Over ten years ago, the South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG) and the South Carolina Native Plant Society developed and introduced the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program to raise public awareness about the rich botanical heritage of this state. The brainchild of former SCBG director Patrick McMillan, from the beginning, this program was designed to celebrate South Carolina’s landscapes and history.
We are very excited to celebrate this milestone birthday: a decade of classes in the program!
Exploring the Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge with Bruce Sorrie. Sue Watts, ©2026, SC Botanical Garden, Clemson University
How the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program Supports Native Plant Education & Stewardship
In this program, instructors teach about the diversity of native plants, plant communities and habitats that define South Carolina from the mountains to the sea. They reveal how native plants play a key role in ensuring biodiversity, while also improving soil, water and air quality.
Our goal through this program is to produce environmental stewards dedicated to raising awareness of the conservation issues facing native plants and plant communities and becoming advocates for sustainable and appropriate land development.
Who Enrolls in the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program
Over this decade, hundreds of people have enrolled in these certificate classes to learn all about South Carolina’s native plants, plant communities, wildlife ecology, sustainable landscaping practices and more!
Even with the interruptions of COVID, hurricanes and tropical storms, and the challenge of a thorough and detailed program that takes at least a year to complete, we have graduated well over fifty students, with more graduating every session.
Participants come from all walks of life, from plant hobbyists to professionals in environmental-focused fields. From the beginning, the program has drawn participants from all over South Carolina and even neighboring states.
How to Complete the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program Requirements
So, what do you need to do to complete the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program? The program consists of seven core classes and four electives, all taught by professionals in the field.
The classes are typically a combination of classroom time and fieldwork, and, importantly, you can take as long as you need to complete the program. Let’s look in more detail at the requirements.
Core Classes in the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program
Four core classes are taught using the South Carolina Botanical Garden’s unique and innovative Natural Heritage Garden (NHG) in Clemson. The NHG is a valuable teaching tool enabling students to explore, within the bounds of the Garden, major South Carolina ecosystems from the mountains to the sea.
These four core classes are: Natural Plant Communities (held spring and fall), Spring Herbaceous Plants and Fall Herbaceous Plants (held spring and fall, respectively) and Tree Identification (held in the fall only).
Three of the core classes can be taught in other locations since they are more theoretical and less site-specific. Currently, Basic Botany, Basic Horticulture, and Sustainable Landscaping are taught at both the South Carolina Botanical Garden in Clemson and the TEACH Center in Charleston.
Elective Classes for the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program
Four electives are required to complete the certificate. We endeavor to offer a variety of classes in both spring and fall, with classes spread geographically across the state.
Electives range from the foundational, for example, soil chemistry and propagation, to habitat explorations from the mountains to the coastal plain and through time, to specific types of plants (ferns, evergreens, etc.) and beyond.
Why Join the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program
So, if you are interested in native plants, improving the quality of your environment, supporting native wildlife, saving South Carolina’s botanical heritage, or just want a fun challenge, the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program might be for you!
South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program Contact & Class Schedule Information
Reach out with any questions to the program administrator: Sue Watts watts9@clemson.edu
Program website, including currently available classes:
https://www.clemson.edu/scbg/learn/native-plant-certificate.html
Please note that if you are looking at this website in the summer or over the winter holiday season, there will be few, if any, classes on the schedule. During those times, we are working on scheduling classes for the following Spring or Fall semester.
Celebrating 10 years of the South Carolina Native Plant Certificate Program and its impact on native plant education, conservation, and stewardship.
