Salt Tolerant Plants
Recommendations by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension
*denotes Native / (E) denotes Evergreen / (D) denotes Deciduous
TREES
Highly Salt Tolerant
Eastern Red Cedar* (20-30ft x 10-20ft) (E)
Holly, Yaupon* (15-20ft x 10-15ft) (E)
Japanese Black Pine (20-40ft x 15-25ft) (E)
Oak, Live* (60-80ft x 60-80ft) (E)
Oak, Willow* (80-100ft x 40-50ft) (D)
Southern Magnolia* (30-50ft x 30-40ft) (E)
Wax Myrtle* (10-20ft x 10-20ft) (E)
Moderately Salt Tolerant
Cedar, Atlas (40-60ft x 30-40ft) (E)
Cedar, Deodor (50-70ft x 50-70ft) (E)
Crape Myrtle (15-30ft x 10-25ft) (D)
Cypress, Arizona (10-30ft x 8-20ft) (E)
Ginkgo (20-40ft x 20-30ft) (D)
Holly, American* (20-30ft x 15-20ft) (E)
Holly, Foster’s* (20-30ft x 10-15ft) (E)
Holly, Nellie Stevens* (10-20ft x 8-15ft) (E)
Lacebark Elm (40-50ft x 30-40ft) (D)
Magnolia, Little Gem* (20-25ft x 10-15ft) (E
Moderately Salt Tolerant Cont.
Magnolia, Sweet Bay* (20-30ft x 10-20ft) (E)
Oak, Laurel* (40-60ft x 30-40ft) (E)
Oak, Shumard* (40-60ft x 40-60ft) (D)
Oak, Water* (40-50ft x 30-40ft) (D)
River Birch* (35-40ft x 20-30ft) (D)
Snowbell, Japanese (20-30ft x 20-30ft) (D)
Tamarix (10-20ft x 8-12ft) (D)
Viburnum, Odorat. (8-12ft x 6-10ft) (E)
Vitex (Chaste Tree) (10-20ft x 10-15ft) (D)
SHRUBS
Highly Salt Tolerant
Agave Americana (5-7ft x 8-12ft) (E)
Eleagnus (10-15ft x 10-15ft) (E)
Holly, Dwarf Yaupon* (3-4ft x 4-5ft) (E)
Indian Hawthorn (8-10ft x 8-10ft) (E)
New Zealand Flax (4-6ft x 4-6ft) (E)
Oleander (6-10ft x 4-8ft) (E)
Pittosporum, Dwarf (2-3ft x 3-5ft) (E)
Pittosporum, Upright (6-8ft x 6-8ft) (E)
Podocarpus Maki (8-20ft x 4-12ft) (E)
Rosemary (3-6ft x 3-6ft) (E)
Rugosa Rose (3-5ft x 4-6ft) (D)
Viburnum Suspensum (4-8ft x 4-8ft) (E)
Yucca* (6-8ft x 4-8ft) (E)
Moderately Salt Tolerant
Aucuba, Dwarf Jap. (3-4ft x 2-3ft) (E)
Aucuba, Japanese (5-8ft x 4-6ft) (E)
Azalea, Gumpo (2-3ft x 3-4ft) (E)
Azalea, Southern Indica (6-8ft x 6-8ft) (E)
Bamboo, Mulitplex (15-20ft x 6-10ft) (E)
Barberry, Wintergreen (6-8ft x 6-8ft) (E)
Bottlebrush (5-6ft x 5-6ft) (E)
Cypress, Italian (20-30ft x 4-8ft) (E)
Daphne (2-3ft x 2-3ft) (E)
Euonymus, Japanese (4-10ft x 3-6ft) (E)
Fatsia (6-8ft x 6-8ft) (E)
Forsythia (6-10ft x 6-10ft) (D)
Guava, Pineapple (6-10ft x 5-8ft) (E)
Moderately Salt Tolerant Cont.
