Featured Plants

These are some of our favorite plants which are commonly found in native plant nurseries in South Florida. You may also check the Florida Native Plant Society and Native's For Your Neighborhood for more comprehensive lists.

Marlberry (Ardisia escallonioides)

Large shrub or small tree with a narrow crown; slender, erect trunks and branches are slender and erect. Found in hammocks, thickets and pine rocklands throughout South Florida. White to pink fragrant flowers, very attractive when in bloom.

  • 8-15' tall, more in South Florida
  • Light shade to full sun
  • Can grow in nutrient poor soils, needs some organic content to thrive
  • Food and cover for birds
  • Handsome adaptable plant, one of the best shrubs for the garden

Find out more from FNPS | Find out more from Natives For Your Neighborhood

Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

Marlberry Marlberry

Quailberry, Christmasberry (Crossopetalum ilicifolium)

Small, spreading shrubby groundcover from pine rocklands and rockland hammock edges. Florida Keys, Miami-Dade Co., Collier Co. Holly-like leaves, bright-red fruits.

  • Attractive woody groundcover for sunny locations in alkaline soils
  • 6-12'' tall. Spreading broadly
  • Moderate to slow growth rate
  • Moist, well-drained limestone soils
  • Grows in nutrient poor soils
  • Full sun to light shade
  • Small plants or seeds can be planted in holes on limestone rocks

Find out more from FNPS | Find out more from Natives For Your Neighborhood

Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

Quailberry

Firebush (Hamelia patens)

Large shrub or small tree. Rarely abundant in hammock edges, FL Keys to central FL. An exotic relative, "African firebush", with yellowish-red flowers and mostly hairless leaves, is naturalizing in S. Florida and poses a hybridization threat to our native firebush.

  • 10-12' tall or more, often as broad as tall
  • Can grow in nutrient poor soils; needs some organic content to thrive
  • Full or partial sun
  • Red / orange tubular flowers; red / purplish-black berries
  • Excellent wildlife plant. Food/cover for birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, other insects. Larval host for Pluto sphinx moth
  • May be affected but not killed by scale insects. Cut back to freshen

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Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

Firebush Firebush

Twinberry, Simpson's stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)

Large shrub to medium tree in hammocks, in peninsular Florida, Mexico – S. America. Bark is distinctive: smooth, gray to reddish-brown, flaking off in irregular patches. Leaves aromatic when crushed. Flowers white, fragrant; berries orange to red. Birds eat the fruits, insects visit the flowers

  • Specimen, buffer plantings, trimmed hedge
  • Can be placed to show the attractive trunks
  • Typically 10-20' tall, but not fast growing
  • an grow in poor soil, needs some organic content to thrive
  • Full sun to light shade

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Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

Simpson's stopper Simpson's stopper

Corkystem passionflower (Passiflora suberosa)

Vine found in Florida forests and pinelands, Texas, West Indies, Mexico - S. America. Stem has corky exterior on older portions. Leaf shape is extremely variable. Small pale-green flowers. Pea-sized purple fruits are eaten by birds. Larval host plant for Gulf fritillary, Julia & Zebra heliconian butterflies. May be temporarily defoliated by caterpillars.

  • Tolerates a wide range of soils and light
  • Support on a fence, trellis or shrub, or let it sprawl on the ground
  • Can be grown in a pot

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Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

Corkystem passionflower Corkystem passionflower

White indigoberry (Randia aculeata)

Shrub or a small tree, common in hammocks and pinelands, South Florida, West Indies, Mexico-South America. Branches often thorny. White flowers, white berry with indigo pulp. Great nectar plant for butterflies and other insects. Birds eat the fruit. Larval host for tantalus sphinx moths.

  • Use as accent shrub or in buffer plantings
  • Usually 6-8' tall, but extremely variable in size and shape. Can be pruned severely
  • Drought tolerant. Full sun/light shade
  • Grows in nutrient poor soil; needs some organic content to thrive

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Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

White indigoberry White indigoberry

Coontie, Florida arrowroot (Zamia integrifolia)

Common cycad in pine rocklands of Miami-Dade. Also in Fla., Ga., Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands. Larval host for atala butterflies.

  • 1-4 feet tall
  • Slow growing
  • Will grow in nutrient poor soils, prefers some organic content
  • High drought tolerance
  • Full sun to light shade
  • Dioecious, with male and female flowers (cones) on separate plants
  • Brilliant orange seeds
  • If attacked by atala larvae it might be unsightly for an extended period

Find out more from FNPS | Find out more from Natives For Your Neighborhood

Information from: Natives For Your Neighborhood - The Institute for Regional Conservation

Coontie Coontie