Landscaping plants on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s campus must be native and approved by ORNL’s Landscaping Committee. Below is a list of accepted plant species that are not only beautiful but also beneficial to the local ecology:
Approved Native Plants
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Synonym | Type |
| Acer rubrum | Red Maple | Canopy | |
| Acer saccharum | Sugar Maple | Canopy | |
| Aesculus flava | Yellow Buckeye | Canopy | |
| Betula nigra | River Birch | Canopy | |
| Carya glabra | Pignut Hickory | Canopy | |
| Carya ovata | Shagbark Hickory | Canopy | |
| Carya tomentosa | Mockernut Hickory | Canopy | |
| Celtis occidentalis | Hackberry | Canopy | |
| Cladrastis lutea | American Yellowwood | Canopy | |
| Diospyros virginiana | Persimmon | Canopy | |
| Fagus grandifolia | American Beech | Canopy | |
| Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Green Ash | Canopy | |
| Ilex opaca | American Holly | Canopy | |
| Juniperus virginiana | Eastern Red Cedar | Canopy | |
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum | Canopy | |
| Liriodendron tulipifera | Tulip Poplar | Canopy | |
| Morus rubra | Red Mulberry | Canopy | |
| Nyssa sylvatica | Blackgum | Canopy | |
| Pinus echinata | Shortleaf Pine | Canopy | |
| Pinus strobus | White Pine | Canopy | |
| Pinus taeda | Loblolly Pine | Canopy | |
| Pinus virginiana | Virginia Pine | Canopy | |
| Platanus occidentalis | Sycamore | Canopy | |
| Prunus serotina | Wild Black Cherry | Canopy | |
| Quercus alba | White Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus bicolor | Swamp White Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus coccinea | Scarlet Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus falcata | Southern Red Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus montana | Chestnut Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus palustris | Pin Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus phellos | Willow Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus prinus | Chestnut Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus rubra | Red Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus shumardii | Shumard Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus stellata | Post Oak | Canopy | |
| Quercus velutina | Black Oak | Canopy | |
| Salix nigra | Black Willow | Canopy | |
| Sassafras albidum | Sassafras | Canopy | |
| Thuja occidentalis | Northern White Cedar | Canopy | |
| Tilia americana | Basswood | Canopy | |
| Tsuga canadensis | Eastern Hemlock | Canopy | |
| Ulmus alata | Winged Elm | Canopy | |
| Ulmus americana | American Elm | Canopy | |
| Aesculus pavia | Red Buckeye | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Alnus serrulata | Stream Alder | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Amelanchier arborea | Common Serviceberry | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Amelanchier laevis | Allegheny Serviceberry | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Aralia spinosa | Devil’s Walking Stick | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Asimina triloba | Pawpaw | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Carpinus caroliniana | Ironwood | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Cercis canadensis | Eastern Redbud | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Chionanthus virginicus | Fringetree | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Cladrastis lutea | American Yellowwood | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Cornus florida | White Dogwood | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Crataegus phaenopyrum | Washington Hawthorn | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Crataegus calpodenron | Late Hawthorn | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Crataegus crus-galii | Cockspur Hawthorn | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Halesia tetraptera | Silverbell | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Hamamelis virginiana | Witchhazel | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Ilex opaca | American Holly | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Magnolia tripetala | Umbrella Magnolia | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Ostrya virginiana | Hophornbeam | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Oxydendrum arboreum | Sourwood | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Prunus americana | Wild Plum | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Ptelea trifoliata | Hoptree | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Rhamnus caroliniana | Carolina Buckthorn | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Rhus copallina | Shining/Winged Sumac | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Rhus glabra | Smooth Sumac | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Viburnum prunifolium | Blackhaw | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Viburnum rufidulum | Rusty Blackhaw | Sub-Canopy/Accent | |
| Amorpha fruticosa | Indigobush | Shrub | |
| Aronia arbutifolia | Red Chokeberry | Photinia melanocarpa | Shrub |
| Arundinaria gigantea | River Cane | Shrub | |
| Callicarpa americana | American Beautyberry | Shrub | |
| Calycanthus floridus | Sweetshrub | Shrub | |
| Ceanothus americanus | New Jersey Tea | Shrub | |
| Cephalanthus occidentalis | Buttonbush | Shrub | |
| Clethra alnifolia | Summersweet | Shrub | |
| Cornus amomum | Silky Dogwood | Shrub | |
| Corylus Americana | American Hazelnut | Shrub | |
| Euonymus americanus | Hearts-a-bustin’ | Shrub | |
| Fothergilla major | Fothergilla | Shrub | |
| Hydrangea arborescens | Wild Hydrangea | Shrub | |
| Hydrangea quercifolia | Oakleaf Hydrangea | Shrub | |
| Hypericum frondosum | Golden St. John’s Wort | Shrub | |
| Hypericum hypericoides | St. Andrew’s Cross | Shrub | |
| Hypericum prolificum | Shrubby St. John’s Wort | Shrub | |
| Ilex verticillata | Winterberry | Shrub | |
| Itea virginica | Virginia Sweetspire | Shrub | |
| Kalmia latifolia | Mountain Laurel | Shrub | |
| Lindera benzoin | Spicebush | Shrub | |
| Photinia melanocarpa | Black Chokeberry | Shrub | |
| Photinia pyrifolia | Red Chokeberry | Aronia arbutifolia | Shrub |
| Physocarpus opulifolius | Common Ninebark | Shrub | |
| Rhododendron maximum | Rosebay Rhododendron | Shrub | |
| Rhododendron minus | Small-leaved Rhododendron | Shrub | |
| Rhododendron periclymenoides | Pinxter-bush | Shrub | |
| Rhus aromatica | Fragrant Sumac | Shrub | |
| Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-low’ | Gro-low Fragrant Sumac | Shrub | |
| Rhus copallina | Shining/Winged Sumac | Shrub | |
| Robinia hispida | Prickly Locust | Shrub | |
| Rosa carolina | Carolina Rose | Shrub | |
| Rosa palustris | Swamp Rose | Shrub | |
| Sambucus canadensis | Elderberry | Shrub | |
| Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Coralberry | Shrub | |
| Vaccinium arborem | Farkleberry | Shrub | |
| Viburnum acerifolium | Maple leaf Viburnum | Shrub | |
| Viburnum dentatum | Arrowwood Viburnum | Shrub | |
| Amsonia tabernaemontana | Eastern Bluestar | Herbaceous | |
| Antennaria plantaginifolia | Pussy Toes | Herbaceous | |
| Aquilegia canadensis | Wild Columbine | Herbaceous | |
| Arisema triphyllum | Jack-in-the-pulpit | Herbaceous | |
| Aruncus diocus | Goat’s Beard | Herbaceous | |
| Asarum canadense | Wild Ginger | Herbaceous | |
| Asclepias incarnata | Swamp Milkweed | Herbaceous | |
| Asclepias syriaca | Common Milkweed | Herbaceous | |
| Asclepias tuberosa | Butterfly Weed | Herbaceous | |
| Aster cordifolius | Blue Wood Aster | Symphyotrichum cordifolium | Herbaceous |
| Aster divaricatus | White Wood Aster | Eurybia divaricata | Herbaceous |
| Aster laevis | Smooth Aster | Symphyotrichum laeve | Herbaceous |
| Aster novae-angliae | New England Aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Herbaceous |
| Aster oblongifolis | Aromatic Aster | Symphyotrichum oblongifolium | Herbaceous |
| Aster patens | Late Purple Aster | Symphyotrichum patens | Herbaceous |
| Aster undulatus | Waxy Leaf Aster | Symphyotrichum undulatum | Herbaceous |
| Astilbe biternata | False Goat’s Beard | Herbaceous | |
| Baptisia australis | Blue Wild Indigo | Herbaceous | |
| Conoclinium coelestinum | Wild Ageratum | Eupatorium coelestinum | Herbaceous |
| Coreopsis auriculata | Mouse-eared Coreopsis | Herbaceous | |