Holly, Carissa (3-4ft x 4-5ft) (E)
Holly, Inkberry* (5-8ft x 5-8ft) (E)
Holly, Needlepoint (8-12ft x 6-10ft) (E)
Holly, Rotunda (3-4ft x 3-5ft) (E)
Hydrangea, Bigleaf (4-6ft x 4-8ft) (D)
Juniper, Chinese (2-12ft x 4-8ft) (E)
Juniper, Hollywood (15-25ft x 8-15ft) (E)
Ligustrum, Japanese (6-12ft x 5-10ft) (E)
Mahonia, Leatherleaf (6-8ft x 3-4ft) (E)
Rose of Sharon (8-12ft x 6-10ft) (E)
Sage, Texas (4-6ft x 4-6ft) (E)
Pyracanthia (6-10ft x 6-8ft) (E)
Yucca, Adam’s Needle* (2-4ft x 2-4ft) (E)
PALMS
Highly Salt Tolerant
Dwarf Palmetto* (4-6ft x 4-6ft) (E)
Cabbage Palmetto* (10-20ft x 10-15ft) (E)
Saw Palmetto* (3-5ft x 4-8ft) (E)
Moderately Salt Tolerant
European Fan Palm (5-8ft x 5-8ft) (E)
Needle Palm (5-10ft x 5-10ft) (E)
Pindo Palm (10-15ft x 10-15ft) (E)
Sago Palm (4-6ft x 4-6ft) (E)
Windmill Palm (15-18ft x 8-12ft) (E)
PERENNIALS
Highly Salt Tolerant
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)* (1-2ft x 1-2ft)
Daylily (1-2ft x 1-3ft)
Lantana (2-4ft x 3-6ft)
Prickly Pear Cactus* (1-2ft x 2-3ft)
Seaside Goldenrod* (4-6ft x 3-4ft)
Moderately Salt Tolerant
Agapanthus (2-4ft x 2ft)
Asparagus Fern (2-3ft x 2-3ft)
Butterfly Weed (2-3ft x 2-3ft)
Candytuft (6”-1ft x 2-3ft)
Crinum Lily (2-4ft x 2-4ft)
Dianthus (6”-1ft x 1-2ft)
Firebush (Hamelia) (3-5ft x 3-4ft)
Hardy Ginger Lily (4-6ft x 3-5ft)
Moderately Salt Tolerant Cont.
Hen and Chicks (6”x 1ft)
Mexican Heather (1ft x 2ft)
Purple Heart (1ft x 2ft)
Red False Aloe (3-4ft x 2-3ft)
Sea Thrift (Armeria) (1ft x 1ft)
Seashore Mallow (4-6ft x 3-4ft)
Society Garlic (1ft x 1ft)
Turk’s Cap (3-4ft x 3-4ft)
Yarrow (2-4ft x 2-3ft)
GRASSES
GRASSES
Highly Salt Tolerant
Bitter Panicum* (3ft x 2ft)
Maiden Grass (4-8ft x 3-6ft)
Muhly Grass* (3ft x 3ft)
Pampas Grass (8ft x 6ft)
GROUNDCOVERS
Highly Salt Tolerant
Juniper, Blue Pacific (12-18” x 3-5ft)
Liriope, Spreading (12”)
Mondograss (6-10”)
Rosemary, Creeping (12-18” x 3-4ft)
Stonecrop, Golden (4-6”)
Winter Creeper (6”-2ft)
Moderately Salt Tolerant
Chrysanthemum pacificum (12”-18”)
Ivy, Algerian (12”)
Ivy, English (6-12”)
VINES
Moderately Salt Tolerant
Carolina Jasmine (10-20ft)
Confederate Jasmine (15ft)
Climbing Fig (30ft)
Honeysuckle, Coral (10-20ft)
Lady Banks Rose (20ft)
Virginia Creeper (30ft)
Perennials that can tolerate a slight amount of salt spray include angel’s trumpets, autumn sage, canna lily, daffodil, hardy hibiscus*, holly fern, hosta, plumbago, purple coneflower*, red hot poker, and ruellia.
Annuals that can tolerate a moderate level of salt spray include allamanda, blue daze (evolvulus,) bougainvillea, coleus, Joseph’s Coat, mandevilla vine, pentas, portulaca, and vinca.