Old Dominion University
OP-T2-19: Native Plants

Native plantings have been in use at Old Dominion University since it’s inception as a public institution. A person walking through the more historic locations on campus will find a plethora of native plant species ranging from the tallest trees to beautiful flowering shrubs. As one enters the landscapes of ODU’s more recent additions, they will see the use of native plantings remains an integral part of our landscape designs. With each year that passes ODU is finding more improved and innovative ways to apply our native plantings in the form of rain gardens, water retention areas, and around the footprints educational facilities. Native plantings are no longer being planted solely for their inherent beauty, they are being used for carbon storage, storm water filtration, and various other ways which help ODU further it’s commitment to a sustainable campus.

Prioritizing the use of Native Plants

Native plants will play a roll a role of varying size in all of our landscape designs. How we arrive at the decision of which plants to use in a given landscape is often a long planning process that is takes many factors into consideration. Some of these factors include economic feasibility, environmental concerns, maintenance concerns, function of the landscape, aesthetic value, and geographic location. The planning process will generally undergo various revisions until arriving at what we feel is the best landscape design we can deliver.

Old Dominion University sits between two of Hampton Roads most beautiful estuaries, The Elizabeth River and the Lafayette River. In landscapes along these rivers native plants receive top priority. Having native plants in these riparian zones provides a natural appearance to the landscape. We use native plantings here to help us visually soften well developed shores while providing natural habitat for the many species of fauna who call the rivers home.

Along the interior of ODU there is a mixture of many native and non-native species. The bulk of our property at ODU is considered urban. Roadways, sidewalks, and buildings create a network of environmental conditions which can often be harsh and intolerable for many species of plants. Native plants are not always inherently adaptable to such conditions. In these areas we will use the native plants species which have been proven to withstand an oppressive city environment, but sometimes we must look outside of our native plant palette to find species which will grow and flourish. Still, there are many native plants which find a home amongst our city infrastructure.

As public awareness of environmental conditions grows, so does ODU’s knowledge of what we can do to contribute towards making the world a better place. One example of this would be our rain gardens. ODU currently has two rain gardens with more on the way. Inside these rain gardens one will find a landscape design dominated by native plants. Yes, there are a few non-native species here, but the vast majority of the plantings are indeed native. The use of native plants in these rain gardens not only enhances the natural attractiveness of campus, but assists ODU in cleaning storm water as it runs off of impervious roof tops and sidewalks.

Partnerships with Native Plants

Old Dominion University has worked in partnerships on various projects to increase our use of native plantings, both on campus and within the community. In the past year alone ODU has worked with the City of Norfolk, the Elizabeth River Project, Virginia Master Gardeners, Dominion Virginia Power, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Relationships continue to develop and new project ideas are evolving all the time. As ODU works to integrate the natural world with the urban environment, we must also work to incorporate local institutions and organization for the common goal of sustainability.

Two of ODU’s most recent examples of native plant projects would be the power line project at 47th st and the future Community Garden site at the far west end of 49th st. In each case ODU paired with the Elizabeth River Project to acquire and install all native plantings. In these two very different ecosystems the use of native plantings helps ODU meet it sustainability goals, while providing a natural background for visitors and residents alike.

Native Plants on Campus

The following is a list of Native Plantings which can be found at ODU:

Trees:

Taxodium disticum -- Bald Cypress
Quercus phellos -- Willow Oak
Quercus laurifolia -- Laurel Oak
Quercus alba -- White Oak
Quercus bicolor -- Swamp White Oak
Quercus falcata -- Southern Red Oak
Quercus nigra -- Water Oak
Quercus palustris -- Pin Oak
Quercus rubra -- Northern Red Oak
Tillia americana -- American Basswood
Amalanchier spp. -- Serviceberry
Cercis canadensis -- Redbud
Chionanthus virginicus -- Fringetree
Cornus florida -- Flowering Dogwood
Ilex opaca -- American Holly
Ilex vomitoria -- Yaupon Holly
Magnolia virginiana -- Sweet Bay
Morus rubra -- Mulberry
Ostrya virginiana v. -- Hophornbeam
Acer rubrum -- Red Maple
Aesculus flava -- Yellow Buckeye
Betula nigra -- River Birch
Juniperus virginiana -- Red Cedar
Liquidambar styraciflua -- Sweetgum
Liriodendron tulipfera -- Tulip Poplar
Nyssa sylvatica -- Black Tupelo
Pinus strobus -- White Pine
Pinus taeda -- Loblolly Pine
Pinus palustris -- Longleaf Pine
Plantanus occidentalis -- American Sycamore
Prunus serotina -- Black Cherry
Robinia pseudoacacia -- Black Locust

Shrubs:

Hamamelis virginiana -- Witch Hazel
Ilex glabra -- Inkberry
Itea virginica -- Virginia Willow
Myrica cerifera -- Waxmyrtle
Rhododendron spp. -- Azalea
Baccharis halmifolia -- Groundsel Tree
Rosa rugosa -- Beach Rose

Herbaceous:

Rudbeckia hirta -- Black-eyed Susan
Hibiscus moscheutos -- Eastern Rosemallow
Woodwardia virginica -- Virginia Chain Fern
Silene virginica -- Fire Pink
Veronicstrum virginicum -- Culver’s Root
Yucca filimentosa -- Common Yucca
Rexia virginica -- Meadow Beauty
Mertensia virginica -- Bluebells
Chrysogonum virginianum -- Green and Gold