Native and thriving: 12 Florida plants built for heat, storms, and salt air
Along with Florida’s near-perfect, subtropical climate comes a diverse selection of beautiful native plants like azaleas, live oaks, and firebushes.
Caring for native plants is an important part of lawn care in Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami and all across the Sunshine State. The good news: Once established, native plants require less water and attention than other flowers, trees, and shrubs.
LawnStarter compiled this list of 12 Florida native plants to help you add color to your landscape, reduce some of your yard work, and attract pollinators and birds ahead of Florida Native Plants Month in October.
You’ll also learn which native plants are best for North Florida, Central Florida, and South Florida, with insights from gardening and horticultural experts.
What Are Florida Native Plants?
“Native plants are the foundation of Florida-friendly landscaping. They evolved in our unique climate, which means they are well-adapted to our weather and soils,” says Jennifer Possley, director of regional conservation at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.
These hardy native plants grow naturally and thrive in Florida’s heat, humidity, and occasional overnight freeze.
“As an added bonus, they’re intertwined with our native ecosystems and often attract birds or butterflies that we love seeing in our yards,” she adds.
Florida celebrates Native Plant Month in October because the month is the peak wildflower season in the state (asters, for example), and fall is the best season for planting native flowers, shrubs, and trees, the Florida Native Plant Society says.
Benefits of native plants include:
- Lower maintenance, less water
- Requiring few, if any, pesticides
- Attracting local pollinators
- Stabilizing the soil
- Providing food and shelter for wildlife
Best Native Plants for North Florida
1. Azaleas
Azaleas are one of the showiest flowering bushes in Florida, with loads of spring blossoms in bright pink, red, white, or other colors, depending on the cultivar. Florida’s native azalea species grow best in North and Central Florida.
- Hardiness zones: 5a-9b
- Sun: Partial shade
- Soil: Any well-draining soil
- Duration: Mostly evergreen, some leafy (deciduous) species
- Height: Typically 3 to 5 feet; some varieties can reach 10 feet
- Maintenance: Prune shortly after flowering season each year, water every 14 days during dry periods.
2. Live Oak
A live oak is the perfect shade tree for a large property, but be forewarned that it grows to be huge and needs plenty of room. Live oaks grow sprawling, curved branches that spread up to 100 feet, and they can survive for centuries.
“When it comes to being able to handle Florida's toughest conditions — heat, occasional flooding, hurricane-force winds, even a little salt-spray — the live oak takes on all of these in stride,” says Mark Tancig, of the Leon County UF/IFAS Extension Office in Tallahassee.
“Their shade also helps us weather the heat by shading our landscapes and homes,” he adds.
- Hardiness zones: 8a-10b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Soil: Moist but well-draining soil
- Duration: Evergreen
- Height: Up to 60 feet
- Maintenance: Prune regularly while immature, clean up fruit and leaves.
Worth noting: The four trees on this list (live oak, southern magnolia, sabal palm, and gumbo-limbo) rank among the best wind-resistant trees, withstanding hurricane and tropical storm-force winds.
3. Sabal Palm
Nothing says Florida quite like a classic palm tree, and that’s why the sabal palm, aka cabbage palm, is Florida’s state tree. It works as a shade tree, especially near swimming pools, and it can make any landscape a little more tropical.
The sabal palm is considered a cold-hardy palm, withstanding temperatures down to about 15 degrees, perfect for tolerating the snowy Panhandle winters of 2025 and 2026.
- Hardiness zones: 8b-11b
- Sun: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining loam or sandy soils
- Duration: Evergreen
- Height: Up to 40 to 50 feet
- Maintenance: Preventive treatments to protect from lethal bronzing disease.
4. Southern Magnolia
The magnolia tree is a staple of true southern landscaping, with its quaint dark green foliage and large white flowers that bloom throughout spring and summer. Southern magnolias are usually specimen or shade trees, but you can also plant a row of them as a privacy hedge.
- Hardiness zones: 6a-10b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
- Soil: Moist but well-draining soils
- Duration: Evergreen
- Height: Up to 90 feet
- Maintenance: Fertilize during the first three growing seasons, clean up fallen leaves and seed pods.
