47 Florida Native Plants: Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees

Along with Florida’s near-perfect, subtropical climate comes a diverse selection of beautiful native plants like beach sunflowers, live oaks, and tickseeds.

Easier to care for than a lawn, native plants require less water and attention than other flowers, trees, and shrubs once established.

We’ve compiled this list of 47 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 find expert comments from Florida gardening and horticultural experts sprinkled throughout.

If you’d rather spend time caring for your native plants than mowing your lawn, contact a Florida lawn mowing professional to take this sweaty chore off your weekend to-do list.

What Are 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.

Other benefits of native plants include:

• Lower maintenance once established, including less water
• Require few, if any, pesticides
• Stabilize the soil
• Provide food and shelter for wildlife

Your choices aren’t limited to the University of Florida/IFAS Florida-Friendly plant list, says Jan Allyn, plant database coordinator for the Florida Native Plant Society. Any Florida native planted in the conditions it prefers counts as Florida-Friendly, she says.

Native Florida Flowers

1. Beach Sunflower

Beach sunflower makes a perfect ground cover for coastal areas because it loves sandy soils and tolerates high levels of salt. This drought-tolerant plant sprouts bright yellow, sunflower-like blooms year-round and attracts butterflies.

• Hardiness zones: 8b – 10b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Sandy soils
• Duration: Perennial (annual in areas with freezing temperatures)
• Height: 2-10 inches
• Maintenance: Water occasionally during dry spells, but make sure not to overwater

Pro Tip: For a list of plants that attract wildlife to your yard, see our FAQ below: Which Florida Native Plants Attract Pollinators?

See Related: Turn Your Yard Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat

2. Black-Eyed Susan

Black-eyed susans are another salt and drought-tolerant plant that thrives in coastal landscapes. These wildflowers feature vibrant yellow, orange, or red petals that last through the sweltering heat of summer, even after most other flowers have wilted. 

• Hardiness zones: 3a – 9b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Tolerates most soil types
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 1-3 feet
• Maintenance: Remove dead or faded flowers to encourage more blooms

3. Lanceleaf Blanketflower (Gaillardia aestivalis)

Lanceleaf blanketflower typically blooms in summer through early fall and attracts a variety of pollinators, including native bees, honeybees, butterflies, and wasps. It also draws hummingbirds. Each flower is comprised of a compact head of reddish-brown to reddish-purple disk florets.

Lanceleaf blanketflower does well in a mixed wildflower garden or in any sunny, well-drained spot, the Florida Native Plant Society says.

• Hardiness zones: 8a–10a
• Sun: Full sun, part sun
• Soil: Not wet but not dry
• Duration: Annual to short-lived perennial 
• Height: 1–2 feet tall
• Maintenance: Needs little water once established
• Note: Lanceleaf blanketflower is not typically commercially available, however, so your best bet is to collect seed or plant material from someone who is growing it in their landscape (with permission, of course).

4. Blazing Star

Blazing star is a stellar example of native Florida flora. The Sunshine State has more than 13 native species of blazing star (aka gayfeather and colic root), a flower tough enough to survive even the most disaster-prone gardeners. The blazing star’s vibrant bottlebrush-shaped flowers bloom in fall and attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees.

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 10b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Any well-draining soil
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: Up to 5 feet
• Maintenance: Water regularly during growing season, ensure plants get sufficient air circulation to avoid leaf spots, mold, and similar problems

5. Carolina Jessamine

Carolina jessamine, aka yellow jessamine, grows as a vine, so it’s a perfect choice to climb up a landscape feature such as a trellis, arbor, or pergola. These butter yellow trumpet-shaped flowers release a sweet fragrance, but beware: They are poisonous and can be fatal if eaten. 

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 9b
• Sun: Full sun 
• Soil: Rich soils 
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 10 – 20 feet (climbing)
• Maintenance: Water regularly 

6. Columbine

In general, columbine is a wildflower that comes in many colors, but Florida’s native species has interesting red and yellow blossoms that attract hummingbirds. Columbine is native to the Panhandle and best for North Florida landscapes.

