Advocacy
Georgia Native Plant Society takes action throughout Georgia to champion native plants and steward their habitats. Check out our resources below.
Our Issues
How to plant native with an HOA
Local laws — from the city or neighborhood HOA’s — regulate private property to uphold safety standards and maintain aesthetics. Unfortunately, many don’t recognize native plants as more than weeds, nor appreciate their ecological benefits.
Knowing the rules and working with your HOA can help protect your property and make changes for everyone in your area.
Click here to see our advice for how to work within your HOA or city ordinances.
Let’s change Georgia’s state flower
Did you know that Georgia’s current state flower, the cherokee rose, is not actually native to Georgia?
Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata) was designated as the state flower of Georgia in 1916 under the mistaken belief that it was indigenous to Georgia; however, it is indigenous to Asia. GNPS suggests Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), a native tree found throughout the state, as an excellent species to represent Georgia as its state flower. As a host plant for Georgia’s state butterfly, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, it contributes as a vital pollinator habitat and enhances ecological diversity that makes Georgia one of the richest landscapes in the US.
