush	Lyonia lucida	Acidic wetlands	Evergreen
New Jersey Tea	Ceanothus americanus	Dry sandy openings	Nitrogen-fixer
Sweetshrub	Calycanthus floridus	Rich moist forests	Fragrant maroon flowers
Coastal Dog-hobble	Leucothoe axillaris	Stream margins	Evergreen; arching
Black Huckleberry	Gaylussacia baccata	Dry acidic woods	Edible; colonial
Dangleberry	Gaylussacia frondosa	Moist acidic woods	Blue-black berries
Deerberry	Vaccinium stamineum	Dry woods	Open bell flowers
Allegheny Chinkapin	Castanea pumila	Dry ridges	Edible nuts; blight-resistant
Marsh Elder	Iva frutescens	Salt/brackish marsh edges	High-tide indicator
Groundsel Tree	Baccharis halimifolia	Brackish margins	Salt-tolerant; silvery seed heads
Possum-haw	Viburnum nudum	Bogs, wet forests	Pink-blue-black berries
Hazel Alder	Alnus serrulata	Streambanks	Nitrogen-fixer
Deciduous Holly	Ilex decidua	Bottomlands	Red persistent berries
Pasture Rose	Rosa carolina	Dry open areas	Single pink flowers
Swamp Rose	Rosa palustris	Wet meadows, marshes	Pink; arching canes
American Strawberry-bush	Euonymus americanus	Moist forests	Bumpy pink-red capsules
Mountain Laurel	Kalmia latifolia	Acidic slopes	Evergreen; cup-shaped flowers

Rare / Conservation Concern

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Notes	Status
Pondspice	Litsea aestivalis	Depression ponds, bogs	Only 3 known VA locations; zigzag twigs	G3 / S1 — Globally Rare
Dwarf Wax Myrtle	Morella pumila	Wet pine savannas	Southern species at range edge	S1 — State Very Rare
Southern Bayberry	Morella caroliniensis	Wet pinelands		Uncommon regionally
Prairie Willow	Salix humilis	Dry open barrens		Restricted in coastal plain