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Salt Tolerant Plants for the South Carolina Coast

Factsheet | HGIC 1730 | Reviewed: Apr 15, 2022 | Print

Coastal landscaping can be challenging due to salt exposure.

Coastal landscaping can be challenging due to salt exposure.
Barbara H. Smith, ©2017 HGIC, Clemson Extension

Salt exposure is just one of the many environmental factors that makes coastal landscaping challenging. Selecting plants that are tolerant to salt exposure will increase the rate of success. Salt-tolerant plants can range from highly to moderately tolerant.

High salt tolerance means the plants will grow where they are subject to direct salt spray received along sand dunes and adjacent to the oceanfront. These plants are highly resistant to salt drift and can be used in exposed environments. Plants with a moderate salt tolerance will grow adjacent to the beachfront but are sheltered by higher salt-tolerant plants, structures, or sand dunes. They will tolerate some salt spray but grow best when protected from direct contact.

Salt Tolerant Plants for the South Carolina Coast

Trees

Descriptions	Growing Conditions	Landscape Uses
American Holly* – Ilex opaca
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaf 15 to 30 ft. tall x 10 to 20 ft. wide Insignificant blooms in May, red berries in Oct. Dioecious (separate female and male plants) Berries attract birds Many cultivars available	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 5 to 9 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as a specimen or hedge; berries provide winter interest
Southern Red Cedar* – Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola
Evergreen conifer Scale-like leaves 30 to 65 ft. tall x 8 to 20 ft. wide	High salt tolerance Zones: 3 to 9 Full sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use as a specimen or screen.
Live Oak* – Quercus virginiana
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaf 40 to 80 ft. tall x 60 to 100 ft. wide Long-lived	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun Water: medium to wet Maintenance: low	Use as a specimen shade tree for large areas
Loquat – Eriobotrya japonica
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaves coarsely toothed and wrinkled 15 to 25 ft. tall and wide Off-white fragrant blooms Nov.-Jan. Yellow to orange edible pear-shaped fruit April-June Native to China and Japan	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as a specimen, espalier, or street tree
Magnolia* – Magnolia grandiflora
Evergreen Alternate, simple dark green leaves, often with brown pubescence beneath 60to 80 ft. tall x 30 to 50 ft. wide White fragrant flowers May-June Red seeds borne in “cone-like” structures in fall Many cultivars vary in size from 25 ft. high and up	High salt tolerance Zones: 7 to 9 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use as a specimen, screen, or hedge
Yaupon Holly* – Ilex vomitoria
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaf 15 to 20 ft. tall x 8 to 12 ft. wide White fragrant blooms in April, translucent scarlet berries in fall Dioecious Weeping cultivars are available	High salt tolerance Zones: 7 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium to wet Maintenance: medium	Use as a specimen, topiary, espalier, hedge, screen, or windbreak
*Denotes native to the Southeast

Palms

Descriptions	Growing Conditions	Landscape Uses
Dwarf Palmetto* – Sabal minor
Evergreen Large, fan-shaped leaves up to 3 ft. across 6 to 10 ft. tall Cream flowers in May-June Brown to black fruits in the fall Most cold tolerant Sabal palm	High salt tolerance Zones: 7 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use as a specimen or in groups
Palmetto or Cabbage Palm* – Sabal palmetto
Evergreen Deeply cut, curved leaves that radiate from a midrib 40 to 50 ft. tall Creamy white, showy flower stalks in summer Green to black fruit in the fall	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 11, can be grown in 7 with protection Full sun High drought tolerance after it is established Maintenance: medium Tolerant of hurricane damage	Use as a specimen, in groupings, along streets
Saw Palmetto* – Serenoa repens
Evergreen Palmate leaf divided into 25 to 30 segments, sharp petioles 5 to 10 ft. tall Small, white flowers in May-June Black malodorous fruit in fall	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 11 Full sun to part shade High drought tolerance after it is established Low to medium maintenance	Use as a specimen or as an under- planting for larger plants or trees
*Denotes native to the Southeast