• Hardiness zones: 3a – 8b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining soils, even sandy soils 
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 6 inches to 4 feet depending on growing conditions
• Maintenance: Water regularly, but don’t let the soil stay wet 

7. 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 – 15 ft
• Maintenance: If growing as an ornamental tree, prune into shape and remove dead branches

8. Coral Honeysuckle

Also known as trumpet honeysuckle, this flowering vine can climb up trellises, pergolas, fences, walls, or any other surface in your landscape that needs a pop of color. Its bright red tubular flowers bloom in spring and summer, attracting hummingbirds, songbirds, and butterflies.

• Hardiness zones: 4a – 9b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Any well-draining soil
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 3 to 20 feet (climbing)
• Maintenance: Prune occasionally if you don’t want the vine to get too long

9. Elliott’s Aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii)

Elliott’s aster is a favorite among the many flowering plants in Florida. This is because, in late fall, Elliott’s aster produces clumps of small lavender flowers with yellow centers, which attract pollinators, including bees and butterflies. You can use this wildflower for a pop of color in your fall/winter landscape and, if pruned carefully, the foliage can even function as a hedge.

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Moist soils
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 4 to 5 feet
• Maintenance: Prune regularly to keep it contained 

10. Milkweed

Several species of milkweed are native to Florida, including butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) (pictured), which is probably the most popular and widely available variety.

Despite their popularity, “native milkweeds can be tricky for the average homeowner,” says Eric Schmidt, botanical records specialist at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando.

He recommends Asclepias incarnata and A. perennis for beginners. They are “easy to grow but need moist to wet soil,” he says. 

Native orange butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, is another good option for homeowners, Schmidt says. This variety needs well-drained soil and should be grown from Florida-sourced seed, he adds.

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 

Pro Tip: Tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, is a common orange milkweed you may find at your local nursery, Schmidt says. It’s “not native but grows well and naturalizes here. There are other Florida native milkweeds sometimes sold at native nurseries but these are difficult to grow and establish, as most are sandhill or scrub inhabitants.”

11. Passion Flower

Five species of passion flower are native to Florida, including the popular and extremely showy purple passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) (pictured), which produces flowers with a pretty fringe around its lavender petals and an interesting pattern in the center. The passion flower grows on a vine that’s good for climbing up structures and blooms in summer or early fall.

• Hardiness zones: 6a – 10b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining soils
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: Up to 30 feet (climbing)
• Maintenance: Water twice a week during dry spells in growing season, protect from frost in winter

Note: If you are considering updating your yard with native Florida landscape plants, the passion flower, with its gorgeous lavender petals, works well on a climbing trellis. For a beautiful composition of plants, surround it with other flowering bushes in Florida, like Lanceleaf blanketflower and black-eyed Susans. 

12. Powderpuff Mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa)

This fun, colorful ground cover produces powderpuff-shaped, soft pink flowers from spring through fall and has interesting fern-like leaves. If you’re an impatient gardener, this plant is perfect for you because of how quickly it spreads. It’s also perfect for bees. “Bumblebees adore it,” Allyn says.

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 10b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Moist but not flooded loam and sandy soils
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 3 to 4 inches
• Maintenance: Prune regularly to keep it contained 

13. Railroad Vine

Railroad vine, aka beach morning glory, is the perfect plant to use as ground cover in your landscape because it spreads extremely quickly, sometimes growing an entire foot in one day. This vine tolerates salt spray and produces pink or white trumpet-shaped flowers that can bloom at any time of year. 

• Hardiness zones: 9a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Any well-draining soil
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 4 to 6 inches
• Maintenance: Prune regularly to keep it contained 

14. Scarlet Sage

Scarlet sage gets its common name from its bright red tubular flowers that stay in bloom from spring to fall. The flowers can sometimes be white or pink instead, and regardless of color, they attract hummingbirds and butterflies. 

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Well-draining sandy, loam, or rocky soil
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 1 to 4 feet
• Maintenance: Cut the plant back each year after flowering season to keep your garden neat

15. Swamp Mallow (Hibiscus coccineus)

This species of hibiscus is a classic tropical flower that can add a touch of color to your garden. Swamp mallow blooms in mid to late summer, and the whole plant usually goes dormant in the winter. 

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 10b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Prefers wet soil but can tolerate some drier soils
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 4 to 8 feet
• Maintenance: Check for pests regularly 

16. Tickseed (Coreopsis)

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

17. Violets

Florida has loads of native violet species, including the common blue violet (pictured), Walter’s violet, bog white violet, and sand violet. Different varieties grow in different parts of the state, with flowers in white, purple, or yellow. 