Best Native Plants for Central Florida
5. Coral Bean
Coral bean grows differently in various parts of the state: In North and Central Florida, it’s a large flower, but in South Florida, it can grow into a shrub or even a small tree. This plant is gorgeous in spring, when its bright red tubular flowers bloom, and in fall, when its seed pods burst to reveal shiny red seeds (which are poisonous).
- Hardiness zones: 8a-11b
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Well-draining or sandy soils
- Duration: Perennial
- Height: 5 to 15 feet
- Maintenance: If growing as an ornamental tree, prune into shape and remove dead branches.
6. Milkweed
Several species of milkweed are native to Florida, including butterfly weed (pictured), which is probably the most popular and widely available variety. Milkweed produces brightly colored flowers in summer, and it’s famous for housing butterflies, especially monarch butterflies.
- Hardiness zones: 4a-10a, depending on the species
- Sun: Full sun
- Soil: Dry, sandy soils
- Duration: Perennial
- Height: 1 to 4 feet
- Maintenance: May need to discourage aphids, but don’t use pesticides because milkweed is popular with pollinators.
7. Saw Palmetto
The saw palmetto isn’t a true tree but a clumping palm with fan-shaped leaves. It’s native throughout Florida and highly salt-tolerant, so it’s excellent for coastal landscapes anywhere in the state.
It grows naturally in full sun areas as well as under tree canopies. You can use it for anything from ground cover to a privacy hedge.
Note: Avoid planting saw palmetto near your home or other structures, as it’s highly flammable.
- Hardiness zones: 8a-11b
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Dry soils
- Duration: Evergreen
- Height: 5 to 10 feet
- Maintenance: Remove dead fronds and fruit stems.
Best Native Plants for South Florida
“My picks for standout species are coontie and beautyberry,” Possley says. “Both are very low-maintenance, attractive, and sized just right, even for small yards.”
“Their wildlife interactions are what makes them super exciting,” she adds. “Coontie is host plant to the atala hairstreak, a strikingly beautiful little butterfly which was once nearly wiped out of South Florida but has resurged thanks in part to residents planting coonties in urban areas.
“Beautyberry flowers are great for bees,” she adds, “and the purple fruits stay on the bush for a long time and attract birds like catbirds and mockingbirds.”
8. Beautyberry
Beautyberry, sometimes called American beautyberry, blooms pale lavender-pink flowers in spring and summer, which then develop into the plant’s signature clusters of bright purple berries. The berries attract birds and are perfect for adding a pop of color to your hedge or shrub border.
- Hardiness zones: 6a-10b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Soil: Prefers rich soils but can sometimes grow in sandy soils
- Duration: Deciduous
- Height: 3 to 8 feet
- Maintenance: Prune before flowering season to keep the shrub compact.
9. Coontie
The coontie (technically not a shrub but a shrub-sized cycad) has feathery leaves that resemble palm fronds and can add a tropical look to any landscape.
This plant is highly drought-tolerant and moderately salt-tolerant, making it a good choice for coastal areas. It’s also the preferred host plant for the rare Atala butterfly and caterpillar.
- Hardiness zones: 8b-11b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
- Soil: Any well-draining soil
- Duration: Evergreen
- Height: Around 3 feet
- Maintenance: Cut off dead leaf stems.
10. Firebush
Firebush is “an excellent pollinator plant that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, supports wildlife, and thrives with minimal maintenance,” according to Kamila Perez, residential horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator, and Ryan Czaplewski, extension director, at the Collier County UF/IFAS Extension Office in Naples.
This durable shrub is heat- and drought-tolerant, and resistant to pests and diseases. It grows taller in South Florida than in other parts of the state and blooms bright orange-red tubular flowers that last from spring until winter and attract butterflies, songbirds, and hummingbirds.
- Hardiness zones: 8a-11b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Soil: Any well-draining soil
- Duration: Perennial in South Florida, annual in North and Central Florida
- Height: 5 to 8 feet typically, can reach 15 feet in South Florida
- Maintenance: Water regularly, prune to maintain desired height and shape.
