When the storm passed, the only trees left standing were the ones meant to be here.
I know how frustrating it can be to lose hard-earned plants and trees because of heavy storms. Even if your shrubs and trees manage to survive the Hurricanes, there is no guarantee that they will be fine due to the flooded saltwater. I have created a list of native shrubs and trees of Florida that can be held up best in the storms.
If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I am serious about Hurricanes and thus I created an article on how to protect your plants from Hurricanes and got so many positive responses. But when I checked the gardening communities online, I found that a lot of gardeners are suffering from flooded saltwater so I wrote another article on Save plants from flooded saltwater. In my first article, I mentioned the importance of native plants but as I did not want to drag the article too much, I did not mention the name of the plants. So here's I bring another article only to share the shrubs and trees name. Let's start with the shrub list first.
In the table, I have added a column for the hardiness zone so that you can choose shrubs and trees according to where you are located.
Florida Native Shrubs that can withstand Hurricanes
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Height (ft) | Hardiness Zone | Hurricane Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firebush | Hamelia patens | 6-12 | 9-11 | High |
| Simpson's Stopper | Myrcianthes fragrans | 6-20 | 10-11 | High |
| Seagrape | Coccoloba uvifera | 8-35 | 9-11 | Moderate |
| Silver Buttonwood | Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus | 10-20 | 10-11 | High |
| Beautyberry | Callicarpa americana | 3-8 | 7-10 | Moderate |
| Wax Myrtle | Myrica cerifera | 10-15 | 7-10 | High |
| Dahoon Holly | Ilex cassine | 20-30 | 7-10 | Moderate |
| Saw Palmetto | Serenoa repens | 3-10 | 8-11 | High |
| Florida Privet | Forestiera segregata | 8-15 | 9-11 | High |
| Yaupon Holly | Ilex vomitoria | 10-20 | 7-10 | High |
| Fiddlewood | Citharexylum spinosum | 10-20 | 10-11 | Moderate |
| Coral Bean | Erythrina herbacea | 5-8 | 8-10 | Moderate |
| Spanish Stopper | Eugenia foetida | 5-15 | 10-11 | High |
If you are located in hurricane-prone areas, choose the High Hurricane Resistance shrubs from the above list.
I love Firebush the most among these as it is showy and attracts a lot of birds and butterflies. ( Feel free to check: Best plants to attract butterflies in South Florida)
Florida Native Trees - held up best in the storms
Now it's time to check the tree list.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Height (ft) | Hardiness Zone | Hurricane Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Oak | Quercus virginiana | 40-80 | 7-10 | Very High |
| Southern Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora | 60-80 | 6-10 | Moderate |
| Gumbo Limbo | Bursera simaruba | 25-40 | 10-11 | High |
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | 40-60 | 7-9 | Moderate |
| Slash Pine | Pinus elliottii | 60-100 | 7-10 | High |
| Sabal Palm (Cabbage Palm) | Sabal palmetto | 40-50 | 8-11 | Very High |
| Sand Live Oak | Quercus geminata | 20-50 | 8-10 | Very High |
| Sweetbay Magnolia | Magnolia virginiana | 30-50 | 5-9 | Moderate |
| Buttonwood | Conocarpus erectus | 20-40 | 10-11 | High |
| Swamp Bay | Persea palustris | 30-60 | 7-10 | Moderate |
| American Holly | Ilex opaca | 30-50 | 5-9 | Moderate |
| Red Cedar | Juniperus virginiana | 30-60 | 4-9 | High |
| Florida Elm | Ulmus americana var. floridana | 60-80 | 8-9 | High |
| Wild Tamarind | Lysiloma latisiliquum | 40-60 | 10-11 | High |
Oaks are considered a symbol of strength as it has deep taproots and hardy branches. Southern Magnolia can survive in wet soil for a long time and also withstand heavy winds. You can check: Best shrubs to grow under magnolia
The native plants are the only survivors that faced every natural disaster in that particular region. The shrubs and trees evolved themselves in such a way that they can withstand Hurricanes. (For example, their deep-root system)
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