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 10a
• Sun: Partial shade, full shade
• Soil: Clay or sandy soils depending on the species
• Duration: Some varieties are perennials, some are annuals 
• Height: Up to 12 in
• Maintenance: Most are maintenance-free

Native Florida Shrubs

18. Florida Flame Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum)

Florida flame azalea is a flowering shrub found in hardwood, floodplain and slope forests, bluffs and ravines in North Florida. Although easily overlooked most of the year, the Florida Wildflower Foundation says it puts on a stunning spring display of fragrant fiery flowers. The blooms attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

Its flowers are yellow to orange with long, trumpet-shaped corolla that are covered in sticky, gland-tipped hairs.

• Hardiness zones: 6a-9b
• Sun: Filtered shade
• Soil: Moist, acidic sandy, clay or loamy soils
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 5-10 feet
• Maintenance: Easy to grow and requires little maintenance once established, but does not tolerate salt exposure.

Note: The Florida flame azalea is a state-listed endangered species.

19. Bahama Cassia

The Bahama cassia is an upright shrub with interesting compound leaves and tiny yellow flowers that bloom in fall and attract butterflies. This shrub can sometimes be short-lived and die after only four or five years, but it easily produces new seedlings on its own. 

• Hardiness zones: 10b – 11b
• Sun: Partial shade
• Soil: Well-draining sandy, clay, or loam soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 3 to 9 feet
• Maintenance: Cut the plant back to the ground every few years to rejuvenate it 

20. 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 are perfect for adding a pop of color to your hedge or shrub border and for supporting wildlife. “Beautyberry flowers are great for bees, and the purple fruits stay on the bush for a long time and attract birds like catbirds and mockingbirds,” Possley says.

• 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

21. Buttonsage

Buttonsage is a hurricane-resistant shrub that you can use in a privacy hedge, windscreen, or as ground cover. The plant has tiny green leaves and produces small white flowers and purple fruits year-round.

• Hardiness zones: 8b – 11b 
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Dry soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: Up to 5 feet 
• Maintenance: Prune regularly if you want it to remain dense

22. 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 a key part of South Florida’s ecosystem, Possley says.

“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.”

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 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

Pro Tip: We sometimes see individuals remove coontie because the atala caterpillar larvae can heavily feed on the foliage,” say Kamila Perez, residential horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator, and Ryan Czaplewski, Extension director, at the Collier County UF/IFAS Extension Office in Naples. 

“We educate (homeowners) that a little cosmetic damage from wildlife is normal and indicates the plant is supporting local ecosystems.”

23. Fakahatchee Grass

Fakahatchee grass, aka eastern gamagrass, grows in a shrub-sized clump that people often use to create borders around landscape beds. This grass can live through drought or flooding but sometimes dies in extended periods of freezing temperatures. 

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Any well-draining or moderately well-draining soil
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 4 to 6 feet
• Maintenance: Prune occasionally to prevent excessive spreading 

24. Firebush

Firebush is “an excellent pollinator plant that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, supports wildlife, and thrives with minimal maintenance,” say Perez and Czaplewski.

This durable shrub is heat-tolerant, 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

25. Jamaica Caper

The Jamaica caper has light green, glossy, oval-shaped leaves and produces flowers with long, showy purple stamens. As with many other shrubs, you have a few options for how to grow a Jamaica caper: Plant a row of them to create a hedge or remove the lower branches and grow it as a small tree. 

• Hardiness zones: 10a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Well-draining loam, lime rock, or sandy soils 
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 6 to 18 feet
• Maintenance: Prune as needed to maintain desired shape 

26. Marlberry

Marlberry shrubs are useful plants for Florida landscaping when you need a backdrop plant for garden beds or a privacy hedge. They have glossy dark green leaves and grow small white flowers year round, as well as purple fruits in spring. 

• Hardiness zones: 9b – 11b
• Sun: Partial shade 
• Soil: Loam or sandy soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 12 to 20 feet
• Maintenance: Prune as needed to maintain desired shape 

27. Muhly Grass

This ornamental grass grows in shrub-like clumps and blooms in fall with fluffy pink, purple, or white flowers that seem to form a cloud. Muhly grass looks good as a border plant and in group plantings. 

