ENH854/EP107: Low-Maintenance Landscape Plants for South Florida

Introduction

This publication was originally developed to help answer requests from participants of the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program in Miami-Dade County, now Florida Friendly Landscaping^TM (FFL), for a list of landscape plants suitable in south Florida and has become a critical reference for the county. The resulting list includes over 330 species of low-maintenance plants. For each species, we provided the common and scientific names, family, size, light preference, salt tolerance, establishment status, invasive status and potential, and other useful characteristics.

Criteria

This section describes criteria used to select plants in this document including water requirements. Even the most drought-tolerant plants require watering during their establishment period. Although this period varies among species and site conditions, some general rules for container-grown plants have been determined experimentally. They include 6 months of watering during the establishment period for a 1-gallon plant, 1 year for a 3-gallon plant, and 6–12 months per inch of trunk diameter for larger trees.

The term "low-maintenance" refers to a plant that does not require regular watering, pruning, spraying, or other frequent maintenance to remain healthy and show acceptable aesthetic quality. A low-maintenance plant has low fertilizer requirements and few pest and disease problems. Low-maintenance plants suitable for south Florida also must be adapted to — or at least tolerate — poor, alkaline, sand, or limestone-based soils.

In addition, the plants we chose were not listed as highly invasive by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC 2019), or highly restricted by the Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas (UF/IFAS 2022) or by any federal, state, or local laws (Burks 2000). Miami-Dade County has restrictions for planting certain species within 500 feet of native habitats in which they are known to invade (Miami-Dade County 2001); precautionary statements are provided for these species.

Establishment status includes native, established non-native, cultivated only, and unknown establishment. Some plants (denoted by §) also tolerate wet soil conditions or periodic flooding. Various plants that were not commonly available in south Florida nurseries or garden centers were intentionally included hoping that an increased demand will generate increased supply; an asterisk (*) indicates commonly available plants.

This list is also posted on the UF/IFAS Extension website for Miami-Dade County FFL: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/miami-dade/landscapes--gardening/low-maintenance-landscape-plants-for-south-florida/. Photos and more detailed information for each species can be obtained from this online version.

Table Notes

Common Name: *Commonly available in nurseries and/or garden centers in south Florida.

§Tolerates wet soils or occasional flooding.

Species Name: Brackets [] denote synonymous species names (WorldFloraOnline 2022).

Establishment in Florida: Native, Non-native (established), Cult Only (cultivated but not established), or ----- (not available or determinable) (Wunderlin et al. 2022; FLMNH 2022).

Invasive, Use Caution, or Avoid Planting in Certain Areas: † Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) defines Category I (CatI†) invasive plants as those altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with native species; FLEPPC Category II (CatII†) plants have increased in abundance or frequency but not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent shown by Category I species (FLEPPC 2019). The UF/IFAS Assessment defines High risk, Caution, and Not a Problem species (NAP), with the latter either documented (NAPD), or undocumented (NAPU) in north (N), central (C), and south (S) Florida (UF/IFAS 2022). Miami-Dade County prohibits planting certain species within 500 feet of a native habitat, such as a hardwood hammock (‡) or a beach or coastal wetland (‡‡), with planting allowed in other residential areas (Miami-Dade County 2001).

Selecting the "Right" Plant

Putting the right plant in the right place is very important for creating a healthy and successful low-maintenance landscape. However, this depends on one's ability to accurately select the right plant species for a given location. Common names are often misleading. More than one plant species may be referred to by the same or a similar common name; hog plum is used for three different plant species. Other plant species can have multiple common names, especially if they are widely grown; avocado has at least seven common names. Hence, it is ideal to use scientific names when researching and selecting plants for your south Florida landscape.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the following UF/IFAS specialists for reviewing this article: Robert Black, Kimberly Moore, Kenneth Langeland, and Eva Worden. In addition, Roger Hammer, head naturalist for Miami-Dade County Parks & Recreation, contributed significantly to this publication, and we thank him also.