11. Gumbo-Limbo Tree
Native to South Florida and the Keys, the gumbo-limbo is a wind-tolerant tree that stands up to the area’s frequent hurricanes. Its copper-colored bark has an interesting peeling texture that has earned it the nickname “tourist tree” because it resembles a red, peeling sunburn.
- Hardiness zones: 10b-11b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Soil: Well-draining clay or sandy soils
- Duration: Deciduous
- Height: Up to 60 feet, but usually smaller in landscapes
- Maintenance: Remove lower branches if they start to droop.
12. Tickseed
It’s no wonder why the tickseed, with its vibrant yellow petals spreading out in every direction, is the Sunshine State’s official state wildflower. Many tickseed varieties are native to Florida, and all of them bloom in spring and summer and reseed themselves most years.
- Hardiness zones: 4a-10b
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Soil: Well-draining soils, even sandy or rocky soils
- Duration: Some varieties are perennials, some are annuals
- Height: 1 to 4 feet
- Maintenance: Water regularly during long dry periods, cut away dead flowers to encourage new growth.
FAQ
1. What should I keep in mind when choosing which plants to grow in Florida?
When you choose native plants, choose plants that thrive in your area of the state.
“A fundamental tenet of natural landscaping is ‘right plant, right place,’” says Jan Allyn, plant database coordinator for the Florida Native Plant Society.
Kenyon Lindeman, professor emeritus of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences at Florida Institute of Technology, agrees. “Take into consideration water, sunlight, and salt tolerance requirements like you would any plants,” he says.
Other things to note: “Know that if you use plants that attract pollinators, you will get many pollinators,” he says. Also, “some trees, such as sea grapes and live oaks, shed considerable leaf litter.”
Additionally, native plants need care while settling in your yard. “Newly installed native plants still require regular irrigation until they become established,” Perez notes. “Even native plants need attention.”
2. What types of pollinators will native plants naturally attract?
Not all insects that frequent your yard may be pests. Some may actually be beneficial to your yard and the local environment. The great thing about native plants is that they help with pollination. In Florida, you’ll likely see pollinators in your yard, such as bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
Plants to Attract Bees
- Blazing star
- Elliot’s aster
Plants to Attract Birds
- Beautyberry
- Southern wax myrtle
- Walter’s viburnum
Plants to Attract Hummingbirds
- Columbine
- Coral honeysuckle
- Scarlet sage
- Firebush
- Red buckeye
Plants to Attract Butterflies
- Beach sunflower
- Blazing star
- Coral honeysuckle
- Milkweed
- Scarlet sage
- Bahama cassia
- Firebush
- Southern wax myrtle
- Walter’s viburnum
3. What should a homeowner do with the leaves and seeds that fall from southern magnolia and gumbo-limbo trees?
“These large trees can produce a lot of fallen leaves,” Tancig says.
“Homeowners should expect this and try to use these fallen leaves as a natural mulch around the tree. This mimics a natural forest and allows the decomposing leaves to slowly feed the tree and surrounding landscape plants, as well as contributing to soil health by adding organic matter.”
“With southern magnolia leaves, which are quite large, homeowners can mow them to hasten their breakdown,” he adds.
For More Information on Florida Native Plants
This list is just a sampling of Florida native plants. To learn more, the University of Florida has a native plants database, and the Florida Native Plant Society, which sponsors Florida Native Plant Month, has great resources too.
Florida native plant resources include:
- University of Florida’s native plant database
- Florida Native Plant Society
- Florida USDA Hardiness Zone map
- Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program
And, of course, check with your local nursery, or a lawn care or landscaping pro. Living in Florida and tending to their own yards, nursery employees and landscapers know how to care for all sorts of Florida native plants.
One thing to remember: Florida native plants aren’t low maintenance, but they are lower maintenance. That means less yard work and more time to enjoy the nature show (butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds) around your flower gardens.
Note: Quotes from experts in this article are in no way an endorsement for services or products, and are purely editorial.
This story was produced by LawnStarter and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