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Tolerates most soils, even with extended flooding 
• Duration: Perennial
• Height: 3 to 5 feet
• Maintenance: Cut plants back in late winter to prepare for rapid growth in spring

28. Oakleaf Hydrangea

The oakleaf hydrangea has broad, oakleaf-shaped green leaves and sprouts cones of small white flowers in summer. This shrub makes a good understory planting and is perfect for landscaping around trees because it grows best with a lot of shade.

• Hardiness zones: 5a – 9a 
• Sun: Full shade
• Soil: Fertile, well-draining soils 
• Duration: Deciduous
• Height: 6 to 10 feet
• Maintenance: Water during dry periods, prune occasionally 

29. Seagrape

Seagrape has light green, rounded leaves with red veins and produces little clusters of green fruit that resemble grapes (though they aren’t actually grapes as we would typically think of them). As a shrub, seagrape makes a good privacy hedge or windscreen, or you can prune the lower branches to expose the trunk and grow it as a small tree.

• Hardiness zones: 9a – 11b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Sandy, well-draining soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 10 to 50 feet 
• Maintenance: Prune regularly to maintain desired shape and size, protect from frost in winter, clean up leaf litter

30. Southern Shield Fern

Southern shield fern, aka southern wood fern, aka Kunth’s maiden fern, has triangular light green fronds that grow in each spring and turn bronze each fall. The fern forms clumps and spreads easily, so it makes a good ground cover, and it’s deer-resistant. 

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 10b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
• Soil: Moist but well-draining soils 
• Duration: Perennial 
• Height: 3 to 4 feet
• Maintenance: Prune regularly to keep it contained

31. Southern Wax Myrtle

The southern wax myrtle is easy to take care of and salt-tolerant, so it grows well in coastal landscapes. It gets its name from the waxy berries it produces, which attract butterflies and birds. 

• Hardiness zones: 7b – 11b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
• Soil: Tolerates most soil types, even with extended flooding 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 15 to 25 feet
• Maintenance: Remove sprouts from the roots to keep the shrub tidy

32. Star Anise

Florida has two native star anise species, Illicium floridanum (pictured) and Illicium parviflorum, with flowers in red, white, or yellow. These shrubs grow rapidly and are hardy enough to survive most conditions, so they make a great addition to a new gardener’s landscape. 

“It is worth mentioning that the fruit of the two native species contain toxic compounds and should never be used as spices,” Allyn notes.

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 10b
• Sun: Partial shade, full shade
• Soil: Moist soils 
• Duration: Evergreen 
• Height: 15 to 20 feet
• Maintenance: Water regularly during dry spells 

33. Walter’s Viburnum

You can grow Walter’s viburnum as a specimen shrub, privacy hedge, or shape it and grow it as a small tree. The viburnum has glossy dark green leaves and blooms in spring with small white flowers that attract butterflies and songbirds.

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 10b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Well-draining or occasionally wet soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 20 feet (dwarf cultivars also available)
• Maintenance: Prune regularly 

34. Wild Coffee

Though this shrub is in the same family as true coffee, its bright red fruits don’t contain caffeine (sorry to burst your bubble, coffee addicts). Wild coffee has shiny dark green leaves and sprouts clusters of white flowers in spring and summer, then produces its fruit in late summer and fall.

• Hardiness zones: 10b – 11b
• Sun: Partial shade, full shade
• Soil: Tolerates most soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 4 to 10 feet
• Maintenance: Protect from frost in winter 

35. Yucca

Yucca plants are popular Florida flowering shrubs with sharp, blade-like leaves. The leaves are usually green or yellow-green, and they bloom with upright clusters of white flowers in midsummer or early fall. There are three native yucca species that vary in shape and size, including the Spanish bayonet, Adam’s needle, and mound lily varieties.

• Hardiness zones: 5a – 10b depending on species
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining soil that doesn’t get soggy 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: Depends on species, some can reach 30 feet 
• Maintenance: Cut away dead leaves, prune flower stalks every year after flowering season 

Native Florida Trees

36. Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)

This multi-trunked tree looks shrubby when young, but it can grow into a towering tree with an interesting contorted trunk. One buttonwood planted alone can be an eye-catching specimen tree, or a row of them can form a privacy hedge.