References

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Burks, K. C. 2000. Non-Native Plant Species Restricted by Federal, State, or Local Law in Florida. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Invasive Plant Management.

FLEPPC (Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council). 2019. “List of Invasive Plant Species.” Accessed November 1, 2023. http://bugwoodcloud.org/CDN/fleppc/plantlists/2019/2019_Plant_List_ABSOLUTE_FINAL.pdf

FLMNH. 2022. University of Florida Herbarium Collections Catalog. A. Franck, K. Perkins, S. Haas, and P. Caplan (application development). Gainesville, FL: Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida.

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Maidman, K. 1997. “Ten Great Palms.” Garden News. Miami, FL: Fairchild Tropical Garden.

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Misitis, M. 1997. “Salt Tolerant Plants for Dade County.” Homestead, FL: UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County.

Morton, J. F. 1987. Fruits of Warm Climates. Miami, FL: J. F. Morton Publisher.

Osorio, R. 2001. A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press.

Palmpedia. 2023. "Guihaia argyrata," “Livistona muelleri.” Accessed November 19, 2023. https://palmpedia.net/wiki/index.html

Riffle, R. L. 1998. The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants. Portland, OR: Timber Press.

Scheper, J. 2001. Floridata^TM. http://www.floridata.com

UF/IFAS. 2022. “Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas.” UF/IFAS. https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu

Whistler, W. A. 2000. Tropical Ornamentals: A Guide. Portland, OR: Timber Press.

Wikipedia. 2023. "Opuntia." Accessed January 13, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Opuntia&oldid=1131451783

Wilson, J. 1994. Landscaping with Herbs. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

WorldFloraOnline. 2022. “World Flora Online Project: An Online Flora of All Known Plants.” C. Miller and W. Ulate. Biodiversity Information Science and Standards. http://www.worldfloraonline.org/

Wunderlin, R. P., and B. F. Hansen. 2011. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. Third Edition. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida.

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2022. Atlas of Florida Plants. [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa. Accessed August 9, 2022. http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/

