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Native Plant Covenants: Why "Southeastern Native" Bans Almost Everything

A covenant requiring "plants native to the southeastern U.S." would prohibit:

Grasses: Fescue (Europe), zoysia (Korea), Bermuda (Asia), centipede (China)
Trees: Bradford pear (China), Leyland cypress (Wales)
Shrubs: 'Burford' holly (China), 'Convexa' holly (Japan)
Flowers: Daffodils, iris (Europe), butterfly bush, tulips (Asia), gladiolus (Africa), zinnia (S. America)

"Natural" Materials

Pea gravel is as natural as it gets—rock weathers to soil. The covenant confuses "native" (geographic origin) with "natural" (not synthetic). Legal clarification needed.

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