• Hardiness zones: 10b – 11b
• Sun: Full sun
• Soil: Mostly wet to well-draining soils 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 30 to 45 feet
• Maintenance: Prune regularly if using as a hedge, otherwise no maintenance once established 

37. Chickasaw Plum

Before the Chickasaw plum tree grows new leaves in spring, it blooms small white flowers that develop into tart plums that humans and wildlife can both eat. In landscaping, people often use it as a specimen tree.

• Hardiness zones: 5a – 9b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Prefers sandy soils but can grow in some clay soils 
• Duration: Deciduous
• Height: 6 to 12 feet usually, can grow as tall as 25 feet 
• Maintenance: Water regularly during dry spells, clean up fallen flowers and fruits

38. Eastern Redbud

This small to medium-sized specimen tree shows off a beautiful display of bright pink flowers in late winter, and its leaves change color in fall for another pretty look. However, these trees are usually short-lived and can die after a few years. 

• Hardiness zones: 4b – 9a
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Well-draining to occasionally flooded soils 
• Duration: Deciduous 
• Height: Up to 20 to 30 feet
• Maintenance: Prune regularly 

39. Florida Maple

The Florida maple is a smaller version of the northern sugar maple that’s more suited to Florida because it’s heat-tolerant. It works well as a shade tree because it grows so tall and wide, and its leaves turn a pleasant yellow and orange in fall. 

• Hardiness zones: 6b – 9a
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Occasionally wet clay or sandy soils 
• Duration: Deciduous 
• Height: Typically 20 to 30 feet, can reach 60 feet 
• Maintenance: Water regularly during long dry spells, clean up fallen leaves in fall

40. Gumbo-Limbo Tree

“A Florida favorite,” say Perez and Czaplewski, gumbo-limbo is “known for its striking bark and structure, excellent wind resistance, and tolerance of South Florida’s alkaline soils and coastal conditions.” 

Native to South Florida and the Keys, it’s one of the trees you can expect to stand 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

Worth noting: Many of the trees on this list (gumbo-limbo, sabal palm, live oak, and southern magnolia, to name a few) rank among the best wind-resistant trees, withstanding hurricane- and tropical storm-force winds.

See Related: 11 Hurricane-Resistant Landscaping Ideas for Florida

41. Pine Trees

Several pine tree species are native to Florida, including the slash pine (pictured), sand pine, loblolly pine, and longleaf pine. They shed pine needles, which can work well as a natural mulch, but be careful planting a pine tree near a home because the needles can be a nuisance to clean up.

• Hardiness zones: 7a – 11b depending on the species 
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Grows in most soil types 
• Duration: Evergreen
• Height: 25 to 100+ feet depending on the species 
• Maintenance: Clean up pine needles year-round

42. Pond Cypress

Even though pond cypress trees survive well in wet, swampy areas, they’re also surprisingly drought-tolerant. If grown in wetter soils, they tend to grow root “knees” that can make mowing around them difficult, but in well-draining soils, these knees don’t typically occur. 

• Hardiness zones: 5b – 9b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soils 
• Duration: Deciduous 
• Height: Up to 80 feet
• Maintenance: Remove dead limbs, clean up fallen leaves and cones in fall

43. Red Buckeye

If you have a small landscape without room for large trees, the red buckeye might be for you. It’s small and produces red tubular flower clusters in spring that attract hummingbirds.

Caution: Beware that red buckeyes are highly poisonous, so this tree is probably not the best for homes with young children or pets.

• Hardiness zones: 4a – 8b
• Sun: Full sun, partial shade 
• Soil: Any well-draining soil
• Duration: Deciduous 
• Height: Up to 20 feet
• Maintenance: Clean up fallen leaves and fruit 

44. 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.

Pro Tip: Along with grasses, palms are “often overlooked because they lack colorful flowers,” Possley says. “But if you want an authentic Florida-native look, you simply must include them.”

They’re also important for wildlife. “When palms flower, you can often see many different species pollinating the big inflorescence at once, and it smells divine,” she says.