Table 1. Low-Maintenance Perennials, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Aglaonema , Aglaonema commutatum,* (Araceae)	Schott	1–2'	Part to full shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Small, herbaceous perennial with fleshy stems that branch from the base and slender-stalked leaves to 12” long. Flowering stems have a narrow, pale green spathe enclosing a small white spadix. Other Aglaonemas are also drought tolerant.
Scarlet milkweed *§, or Oxypetalum erectum subsp. campestre, (Apocynaceae)	-----	2–4'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	Caution [S]; NAP [C,N]	Erect, evergreen perennial with narrow, elliptical leaves and terminal clusters of scarlet and orange flowers, which are produced spring through fall and attract butterflies.
Butterfly weed , Asclepias tuberosa,* (Apocynaceae)	L.	18–36"	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native perennial with orange summertime flowers. Essential component of a butterfly garden. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Cast iron plant *, , (Asparagaceae)	Blume	2–3'	Part to full shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Grown for its deep green foliage; spreads to form clumps. Named for its ability to tolerate harsh adverse conditions; excellent for shady areas.
Star begonia, winter begonia * §, Begonia heracleifolia, (Begoniaceae)	Cham. & Schltdl.	2–3’	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Rhizomatous (spreads by rhizomes); has large, hairy, deep-lobed, toothed, bronze-green leaves and fragrant, white to pink flowers on long, reddish stalks. Caution: is a FLEPPC Category ll invasive.†
White begonia §, Begonia popenoei,* (Begoniaceae)	Standl.	2–4’	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Rhizomatous begonia with round, dark, glossy green leaves to 11" wide accompanied by large, white, fragrant flowers borne in large panicles well above the foliage.
Castor bean begonia §, Begonia ricinifolia,* (Begoniaceae)	-----	2–3’	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Rhizomatous begonia with apple green leaves shaped like stars and rings of red hairs around leaf petioles. Winter flowers are deep pink.
Spiral ginger §, Costus scaber, (Costaceae)	Ruiz & Pav.	4–7'	Part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Tall spiral ginger with attractive, rounded, jade-green leaves with fuzzy undersides. The long, hard, waxy, red 8–12" bracts have small yellow flowers that peek out while the bracts open from the bottom up. Excellent for long-lasting or cut flowers.
Crossandra , Crossandra infundibuliformis,* (Acanthaceae)	(L.) Nees	1–3'	Part to full shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	The simple, opposite paired leaves bear erect spikes of showy, yellow to red flowers with petals opening into a flat, hand-like shape.
African iris §, Dietes iridioides, (Iridaceae)	(L.) Sweet ex Klatt	2–3'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	-----	Easy to grow, drought tolerant perennial, though extra water is needed when in bloom. Forms spreading clumps that bear attractive white flowers with blue and brown shading in the spring. D. bicolor, a similar species, has yellow flowers.
Twinflower, Dyschoriste angusta, (Acanthaceae)	(A.Gray) Small	6–18”	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	Native perennial with small, delicate, purple flowers. Grows best in dry sand. Plant close together for best cover.
Crown-of-thorns, dwarf crown-of-thorns *, , (Euphorbiaceae)	Des Moul.	6”–4'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Slow-growing, thorny, semi-succulent shrub with bright green, obovate leaves and small to medium-sized, yellow, orange, or red flowers. Excellent for rock gardens and often grown as a low hedge in coastal areas. The smaller Thai dwarf varieties often produce more attractive foliage and showier inflorescences, and, hence, are popular as bedding plants or groundcovers.
Indian blanket , Gaillardia pulchella,* (Asteraceae)	Foug.	1–2’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Easily grown, colorful native annual or perennial with considerable variation in flower color, though typically they have red flowers with yellow-tipped petals. Plant in an open site with good drainage. Good for beachfronts.
Moss verbena , Glandularia aristigera [Verbena tenera, V. tenuisecta, G. pulchella],* (Verbenaceae)	(S.Moore) Tronc.	6–18"	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	-----	Freely branched, sprawling perennial with 3-lobed, finely dissected, aromatic leaves and clusters of white, pink, lavender, or purple flowers. Good bedding plant that attracts butterflies. Requires well-drained soil.
Rain lilies, Habranthus spp., (Amaryllidaceae)	-----	2–4'	Full sun	Moderate	-----	H. robustus & H. tubispathus: NAPU [N,C,S]	The yellow, pink, red, or white flowers are produced after rains in the spring or summer. Flowers best when crowded. Goes dormant during the cool season, requiring very little water.
Beach sunflower, Helianthus debilis, (Asteraceae)	Nutt.	2–4’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Erect or prostrate, spreading plant with sandpapery leaves and 2.5–3" yellow flowers that attract butterflies. Suitable for beachfronts.
Daylily , Hemerocallis* spp., (Asphodelaceae)	-----	1–2’	Full sun or part shade	Moderate	-----	H. fulva: NAPU [N,C,S]	Clump-forming perennial with grass-like leaves and clusters of 3–4" lily-like flowers borne on 1–2' stalks from late spring to fall, depending on the variety. Only certain varieties, such as 'Evergreen' and 'Semis', succeed in south Florida. Flower colors are available in yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, and near-white.
Amaryllis , Hippeastrum* spp., (Amaryllidaceae)	-----	2–3'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	-----	-----	Spectacular, trumpet-shaped tropical lilies. Many species and varieties. Moderately drought tolerant.