Shrubs

Descriptions	Growing Conditions	Landscape Uses
American Beautyberry* – Callicarpa americana
Deciduous Opposite, simple leaf with saw-toothed margin 3 to 8 ft. tall x 3 to 8 ft. wide Insignificant pinkish-lavender flowers in June-Aug. Showy purple fruit in the fall that attract birds	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 6 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use as a specimen, shrub border, or naturalizing
Coastal Sweet-Pepperbush* – Clethra alnifolia
Deciduous Alternate, simple leaves 4 to 8ft. tall x 4 to 6ft. wide White, fragrant panicle flowers in late June-early Aug. Attracts butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 4 to 9 Full sun to part shade Water: medium to wet Maintenance: low	Use in a shrub border or naturalized areas
Devilwood or Wild Olive* – Osmanthus americanus
Evergreen Opposite, simple, dark green, leathery leaves 15 to 25 ft. tall x 10 to 15 ft. wide Creamy white cluster, fragrant flowers in early spring Blue-purple fruit in the fall that attract birds Dioecious Deer resistant	High salt tolerance Zones: 6 to 9 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as a hedge, screen, or small ornamental tree
Dwarf Yaupon Holly* – Ilex vomitoria nana
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaf 3 to 5 ft. tall x 3 to 6 ft. wide White fragrant blooms in April, translucent scarlet berries in fall Dioecious-female and male plants Many dwarf cultivars	High salt tolerance Zones: 7 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium to wet Maintenance: medium	Use as a foundation plant, low hedge, or border
Fatsia – Fatsia japonica
Evergreen Alternate, glossy green palmate leaves 6 to 10 ft. tall x 6 to 10 ft. wide White panicle blooms in Oct.-Nov. Blue fleshy fruit ripens in winter to early spring Native to Japan	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Part to full shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as a bold texture accent specimen
Groundsel* – Baccharis halimifolia
Semi-evergreen to deciduous Alternate, simple gray-green to green leaves 5 to 12 ft. tall and wide Dioecious, female has white flowers and male has yellow in early summer Cottony white fruit in the late summer and fall Attracts birds and butterflies	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use as a naturalized hedge or in dry, low maintenance areas
Inkberry Holly* – Ilex glabra
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaves 6 to 8 ft. tall x 8 to 10 ft. wide Insignificant flowers in May Berry-like, black drupe Sept.-May	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 4 to 9 Full sun to part shade Water: medium to wet Maintenance: low	Use in foundations, hedges, masses, or as an accent plant
Oleander – Nerium oleander
Evergreen Opposite or whorled, simple leaves 6 to 12 ft. tall and wide Flowers in a wide range of colors, summer-fall Many cultivars All parts of the plant are toxic Native to Europe and Asia	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 11 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as in foundation plantings, hedges, screens, and borders
Pineapple Guava – Acca sellowiana
Evergreen Opposite, simple leaves 10 to 15 ft. tall and wide White flowers with red centers, edible, May-June Yellow, edible, egg-shaped fruit in late summer to fall Native to South America Attracts birds	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use as a specimen, espalier, topiary hedge, screen, or windbreak
Pittosporum – Pittosporum tobira
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaves 3 to 12 ft. tall x 3 to 18 ft. wide, depending on cultivar Creamy white, fragrant orange blossom scented flowers in April-May Many cultivars Native to China and Japan	High salt tolerance Zones: 8b to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as foundation plantings, hedges, screens, or containers
Southern Yew – Podocarpus macophyllus
Evergreen Spirally arranged, needle-like leaves 3 to 30 ft. tall x 6 to 20 ft. wide, depending on cultivar Insignificant flowers Edible, red-purple fruit Dioecious Many cultivars Native to China and Japan	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use in foundation plantings, specimens, hedges, or screens
Red Buckeye* – Aesculus pavia
Deciduous Opposite, palmately compound leaves 25 to 30 ft. tall and wide Red tubular flowers in April-May Attract hummingbirds and butterflies Seed capsule with 1 to 3 buckeye seeds in the fall Deer resistant	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 4 to 8 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use as a hedge or specimen tree
Southern Waxmyrtle* – Morella cerifera
Evergreen Alternate, simple leaves 15 to 20 ft. tall and wide Insignificant flowers on female plants in May Grayish-white waxy fruit in late summer Dioecious Smaller cultivars are available Attract birds	High salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 11 Full sun to part shade Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low to medium	Use as a specimen, topiary, hedge, or screen
Yucca or Adam’s Needle* – Yucca filamentosa
Evergreen Stiff, spine-tipped leaves 4 to 8 ft. tall x 2 to 3 ft. wide Large, creamy-white bell-shaped flowers on tall stalks in June-July Attracts butterflies Drought tolerant	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 5 to 10 Full Sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use in borders, dry garden areas, and for architectural interest
*Denotes native to the Southeast

