We are fortunate in southwest Florida to have a wide variety of gorgeous native plants to choose from, and it can be hard to pick just the right plants for your yard. This top 10 list of choice Florida natives is a great starting point for your Sunshine State landscape.
Why Choose Native Plants?
Native plants are uniquely adapted to the challenges of our 10b hardiness zone with the high heat and humidity during extra long summers, the year-round growing season, sandy soil, ocean spray, coastal flooding, torrential tropical rains, and the occasional hurricane. Florida native plants can tolerate many of those conditions and still flourish with lush foliage and beautiful blooms. Furthermore, native plants nurture wildlife and can better resist regional pests and diseases. As an added bonus, they are typically lower maintenance and can look their best even with minimal care.
Top 10 Florida Native Plants
It is important to note that not every Florida native plant will thrive in the southwestern part of the state, as the growing zones vary dramatically from north to south and from central Florida to the coast. Each of these plants, however, is uniquely suited to zone 10b and can be a beautiful choice for your yard or landscape.
- Beautyberry
The brilliant purple clusters of berries in late summer and fall make beautyberry a surprising stunner in the yard. These shrubs grow to 9-10 feet tall, making them perfect as a privacy screen or to fill in larger spaces. - Firebush
The long, tubular flowers of firebush add a bright red pop of color in the yard and attract both hummingbirds and butterflies. This makes them a great addition to nurture wildlife, and the berries the bushes produce in fall will also feed other birds. - Railroad Vine
Also called beach morning glory, this vigorous vine with its bold blooms can serve as a groundcover, especially across dunes, and is also a hearty climber when provided support through a trellis, arbor, or fence. - Gumbo Limbo
A unique, beautifully shaped tree with copper-colored, papery bark, the gumbo limbo is an iconic south Florida tree and remarkably wind tolerant, making it ideal in areas subject to tropical storms and hurricanes. - Black-Eyed Susan
These nostalgic flowers with their sunny yellow petals and dark centers thrive in full sun and will bring cheerful color to a Florida landscape. As an added bonus, they are great flowers for butterflies and plenty of beneficial insects. - Blanket Flower
The bold red, yellow, and orange blooms of blanket flower can easily blanket a yard. Butterflies and hummingbirds love the nectar, while other birds will enjoy the seeds produced later in the season from these salt-tolerant flowers. - Passion Flower
The intricacy of passion flower is immediately eye-catching, and the beautiful blue, purple, yellow, and white of the flowers is a relaxing and lovely color palette in the These perennials are great climbers to hide a fence or fill in a trellis. - Coontie
This palm-like cycad shrub adds a great tropical vibe to any landscape, and is a versatile option that can grow well in any level of sunlight, from full sun to full shade. As a salt-tolerant plant, it’s also a great choice for coastal yards. - Muhly Grass
For ornamental grass in southwest Florida, muhly grass can’t be beat. Perfect for borders or filling in beds, the fluffy, cloud-like blooms in fall come in shades of delicate pink, purple, and white and add both color and motion to the space. - Sabal Palm
No Florida landscape is complete without a palm tree, and the sabal or cabbage palm is an iconic choice. These trees grow 40-50 feet tall, so be sure they are planted in a space where they have room to reach their height without interfering with anything overhead.
These are just a few of the amazing plants that are native to southwest Florida and can be beautiful in the landscape. Check with your local nursery or garden center for more varieties throughout the year, as new options are always available!
Choosing Native Plants for Your Yard
No matter what natives you prefer, be sure to select plants that will thrive in your yard. As with any landscaping, consider your overall space, sunlight levels, drainage, and soil quality. Also note each plant’s care requirements, as well as pest and disease resistance to be sure you can give it everything it needs to thrive. With a careful choice and proper care, Florida native plants can be amazing additions to your yard that will bring many years of tropical lushness to your landscape.
