Plants
Flora of the Savannah River Site
Close up image of Carolina Larkspur.
The Savannah River Site lies within the Sandhill and Upper Coastal Plain regions. Its forests are dominated by loblolly and longleaf pine, shifting to hardwoods near streams. Wetlands are abundant, including isolated Carolina Bays that support many rare species and are vital to amphibians like the Carolina gopher frog. In the lowest flooded areas, iconic Savannah River swamps feature bald cypress and water tupelo.
SRS supports numerous rare plants. The longleaf pine savanna once stretched from Virginia to Texas, and species adapted to it—such as striped garlic, lanceleaf wild indigo, sandhill lily, and Carolina larkspur—still grow here. Hardwood habitats host plants like Chapman’s sedge, Oconee azalea, and Carolina silverbell. Carolina Bays contain the highest concentration of rare plants, including spatulate seedbox, little bur‑head, pink coreopsis, several bladderworts, Canby’s bulrush, Baldwin’s nut rush, and the federally endangered pondberry.
Looking up the trunk of a Bluff Oak on SRS.
The largest rare plants on SRS are two uncommon oak species: Bluff Oak and Durand Oak. Though widespread, they occur in small, isolated populations and are often confused with each other. The USFS is working to preserve Bluff Oak because the SRS population is among the most significant in the Southeast.
Plants of Savannah River Site