| Coreopsis lanceolata | Lance-leaved Coreopsis | Herbaceous | |
| Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower | Herbaceous | |
| Eupatorium coelestinum | Wild Ageratum | Conoclinium coelestinum | Herbaceous |
| Eupatorium fistulosum | Joe-pye Weed | Herbaceous | |
| Eupatorium purpureum | Woodland Joe-Pye Weed | Herbaceous | |
| Eurybia divaricata | White Wood Aster | Aster divaricatus | Herbaceous |
| Gaultheria procumbens | Wintergreen | Herbaceous | |
| Geranium maculatum | Wild Geranium | Herbaceous | |
| Helianthus angustifolius | Swamp Sunflower | Herbaceous | |
| Helianthus occidentalis | Western Sunflower | Herbaceous | |
| Heuchera Americana | Alumroot | Herbaceous | |
| Hymenocallis caroliniana | Spiderlily | Hymenocallis occidentalis | Herbaceous |
| Hymenocallis occidentalis | Spiderlily | Hymenocallis caroliniana | Herbaceous |
| Impatiens capensis | Jewel Weed | Herbaceous | |
| Iris cristata | Dwarf Crested Iris | Herbaceous | |
| Liatris aspera | Rough Blazing Star | Herbaceous | |
| Liatris cylindracea | Ontario Blazing Star | Herbaceous | |
| Liatris spicata | Dense Blazing Star | Herbaceous | |
| Liatris squarrosa | Scaly Blazing Star | Herbaceous | |
| Lobelia cardinalis | Cardinal Flower | Herbaceous | |
| Lobelia syphilitica | Big Blue Lobelia | Herbaceous | |
| Mertensia virginica | Virginia Bluebells | Herbaceous | |
| Monarda didyma | Beebalm | Herbaceous | |
| Monarda fistulosa | Wild Bergamot | Herbaceous | |
| Opuntia humifusa | Prickly Pear | Herbaceous | |
| Pachysandra procumbens | Allegheny Spurge | Herbaceous | |
| Penstemon canescens | Hairy-Beardtongue | Herbaceous | |
| Penstemon digitalis | White Beardtongue | Herbaceous | |
| Penstemon laevigatus | Smooth Beardtongue | Herbaceous | |
| Phlox divaricata | Woodland Phlox | Herbaceous | |
| Phlox glaberrima | Smooth Phlox | Herbaceous | |
| Phlox paniculata | Summer Phlox | Herbaceous | |
| Phlox stolonifera | Crawling Phlox | Herbaceous | |
| Physostegia virginiana | False Dragonhead/Obedient Plant | Herbaceous | |
| Polygonatum biflorum | Solomon’s Seal | Herbaceous | |
| Pycnanthemum torrei | Torry’s Mountain Mint | Herbaceous | |
| Ratibida pinnata | Prairie Coneflower | Herbaceous | |
| Rudbeckia fulgida | Orange Coneflower | Herbaceous | |
| Rudbeckia hirta | Black-eyed Susan | Herbaceous | |
| Rudbeckia triloba | Brown-eyed Susan | Herbaceous | |
| Sedum ternatum | Wild Stonecrop | Herbaceous | |
| Silene virginica | Fire Pink | Herbaceous | |
| Silphium terebinthenaceum | Prairie Dock | Herbaceous | |
| Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Blue-eyed Grass | Herbaceous | |
| Smilacina racemosa | False Solomon’s Seal | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago caesia | Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago canadensis | Canada Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago flexicaulis | Zig-Zag Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago nemoralis | Southern Gray Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago odora | Fragrant Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago ptarmicoides | Prairie Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago rugosa | Stiff Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago speciosa | Showy Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago sphacelata | Short-Pappus Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Solidago ulmifolia | Elm-Leaved Goldenrod | Herbaceous | |
| Spigelia marilandica | Indian Pink | Herbaceous | |
| Symphiotrichum oblongifolium | Aromatic Aster | Aster oblongifolis | Herbaceous |
| Symphyotrichum cordifolium | Blue Wood Aster | Aster cordifolius | Herbaceous |
| Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | New England Aster | Aster novae-angliae | Herbaceous |
| Symphyotrichum laeve | Smooth Aster | Aster laevis | Herbaceous |
| Symphyotrichum patens | Late Purple Aster | Aster patens | Herbaceous |
| Symphyotrichum undulatum | Waxy Leaf Aster | Aster undulatus | Herbaceous |
| Tradescantia virginica | Spiderwort | Herbaceous | |
| Vernonia gigantea | Ironweed | Herbaceous | |
| Veronicastrum virginicum | Culver’s Root | Herbaceous | |
