The South Carolina Native Plant Certificate
The South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG), in partnership with the South Carolina Native Plant Society (SCNPS), is excited to offer a Certificate in Native Plant Studies based on South Carolina’s rich botanical heritage.
Through hands-on field-based classes, students learn about the diversity of native plants, plant communities, and the habitats that define South Carolina from the mountains to the sea. Participants will learn about the significant role that native plants play in ensuring biodiversity and how they improve soil, water, and air quality.
In addition, participants will discover the importance of sustainable and appropriate development, become aware of conservation issues facing native plants and plant communities, and become educated environmental stewards.
Four core classes are taught using the South Carolina Botanical Garden’s Natural Heritage Garden. This unique trail is a teaching tool in which students can explore major South Carolina ecosystems from the mountains to the sea. These four classes are: Natural Plant Communities, Tree Identification, Spring Herbaceous Plants and Fall Herbaceous Plants.
Three core classes may be taught at the South Carolina Botanical Garden in Clemson, the TEACH Center, Charleston or Myrtle Beach State Park. Please make sure you check the location when you register.
Electives cover a wide variety of topics and take place across the state. Electives are scheduled in the spring and fall and their availability depends upon the relevant instructor's availability.
Friends of the Garden and South Carolina Native Plant Society members receive a 10% discount. For the code, please contact Sue Watts at watts9@clemson.edu.
Course Structure
Courses are open to any interested parties who would like to participate and learn more about native plants and are not limited to those pursuing a Certificate.
The Certificate in Native Plant Studies program is composed of 7 core courses and 4 electives (depending on their length, some electives are counted as 2 classes).
Upon the completion of all core and elective components, participants receive a Certificate endorsed by the South Carolina Botanical Garden and the South Carolina Native Plant Society.
Requirements
7 core courses + 4 electives* = 11 courses total
* Costs & hours of off-site electives/field trips vary.
Electives
- Mountain Ecology
- Piedmont Ecology
- Pests & Disease
- Invasives & Exotics
- Propagation of Native Plants
- Native Grasses
- Rain Gardens
- Soil Basics
- Native Plant Container Gardens
- Shoreline Buffers
- Ferns and Fern Allies
- Coastal Plain Ecology
- Sandhills Ecology
Hours & costs vary
Upcoming Certificate Courses
Courses appear below when dates are scheduled and registration is established
Core Classes
Basic Botany
Do you want to deepen your understanding of plants and their biology? This introductory
course provides a foundation in plant science and develops a practical vocabulary for
gardeners and anyone interested in plants. Explore the fundamentals of plant biology,
including classification, structure, function, life cycles, reproduction, and plant
communities. The course combines classroom instruction with hands-on activities to bring
concepts to life.
As part of the course materials, you will receive two books: Brian Capon’s Botany for
Gardeners and James G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris’s Plant Terminology: An
Illustrated Guide.
Basic Horticulture
Discover how and why native plants can transform traditional horticultural practices. This
course explores what it means for a plant to be native, the importance of healthy soil, the
fundamentals of plant health, and effective methods for planting and maintaining native
species. You’ll also learn eco-friendly horticultural practices and how to create beautiful,
balanced landscapes that attract and support beneficial wildlife, including birds, bees, and
butterflies.
Sustainable Landscaping
Learn how to design with nature and understand the essential role native plants play in
functioning ecological landscapes. This course offers a holistic perspective on land ethics,
exploring how and why native plants can strengthen and sustain our environment. We’ll
connect time, geology, soils, water, and plant communities to the design of gardens that
work in harmony with nature.
Participants explore the use of native plants in a variety of settings, including parks,
streetscapes, museums, and, especially, residential landscapes that are both beautiful
and low maintenance. Discover how to design for wildlife—particularly pollinators—and
how to select native alternatives to exotic and invasive species.
Course texts vary by instructor. Possible selections include Sally Wasowski’s Gardening
with Native Plants of the South and Larry Mellichamp’s Native Plants of the Southeast:
A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 460 Species for the Garden
Natural Plant Communities
Explore the SCBG's Natural Heritage Trail to discover the basic ecology of various South
Carolina habitats. Build your knowledge base of major conceptual issues and areas of
current research in plant ecology. Explore the biotic and abiotic factors that affect the
distribution and abundance of plant species in South Carolina. Participants will receive Tim
Spira, Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains
and Piedmont
Tree Identification
Become familiar with our native trees, shrubs and woody vines by learning to recognize
their bark, leaves, twigs, fruit, and form. Deepen your knowledge by using a dichotomous
key and learning to recognize plant communities. Participants will also learn how woody
plants are useful as tools, medicines, and shelter for humans and other animals. As part of
the class materials, you will receive Kirkman et al., Native Trees of the Southeast.
Spring Herbaceous Plant Identification
Fall Herbaceous Plant Identification
These two classes (one scheduled in spring, one in the fall) provide an introduction to the
identification and ecology of South Carolina’s native wildflowers. Participants will learn key
plant characteristics used for identification, including flower structure, leaf arrangement,
growth habits, and habitat preferences. Through classroom instruction and hands-on field
observations, students will gain experience using field guides and identification keys to
recognize common wildflowers found across South Carolina’s forests, meadows, wetlands
and coastal ecosystems. Designed for gardeners, naturalists, land managers and outdoor
enthusiasts, this program builds confidence in wildflower identification while fostering a
deeper appreciation for South Carolina’s botanical diversity.
You will receive the following books in your first herbaceous class: Porcher and
Ranier, Wildflowers of South Carolina, Elpel, Botany in a Day