Stonecrop, Hylotelephium [Sedum] spectabile, (Crassulaceae)	(Boreau) H.Ohba	1–3'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Many cultivars exist with showy fall flowers in white, pink, or red. At least one variety has variegated leaves. Hardy and very suitable for rock gardens.
Beach elder, Iva imbricata, (Asteraceae)	Walter	1–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Coarse, scraggly, shrubby perennial. Good for beachfronts.
Shrimp plant , [Beloperone guttata],* (Acanthaceae)	Wassh. & L.B.Sm.	3–5'	Full sun to full shade	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Shrub with stems topped by 6'' spikes of red, rusty, or green bracts containing small, white, shrimp-like flowers. A related species has yellow bracts. Unique, adaptable, and easily grown.
Kalanchoe *, , (Crassulaceae)	Poelln.	6–18"	Part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Small, shrubby African species. Multiple branches covered with round to rectangular, deep green leaves with red margins and notched tips. Thick clusters of small, yellow, orange, pink, or deep red cylindrical flowers appear from winter to early summer. Can be weedy.
Statice, Limonium sinuatum, (Plumbaginaceae)	Mill.	1–2'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Slow growing, bushy, upright perennial with dense rosettes of deeply waved, oblong, dark green leaves. In the summer and early fall, the winged stems bear masses of tiny, papery flowers, which are blue, purple, pink, cream, white, lemon-yellow, or golden.
Whirling butterflies, Oenothera [Gaura] lindheimeri, (Onagraceae)	(Engelm. & A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & Hoch	2–4'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	-----	Herbaceous perennial that forms a loose, bushy clump of slender, wiry stems covered with tiny hairs. The spoon-shaped leaves have toothed margins. Long spikes above the foliage support flowers, which open white at dawn but fade to rose-pink by evening. Requires well-drained soil.
Pennyroyal, Piloblephis rigida [Pycnothymus rigidus, Satureja rigida], (Lamiaceae)	(W.Bartram ex Benth.) Raf.	6–24”	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	Low-growing perennial with small, shrimp-like flowers that emerge from green, scale-like bracts. Prefers well-drained soil. Attractive to butterflies.
Plumbago *, , (Plumbaginaceae)	Lam.	3–6’	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	NAPU & Low risk [N,C,S]	Attractive, light blue flowers in terminal spikes. Drought tolerant once established, but prone to root and stem rots. Requires well-drained soil.
Florida mountainmint, Pycnanthemum floridanum, (Lamiaceae)	E.Grant & Epling	3–5'	Full sun to part shade	None	Native	-----	Erect, loosely branched, shrub-like perennial. Leaves smell like spearmint or camphor. The tiny lavender flowers form dense terminal clusters and attract butterflies.
Firecracker plant *, , (Plantaginaceae)	Schltdl. & Cham.	2–4'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Grown for its weeping habit, scale-like leaves, and masses of small, red tubular flowers. Requires well drained soil and often used in planters. Russelia sarmentosa is similar, though it has wider, more conspicuous leaves and smaller red flowers, which are highly attractive to butterflies.
Blue porterweed , Stachytarpheta jamaicensis,* (Verbenaceae)	(L.) Vahl	1–3'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Native, small, shrubby perennial with lateral to nearly upright spikes of blue flowers, which are highly attractive to butterflies and suitable for butterfly gardens. Name was derived from a traditional, foamy "porter-like" beverage brewed from the plant.
Pink porterweed , Stachytarpheta mutabilis,* (Verbenaceae)	(Jacq.) Vahl	4–8'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Small, shrubby perennial with a somewhat weedy habit. The red, pink, or violet flowers are highly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Shrub sunflower *, , (Asteraceae)	(Hemsl.) A.Gray	4–12'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	Warm-season annual or perennial with coarse, three-lobed, fuzz-covered leaves and beautiful yellow to orange flowers.
Society garlic *, , (Amaryllidaceae)	Harv.	2–3'	Full sun to part shade	None	Cult Only	NAPU [N,C,S]	Clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with narrow, grayish leaves and large clusters of lavender flowers. Related to garlic, lilies, and daffodils.
Purpletop verbena , or Junellia tridactylites,* (Verbenaceae)	-----	2–6'	Full sun to part shade	Low	-----	-----	Erect, clump-forming perennial with stiff, widely branching stems. Above the foliage, small purple flowers are borne in clusters, where they attract butterflies. Best when densely planted.
Tampa verbena , Verbena [Glandularia] tampensis,* (Verbenaceae)	Nash	18–24"	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	Sprawling, endemic, native annual or short-lived perennial with purplish-pink flowers.
Verbena , Verbena x hybrida,* (Verbenaceae)	-----	2–6’	Full sun	Low	-----	-----	Erect, clump-forming annual or short-lived perennial with stiff, widely branching stems and rounded clusters of purple flowers. Powdery mildew and whiteflies occasionally may cause problems. Good bedding plant.
Strawflower, Xerochrysum bracteatum [], (Asteraceae)	(Vent.) Tzvelev	2–4'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Annual or short-lived perennial with weak hollow stems and an erect habit. Thin green leaves accompany golden-yellow, 0.6–2"-wide blooms at the branch tips during summer to early fall. Good groundcover or small shrub.
Rain lilies , Zephyranthes* spp., (Amaryllidaceae)	-----	6–15"	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	-----	-----	Charming, clump-forming, grass-like flowering bulbs from the Americas, including at least two native species (Wunderlin & Hansen 2011). Most species have deciduous foliage; all have one open flower on each stem, which can be white, yellow, pink, or lavender.