• Hardiness zones: 8a – 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

See Related: Guide to Selecting and Planting Palm Trees

45. 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 

46. Southern Live Oak

A southern live oak is the perfect shade tree for a large property, but beware 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, commercial and residential horticulture Extension agent with the UF/IFAS Extension 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

47. 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 and use it as a privacy hedge.

Although they are a gorgeous addition to your yard, magnolias shed a lot of leaves. Tancig recommends leaving them around the tree as natural mulch. 

“This mimics a natural forest and allows the decomposing leaves to slowly feed the tree and surrounding landscape plants.” Since magnolia leaves are large, you can mow them to speed up breakdown, he says.

• 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 Florida By Region

Tancig says it’s important to choose species native to your area, so you’ll have a healthy specimen over time. “In general, it’s always best to pick the right plant for the right place by checking the USDA hardiness zone listed on the plant against the hardiness zone you live in.”

Temperature extremes are the biggest problem when homeowners plant a species outside its region, Schmidt says. South Florida natives with tropical origins usually die in North Florida and the colder parts of Central Florida. Likewise, temperate North Florida species usually won’t survive in South Florida.

He recommends beautyberry for central Florida, and wild coffee or marlberry for South Florida. “Also, for a palm selection, one of the native thatch palms are excellent for [South Florida]: Coccothrinax argentata, Leucothrinax morrisii, or Thrinax radiata.”

Here are a few other native species you can plant in your region:

Native Plants by Region	N – North FL, C – Central FL, S – South FL
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)	N
Coontie (Zamia integrifolia)	N, C, S
Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea)	N, C, S
Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)	N, C
Elliott’s aster (Symphyotrichum elliottii)	N, C, S
Firebush (Hamelia patens)	C, S
Tickseed (Coreopsis)	N, C, S
Gumbo-limbo tree (Bursera simaruba)	S
Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)	N, C
Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto)	N, C, S
Azalea (Rhododendron)	N, C
Walter’s viburnum (Viburnum obovatum	N, C, S

Easy-to-Find, Low-Maintenance Florida Native Plants

“The right native plant in the right location/condition can be very low maintenance once it is established,” Schmidt says. 

Here is his list of Florida natives that “are easy to obtain and maintain” and work well across most of the state:

Trees:

• Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba)
• Sand Live Oak (Quercus geminata) for small/average size yards 
• Flatwoods Plum (Prunus umbellata)
• Dahoon Holly (Ilex cassine)
• Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)
• South Florida Slash Pine (Pinus densa)
• Pond Cypress (Taxodium ascendens)
• Simpson Stopper ( Myrcianthes fragrans)
• Southern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola)
• Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto)

Shrubs:

• Coralbean (Erythrina herbacea)
• American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
• Simpson Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)
• Walters Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)
• Dwarf Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)
• Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera)
• Firebush (Hamelia patens)
• Coontie Cycad (Zamia integrifolia)
• Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
• Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor)

Wildflowers and ground covers:

• Mimosa Vine (Mimosa strigillosa)
• Red Swamp Mallow (Hibiscus coccineus)
• Tickseed (Coreopsis spp.)
• Dune Sunflower (Helianthus debilis)
• Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea)
• Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)
• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
• Climbing Aster (Symphiotrichum carolinianus)
• Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

FAQ

Which Florida Native Plants Attract Pollinators?

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
• Powderpuff mimosa

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

For more information on Florida’s native plants and how to grow them in your own landscape, check out these local resources:

• University of Florida’s native plant database
• Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS)
• Plant Real Florida (Florida Association of Native Nurseries, a site recommended by Allyn)

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,’” Allyn says.

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.”

Note also that native plants need care while they are settling in your yard. “Newly installed native plants still require regular irrigation until they become established,” Perez and Czaplewski note. “Even native plants need attention.”

Call In The Pros

Have you tried to grow native Florida plants but are discovering that you don’t have a green thumb to keep them growing successfully? 

If you need help planting and maintaining native Florida plants in your yard, call on a local Florida landscaping expert to help. Whether you’re in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Hollywood – or anywhere else in the great state of Florida – LawnStarter can connect you with passionate lawn care and landscaping pros with helpful advice.

* Quotes from experts in this article are in no way an endorsement for services or products and are purely editorial.

Main Image: Bright yellow Leavenworth tickseed growing wild near the water. Photo Credit: Chase D’Animulls / Adobe Stock