Grasses

Descriptions	Growing Conditions	Landscape Uses
American Beach Grass* – Ammophila breviligulata
Cool-season perennial Long, narrow leaves, deeply furrowed upper surface, smooth underside 2 to 3 ft. tall x 6 to 10 ft. wide Blooms in early summer with seed head in late July-Aug. Spreading, clumping grass	High salt tolerance Zones: 4 to 9 Full sun Water: dry Maintenance: low, but does not tolerate heavy foot traffic	Use on sand dunes for erosion stabilization
Bitter Panicum* – Panicum amarum
Warm-season perennial Bluish-green, thin leaves 3 to 4 ft. tall x 2 to 3 ft. wide Narrow white bloom late summer through fall Spreads slowly by rhizomes	High salt tolerance Zones: 2 to 9 Full sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use on dunes for erosion stabilization, accent, masses, and in borders
Muhly Grass* – Muhlenbergia capillaris
Warm-season perennial Glossy, wiry, thread-like dark green leaves 2 to 3 ft. tall x 2 to 3 ft. wide 12 in. tall purple-pink airy flower spikes in the fall Grows in clumps	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 5 to 9 Full sun Water: moist to dry Maintenance: low	Use in perennial borders, accent, masses, and naturalized areas
Sea Oats* – Uniola paniculata
Warm-season perennial Long narrow, 1 in. wide leaves that taper toward the ends 3 to 8 ft. tall and spreading 6 to 8 ft. tall panicle flower that produces flat spikelets containing seeds in summer to fall Spreads by creeping rhizomes Protected by state law that prohibits picking or destroying the grass	High salt tolerance Zones: 8b to 12 Full sun Water: dry Maintenance: low	Use on dunes for erosion stabilization, accent, masses, and naturalized areas
Coastal Little Bluestem* – Schizachyrium littorale
Warm_season perennial Coarse blue-green stems with purplish basal leaves 1 to 2 ft. tall and wide 3 in. long seed head clusters in the late summer and early fall Grows in clumps	High salt tolerance Zones: 4 to 9 Full Sun Water: dry to medium with poor flood tolerance Maintenance: low Does not tolerate large amounts of sand accumulation	Use on secondary dunes as erosion stabilization
Saltmeadow Cordgrass* – Spartina patens
Warm-season perennial ½ to 1 ft. long, narrow, cylindrical leaves 1 to 2 ft. tall and spreading Purple flowers with wheat-like seeds on one side of the stalk June-Oct.	High salt tolerance Zones: 8b to 12 Full sun Water: wet to moist Maintenance: low	Use for shoreline protection, tidal marsh restoration, dune erosion stabilization
*Denotes native to the Southeast

Perennials

Descriptions	Growing Conditions	Landscape Uses
Beach Evening Primrose* – Oenothera drummondii
Perennial Grey- to blue-green leaves ½ to 1 ft. tall x 1 to 2 ft. wide, spreading 3 in. yellow flowers that open for one day April-frost Attracts butterflies and bees	High salt tolerance Zones: 8b to 11 Full sun Water: dry to moist Maintenance: low	Use for erosion stabilization, ground covers
Bee balm* – Monarda didyma
Perennial Opposite, simple medium to dark green leaves 2 to 4 ft. tall and 2 to 3 ft. wide 3 to 4 in. rounded, tubular, two-lipped scarlet-red flowers July-Aug Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 4 to 9 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use in borders, cottage gardens, native plant gardens, or naturalized planting
Dune Sunflower* – Helianthus debilis
Semi-evergreen perennial Long, narrow green leaves 2 to 4 ft. tall and wide 3 in. composite yellow flowers with brown centers Attracts butterflies	High salt tolerance Zones: 8b to 10 Full sun Water: dry Maintenance: low	Use for ground covers, masses, borders
Euryops – Euryops pectinatus ‘Viridis’
Evergreen perennial Deeply cut dark green leaves 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide 1 to 2 in. daisy-like bright yellow flowers Native of South Africa Attracts butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 11 Water: dry to medium Maintenance: medium Keep the old flowers dead-headed to encourage blooming	Use in borders, rock gardens, or masses
Lantana ‘Miss Huff’, ‘Mozelle’, ‘Chapel Hill’, Chapel Hill Gold’ – Lantana camara
Only the specific named varieties are perennial: ‘Miss Huff,’ ‘Mozelle’, ‘Chapel Hill’, or ‘Chapel Hill Gold’ Long oval dark green wrinkled leaves 3 to 6 ft. tall and wide 2 in. tiny 5-lobed clustered white, yellow, orange, pink mixed flowers Native to Central and South America Attracts butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 7 to 11 Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low Do not prune the plant after frost. Prune the dead branches in the early spring when the new foliage begins to emerge from the base of the plant	Use in borders, rock gardens, or masses
Lavender Cotton – Santolina chamaecyparissus
Evergreen perennial Silver-gray aromatic leaves 1 to 2 ft. tall x 2 to 3 ft. wide ¾ in. button-like bright yellow flowers in summer Native of the Mediterranean	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 6 to 9 Full sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: medium	Use in herb or rock gardens, borders, or masses
Lily-of-the-Nile – Agapanthus africanus
Tender perennial Long, grass-like leaves 1½ to 2 ft. tall and wide 18to 24 in. clusters of blue or white bell-shaped flowers June-July Native of South Africa	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: medium	Use in containers or pots, borders
Mexican Bush Sage – Salvia leucantha
Tender perennial Long lance-shaped grey-green leaves 2 to 3 ft. tall and wide 10 in. long dense, arching purple and white to solid purple flower spikes Aug-frost Native to Mexico and Central America Attracts butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use in borders, masses, or containers
Rosemary – Salvia rosmarinus
Perennial Grey-green linear aromatic leaves 2 to 6 ft. tall x 2 to 4 ft. wide Small, two-lipped pale blue to white flowers Jan-April Native to Africa, Europe, western Asia Attracts butterflies and bees	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 8 to 10 Full sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: medium	Use in herb gardens, borders, foundations, or containers
Seaside Goldenrod* – Solidago sempervirens
Perennial Long, thick, leathery, dark green leaves 3 to 6 ft. tall x 1 ft. wide 6 ft. large, yellow flower spikes Aug-Nov Attracts birds, bees, and butterflies. Important food source for migrating Monarch butterflies	High salt tolerance Zones: 3 to 11 Full sun Water: dry to moist Maintenance: low	Use in borders, wildflower gardens, masses
*Denotes native to the Southeast