Table 2. Low-Maintenance Annuals, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Scarlet milkweed §, or Oxypetalum erectum* subsp. campestre, (Apocynaceae)	-----	2–4'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	Caution [S]; NAP [C,N]	See description in Table 1.
Orach, French spinach, Atriplex hortensis, (Amaranthaceae)	L.	2–6'	Full sun	-----	Cult Only	-----	Usually grown for its tender, spinach-like leaves. Leaves can be green, yellow-green, red, or purple. Sometimes used as a bedding plant.
Cosmos *, , (Asteraceae)	Cav.	3–6'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Feathery-leaved annual from Mexico and the far southern United States. Showy, daisy-like flower heads in shades of pink, red, purple, or white are produced in the summer and fall. May have difficulty surviving the rainy season and require staking.
Indian blanket , Gaillardia pulchella*, (Asteraceae)	Foug.	1–2'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Gazania , Gazania rigens*, (Asteraceae)	-----	6–24"	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Mat-forming plant with crowded rosettes of mostly unlobed leaves, which are green above and whitish beneath. The orange flower heads have a black eye spot at each petal base.
Moss verbena , Glandularia aristigera* [Verbena tenera, V. tenuisecta, G. pulchella], (Verbenaceae)	(S.Moore) Tronc.	6–18"	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Globe amaranth *, , (Amaranthaceae)	L.	1–2'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Small, branching annual with hairy leaves and clover-like flowers that are white, pink, or light purple. Benefits from mulching.
Sunflower *, , (Asteraceae)	L.	3–10'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	Caution [N,C,S]	Fast-growing, upright, coarse, leggy annual with heavily veined leaves. The large, daisy-like, 12"-wide, yellow flower heads with brown centers are borne during the summer.
Annual lion's ear, , (Lamiaceae)	(L.) R.Br.	4–8'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	Erect, coarse-textured, loosely branching summer annual with smooth leaves rimmed by round-toothed margins. Bright red, tubular, downward-curving flowers encircle the stem at intervals. Readily self-seeds but not considered invasive. Attracts butterflies.
Butter daisy , Melampodium divaricatum* [M. paludosum], (Asteraceae)	DC.	6–24”	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	-----	Summer annual with small yellow flowers and bright green foliage. Prolific self-seeder. Great bedding and border plant.
Moss rose, rose moss *, , (Portulacaceae)	Hook.	4–10”	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Small, annual, low-growing succulent with small, lance-shaped, fleshy, bright green leaves on reddish stems. Yellow, orange, pink, or red flowers during the summer; they close at night and on cloudy days. Suitable for groundcovers, rock gardens, and borders.
Black-eyed Susan , Rudbeckia hirta*, (Asteraceae)	L.	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Daisy-like, native perennial or annual (depending on variety) with large, yellow- to reddish-orange flowers with darker centers. Attracts butterflies. Does not tolerate prolonged wet, humid weather.
Ornamental sages , Salvia* spp., (Lamiaceae)	-----	1–5’	Full sun	Low	-----	Varies with species	Herbaceous to semi-woody, shrubby annuals or perennials with fuzzy leaves and spikes of blue, red, pink, or white flowers. They wilt and lose leaves during droughts but recover when rains return; however, most do not tolerate prolonged wet or humid weather. Very good for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
Tampa verbena , Verbena* [Glandularia] tampensis, (Verbenaceae)	Nash	18–24"	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Verbena , Verbena* x hybrida, (Verbenaceae)	-----	2–6’	Full sun	Low	-----	-----	See description in Table 1.
Strawflower, Xerochrysum bracteatum [], (Asteraceae)	(Vent.) Tzvelev	2–4'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Zinnia , Zinnia elegans*, (Asteraceae)	-----	2–3'	Full sun	Low	-----	-----	Coarse, upright bushy annual with lance-shaped leaves and daisy-like, multicolored flowers. Requires well-drained soil and good air circulation. Powdery mildew and leaf spots may cause problems under humid conditions.
Mexican zinnia , Zinnia haageana* or haegeana, (Asteraceae)	-----	1–2’	Full sun	Low	-----	-----	Upright bushy annual with small narrow leaves and daisy-like flowers. These may be white, orange, yellow, red, brown, or bicolored in gold, maroon, purple, brown, cream, and/or pink. Good annual groundcover.

