First of all thanks for your interest in Native Plants. I have been gardening since I was 14 and never felt the importance of growing native plants. My garden faced heavy storms a few years ago, which destroyed most of the plants. But surprisingly there were some Florida's native plants and they survived. I barely took any care towards those native plants. Then I felt how precious they are. Most of the butterflies and birds were coming to my garden because of those native plants. I took native gardening seriously from that moment. In this article, I have shared lists of Florida native plants that we can easily grow.
The planting zones (USDA) differ from region to region. I have separated the lists into three parts.
- Native Plants for North Florida
- Native Plants for Central Florida
- Native Plants for South Florida
- Native Flowering Weeds for Florida
- Florida Native Plants as Privacy Hedges
You can find a lot of native plants that we can grow anywhere in Florida. To make it easier to choose plants according to your region, I have separated the lists.
If you are located in a Hurricane prone area you can check: Florida Native Shrubs and Trees that can withstand Hurricane
Easy to grow native plants for North Florida
| Plant Name | Height | Attracting Wildlife |
|---|---|---|
| Firebush (Hamelia patens) | 8-10 feet | Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees |
| Coontie (Zamia pumila) | 2-3 feet | Atala butterfly |
| Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) | 3-7 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii) | 1-2 feet | Butterflies, birds |
| Southern Beeblossom (Oenothera simulans) | 2-4 feet | Bees, butterflies |
| Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) | 1-3 feet | Butterflies, bees |
| Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa) | 4-10 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) | 2-4 feet | Butterflies, bees |
| Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) | 3-6 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) | 6-12 feet | Butterflies, birds |
| Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata) | 2-5 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) | 1-2 feet | Bees, butterflies |
| Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) | 10-20 feet (climber) | Hummingbirds, butterflies |
| Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum) | 6-10 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) | 10-15 feet (vine) | Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Longwing butterflies |
Firebush will be a great choice as it attracts bees, birds, and butterflies at the same time.
For the coontie plant, you can find two different varieties, one is with thicker leaves and another one is with thinner leaves. If you want the easiest to grow then choose the thicker one.
Note: Coontie is extremely poisonous to dogs and horses.
Native plants that we can grow in Central Florida
| Plant Name | Height | Attracting Wildlife |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Lime (Zanthoxylum fagara) | 8-20 feet | Giant Swallowtail butterfly, birds |
| Dune Sunflower (Helianthus debilis) | 1-2 feet | Butterflies, bees, birds |
| Simpson's Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) | 5-20 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Florida Privet (Forestiera segregata) | 5-15 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Goldenrod (Solidago odora) | 2-4 feet | Butterflies, bees |
| Walter's Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum) | 10-15 feet | Birds, butterflies |
| Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) | 3-6 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Red Bay (Persea borbonia) | 30-65 feet | Birds, Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly |
| Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) | 1-3 feet | Butterflies, hummingbirds |
| Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) | 10-20 feet (climber) | Hummingbirds, butterflies |
| Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) | 2-6 feet | Bees, butterflies |
| Twinflower (Dyschoriste oblongifolia) | 1-2 feet | Bees, butterflies |
| Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea) | 2-4 feet | Hummingbirds, butterflies |
| Sand Cordgrass (Spartina bakeri) | 3-6 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) | 6-12 inches (ground cover) | Butterflies, bees |
| Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) | 3-10 feet | Birds, small mammals |
Try to grow multiple native plants together, it helps richer habitat for wildlife. Birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects will come together in the same place.
Native Plants for South Florida
| Plant Name | Height | Attracting Wildlife |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa) | 4-10 feet | Birds, butterflies |
| Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba) | 25-40 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera) | 10-35 feet | Birds, butterflies |
| Fiddlewood (Citharexylum spinosum) | 10-25 feet | Birds, butterflies, bees |
| Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax radiata) | 15-20 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Firebush (Hamelia patens) | 8-10 feet | Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees |
| Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) | 3-6 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Silver Palm (Coccothrinax argentata) | 10-25 feet | Birds, insects |
| Beach Verbena (Glandularia maritima) | 1-2 feet | Butterflies, bees |
| Simpson's Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) | 5-20 feet | Birds, pollinators |
| Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) | 20-30 feet | Fish, crabs, birds |
| Scarlet Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) | 2-4 feet | Monarch butterflies |
| Dune Sunflower (Helianthus debilis) | 1-2 feet | Butterflies, bees, birds |
| Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) | 15-40 feet | Birds, small mammals |
| Jamaica Caper (Capparis cynophallophora) | 5-20 feet | Birds, butterflies |
Here is the chart:
Though Beautyberries look tasty, they are not. These are edible but not tasty. I leave these for the birds.
Native Flowering Weeds for Florida
This is for those who want to have Florida native flowering weeds and that will also look pretty.
| Plant Name | Flower Color | Perennial or Annual | Native Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bidens alba | White with Yellow Center | Perennial | Statewide |
| Coreopsis leavenworthii | Yellow | Annual | Central and South Florida |
| Phyla nodiflora | Pink to White | Perennial | Statewide |
| Ruellia caroliniensis | Purple | Perennial | Central and North Florida |
| Evolvulus sericeus | Blue | Perennial | South Florida |
| Hydrolea corymbosa | Blue | Annual | Statewide |
| Chamaecrista fasciculata | Yellow | Annual | Statewide |
| Salvia coccinea | Red | Perennial | Statewide |
| Glandularia maritima | Purple | Perennial | Central and South Florida |
| Viola sororia | Blue to Violet | Perennial | North Florida |
| Stylisma patens | White | Annual | North and Central Florida |
| Tecoma stans | Yellow | Perennial | Statewide |
Telcoma stans, also known as Yellow-bells or Yellow elder is a good perennial choice. But the height of this shrub is really fast growing and can be as tall as 25 feet.
If you are in Butterfly gardening, I have another article where I have shared the Best plants to attract butterflies in South Florida.
Florida Native Plants for Privacy Hedges
| Plant Name | Growth Rate | Max Height | Pruning Difficulty | USDA Growing Zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson’s Stopper | Moderate | 20 ft | Easy | 9-11 |
| Florida Privet | Fast | 15 ft | Moderate | 8-10 |
| Silver Buttonwood | Slow | 25 ft | Easy | 10-11 |
| Wax Myrtle | Fast | 20 ft | Moderate | 7-11 |
| Firebush | Fast | 10 ft | Easy | 9-11 |
| Walter’s Viburnum | Moderate | 25 ft | Easy | 8-10 |
| Coontie | Slow | 3 ft | Easy | 8-11 |
| Southern Red Cedar | Moderate | 50 ft | Moderate | 7-9 |
| Fiddlewood | Moderate | 15 ft | Easy | 9-11 |
| Wild Coffee | Moderate | 10 ft | Easy | 9-11 |
| Seagrape | Moderate | 35 ft | Moderate | 9-11 |
| Beautyberry | Fast | 8 ft | Easy | 7-11 |
| Spanish Stopper | Slow | 20 ft | Moderate | 10-11 |
| American Holly | Slow | 50 ft | Moderate | 5-9 |
| Yaupon Holly | Moderate | 25 ft | Easy | 7-9 |
In the last column, I have mentioned the USDA growing zone where they can perform the best.
You can use all of those as privacy hedges. Check the max height and pruning difficulty before you select what to grow.
Subscribe to this site so that you can get updates whenever I publish an article on a full-growing and caring guide for these native plants of Florida. It can take some time to manage plants and write about them.