Annuals

Descriptions	Growing Conditions	Landscape Uses
Blanket Flower or Firewheel* – Gaillardia pulchella
Annual or short-lived perennial Oblong greyish-green leaves 1 to 1 ½ ft. tall x ½ to 1 ft. wide Daisy-like red, yellow, and brown flowers June-frost Attracts birds and butterflies	High salt tolerance Full Sun Water: dry to well -drained Maintenance: low For dune establishment, plant seeds and water well until germination	Use in borders, masses, naturalizing on dunes
Madagascar Vinca or Periwinkle – Catharanthus roseus
Annual Oblong, shiny green leaves ½ to 1 ft. tall and wide 1 to 2 in. white, pink, purple, lavender, or red flowers late spring to frost Native to Madagascar	Moderate salt tolerance Full sun to part shade Water: medium, will rot if kept too wet Maintenance: Low	Use as summer color in borders, masses, edging, or containers
Mexican Sunflower – Tithonia rotundifolia
Annual Long, simple, or lobed dark green leaves 4 to 6 ft. tall x 2 to 3 ft. wide 3 in. orange to orange-red sunflowers summer to frost Native to Mexico and Central America Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Full Sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use in border backgrounds or masses
Narrow-leaf Zinnia* – Zinnia angustifolia
Annual Narrow, medium green leaves ¾ to 1½ ft. tall x ¾ to 1 ft. wide 1 in. daisy-like red, orange, yellow, white, or bicolor flowers summer to frost Attracts butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Full sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use as summer color in beds, edging, masses, or containers
Moss Rose – Portulaca grandiflora
Annual Cylindrical, fleshy leaves ¼ to ¾ ft. tall x ½ to 1½ ft. wide 2 in. orange, yellow, red, pink, white, or bicolor flowers summer to frost Flowers will not open on cloudy or rainy days Native to India	Moderate salt tolerance Full Sun Water: dry to well-drained Maintenance: low	Use for summer color in dry soils, rock gardens, containers, or hanging baskets
Salvia – Salvia splendens
Annual Oval dark green leaves 1 to 2 ft. tall x ¾ to 1½ ft. wide 2 in. red, lavender, orange, white, or bicolor tubular flowers on spikes in late spring to frost Native to Brazil Attracts birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Full sun to part shade Water: medium Maintenance: low	Use as summer color in beds, borders, and containers
Tropical Lantana – Lantana camara
Annual Long oval dark green wrinkled leaves 3 to 6 ft. tall and wide 2 in. tiny 5-lobed clustered white, yellow, orange, red, lavender, pink, or mixed color flowers Native to Central and South America Attracts butterflies	Moderate salt tolerance Zones: 10 to 11 Full sun Water: dry to medium Maintenance: low	Use as summer color in beds, borders, containers, or hanging baskets
*Denotes native to the Southeast

The following websites have more information about regulations regarding landscaping along the coast:

Life Along the Salt Marsh: Protecting Tidal Creeks with Vegetative Buffers

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/life-along-the-salt-marsh-protecting-tidal-creeks-with-vegetative-buffers/

Ocean and Coastal Resource Management DHEC Critical Area/Wetlands Permitting Forms

http://www.scdhec.gov/Environment/PermitCentral/ApplicationForms/#Ocrm

SCDNR Sea Oats

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/mrri/acechar/speciesgallery/Plants/SeaOats/index.html

How to Build a Dune

https://www.scdhec.gov/environment/docs/duneshowto.pdf

Originally published 03/17

If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.

Author(s)

Barbara H. Smith, Horticulture Senior Associate - Agent, HGIC, Clemson University

This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement of brand names or registered trademarks by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied, nor is any discrimination intended by the exclusion of products or manufacturers not named. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.

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