| Andropogon gerardii | Big Bluestem | Grass/Sedge | |
| Andropogon glomeratus | Wooly/Bushy Broomsedge | Grass/Sedge | |
| Andropogon ternaries | Splitbeard Bluestem | Grass/Sedge | |
| Andropogon ternarius | Split Beard Bluestem | Grass/Sedge | |
| Andropogon virginicus | Broomsedge | Grass/Sedge | |
| Arundinaria gigantea | River Cane | Grass/Sedge | |
| Bouteloua cutipendula | Side-oats Grama | Grass/Sedge | |
| Carex cherokeensis | Cherokee Sedge | Grass/Sedge | |
| Carex lurida | Lurid Sedge | Grass/Sedge | |
| Carex pennsylvanica | Pennsylvania Sedge | Grass/Sedge | |
| Carex vulpinoidea | Fox Sedge | Grass/Sedge | |
| Chasmanthium latifolium | River Oats | Grass/Sedge | |
| Eleocaharis quadrangulata | Square-sided spikerush | Grass/Sedge | |
| Elymus virginicus | Virginia Wild Rye | Grass/Sedge | |
| Eragrostis spectabilis | Purple Lovegrass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Hystrix patula | Bottlebrush Grass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Juncus effusus | Soft Rush | Grass/Sedge | |
| Panicum virgatum | Switchgrass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Saccharum giganteum | Sugarcane Plumegrass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Schoenoplectus pungens | Three-square rush | Scirpus americanus | Grass/Sedge |
| Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Soft-stem Bulrush | Scirpus validus | Grass/Sedge |
| Schyzachyrium scoparium | Little Bluestem | Grass/Sedge | |
| Scirpus americanus | Three-square rush | Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass/Sedge |
| Scirpus cyperinus | Woolgrass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Scirpus validus | Soft-stem Bulrush | Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Grass/Sedge |
| Sorghastrum nutans | Indian Grass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Adiantum pedatum | Maidenhair Fern | Fern | |
| Asplenium platyneuron | Ebony Spleenwort | Fern | |
| Athyrium filix-femina | Lady Fern | Fern | |
| Deparia acrostichoides | Silvery Glade Fern | Fern | |
| Dryopteris intermedia | Fancy Wood Fern | Fern | |
| Dryopteris marginalis | Marginal Wood Fern | Fern | |
| Osmunda cinnamomea | Cinnamon Fern | Fern | |
| Osmunda regalis | Royal Fern | Fern | |
| Polystichum acrostichoides | Christmas Fern | Fern | |
| Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken Fern | Fern | |
| Alisma subcordata | Water Plantain | Aquatic | |
| Eleocaharis spp. | Spikerush | Aquatic | |
| Equisetum arvense | Field Horsetail | Aquatic | |
| Equisetum hymale | Scouring Rush | Aquatic | |
| Hibiscus laevis | Halberd-leaved Mallow | Aquatic | |
| Hibiscus moscheutos | Swamp Rose Mallow | Aquatic | |
| Juncus effusus | Soft Rush | Aquatic | |
| Nelumbo lutea | American lotus | Aquatic | |
| Nuphar lutea | Spadderdock | Aquatic | |
| Nymphaea odorata | American White Water Lily | Aquatic | |
| Pontederia cordata | Pickerelweed | Aquatic | |
| Sagittaria latifolia | Arrowhead | Aquatic | |
| Saururus cernuus | Lizard’s Tail | Aquatic | |
| Scirpus cyperinus | Woolgrass | Aquatic | |
| Typha latifolia | Broad-leaf Cattail | Aquatic | |
| Vallisneria americana | Water Celery | Aquatic | |
| Bigonia capreolata | Crossvine | Vine | |
| Campsis radicans | Trumpet Creeper | Vine | |
| Clematis viorna | Leatherflower | Vine | |
| Clematis virginiana | Virgins Bower | Vine | |
| Lonicera sempervirens | Coral Honeysuckle | Vine | |
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Virginia Creeper | Vine | |
| Passiflora incarnata | Passionflower | Vine | |
| Rosa setigera | Climbing Prairie Rose | Vine | |
| Wisteria frutescens | American Wisteria | Vine |
Limited Use Plants
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Synonym | Type |
| Acer x freemanii | Freeman Maple | Canopy | |
| Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay Magnolia | Canopy | |
| Fothergilla gardenii | Dwarf Forthergilla | Shrub | |
| Ilex glabra | Inkberry | Shrub | |
| Yucca filamentosa | Yucca | Shrub | |
| Echinacea tennesseensis | Tennessee Coneflower | Herbacious | |
| Muhlenbergia capillaris | Pink Muhly Grass | Grass/Sedge | |
| Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | Grass/Sedge |