Choosing the Right Native Plants for Your Treasure Coast Garden

Searching for the perfect Florida Native plant for your garden? Our expert guide helps Treasure Coast homeowners create sustainable, beautiful landscapes using locally adapted species. At Jenkins Landscape, we’ll show you how to transform your outdoor space with the right native selections.

Florida Native Plants Guide

Plant Identification Guide

When identifying Florida Native plants, pay attention to the following features:

Key Identification Features:

  • Leaves: Shape, size, arrangement, and texture.
  • Flowers: Color, shape, size, and blooming season.
  • Growth pattern
  • Bark: Texture, color, and pattern.
  • Fruit: Type, color, and season of availability.

Popular Choices for Local Gardens

Trees: • Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

  • Identification: Broad spreading canopy, oval leaves
  • Benefits: Shade, wildlife habitat

Shrubs: • Firebush (Hamelia patens)

  • Identification: Red-orange tubular flowers
  • Benefits: Attracts butterflies, birds

Ground Cover: • Coontie (Zamia integrifolia)

  • Identification: Palm-like leaves
  • Benefits: Drought-resistant
Southern Live Oak Trees Native Plants in Florida

Popular Identification Guides

Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS). The FNPS offers comprehensive resources, including an online plant database, to help you identify native plants. Their guides cover a wide range of species, from wildflowers to trees.

University of Florida IFAS Extension. The UF/IFAS Extension provides detailed identification guides and fact sheets on native plants. These resources are invaluable for both beginners and experienced gardeners.

Books and Field. Guides Several books and field guides are dedicated to Florida’s native plants. Some popular titles include

  • Florida’s Best Native Landscape Plants by Gil Nelson: Amazon
  • Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida by Richard P. Wunderlin and Bruce F. Hansen: University Press of Florida
treasure coast florida map

Just Because It’s Native in North Florida Doesn’t Mean It’s Native on the Treasure Coast

Florida’s diverse climate and ecosystems mean that a plant native to one region may not be native to another. For example, a plant that thrives in the cooler, temperate climate of North Florida might not be suited to the warmer, more humid conditions of the Treasure Coast. Always check a plant’s specific native range to ensure it will thrive in your local environment.

Why Florida Native Plants Are Your Landscape’s Best Friend

Imagine cutting your water bill in half while creating a thriving garden that practically takes care of itself. This isn’t a gardener’s fantasy – it’s the reality of choosing Florida native plants for your landscape.

 

Smart Water Conservation

Did you know traditional landscapes gulp 60-70% of Florida’s drinking water? By choosing native plants like Muhly Grass and Coontie Palm, you’re not just saving water but money. Our clients typically see their irrigation needs drop dramatically within the first season.

Nature’s Low-Maintenance Champions

Florida native plants have spent centuries adapting to our unique climate. Take the resilient Firebush, for example. While exotic plants struggle with our summer heat, this native beauty thrives with minimal care, naturally resisting local pests and diseases.

Simple Care Guidelines:

Once established, water deeply, add a layer of natural mulch, and let these Florida natives do what they do best—grow beautifully in harmony with our local environment.

Native Plants in Florida

Your Garden, Florida’s Wildlife Haven

Transform your backyard into a living sanctuary. Native plants like Simpson’s Stopper attract colorful butterflies, while Sea Grape provides natural shelter for local birds. It’s not just a garden – a thriving ecosystem outside your door.

Pro Tip: For best results, group Florida native plants with similar water and light requirements together. This creates both visual harmony and efficient maintenance zones in your landscape.

Get Expert Help

Have questions about your landscape? We’re here to help!