Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge runs from northern Georgia up through the Carolinas and Tennessee into Virginia, covering Asheville, Boone, Gatlinburg, and Roanoke. It is one of the richest temperate regions on earth for plants, with elevation creating cool moist coves and dry exposed ridges within a few miles of each other. Natives such as orange coneflower, heart-leaf foamflower, and Carolina-allspice come out of those cove forests and do well in the part shade most mountain yards already have.

Conditions: Acidic loam on steep slopes, 45–80 inches of precipitation depending on elevation and aspect, cool summers, moderate winters.

Cities and areas: Asheville, Boone, Roanoke, Gatlinburg, Blowing Rock, Dahlonega.