Table 3. Low-Maintenance Shrubs and Hedges, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Chenille plant §, Acalypha hispida, A. lanceolata, or A. poiretii*, (Euphorbiaceae)	-----	6–12'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	-----	-----	Medium to large shrub with large, oval, evergreen leaves and separate male and female plants; females have long velvety clusters of purple, crimson, or bright-red flowers resembling fluffy tails of cats. Can wilt in full sun during droughts.
Copperleaf , [Acalypha amentacea* subsp. wilkesiana], (Euphorbiaceae)	Müll.Arg.	6–12'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Purple, red, pink, and green foliage. Excellent for hedges and borders but can be overpowering.
Desert rose , Adenium obesum*, (Apocynaceae)	Roem. & Schult.	3–7'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Very showy flowers year-round, particularly during hot dry weather. Excellent for rock gardens; loses leaves during cool weather. Must have very good drainage; prone to root and stem rots and to scale insects.
Century plant *, , (Agavaceae)	L.	5–8'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Dramatic foliage and form. Evergreen, silver, gray, or blue-green foliage. Showy, green-brown fruit. Armed with spines. Gritty, well-drained soil required. Blooms when 12–20 years old, then dies. Excellent for rock gardens. Many other agaves available; some are variegated; all are drought tolerant. Caution: Sisal hemp, A. sisalana, is a FLEPPC Category II invasive †.
Purple allamanda , Allamanda blanchetii* [A. violacea], (Apocynaceae)	A.DC.	3–10'	Full sun	None	Cult Only	-----	Evergreen vining shrub with purple, tubular flowers. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Bush allamanda, [A. neriifolia], (Apocynaceae)	Pohl	3–5'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAP but High risk [N,C,S]	Colorful, bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers. Glossy leaves in whorls of 3–6 on smooth stems, which bleed milky sap if cut. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Shell ginger *§, , (Zingeberaceae)	(Pers.) B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm.	5–8'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Tall stems are topped with drooping inflorescences of shell-shaped white, pink, red, and yellow flowers. Plants form dense clumps of either the green or variegated forms. Benefits from mulch; best growth is in moist soil, though it tolerates drought.
Bird's nest anthurium §, Anthurium salvinii*, (Araceae)	Hemsl.	3–5'	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Large, herbaceous shrub or epiphyte with a majestic cluster of long, erect, tropical-looking leaves with wavy margins. Flowers are inconspicuous. Other bird's nest anthuriums are also moderately drought tolerant but may require high humidity.
Marlberry, Ardisia escallonioides, (Myrsinaceae)	Schltdl. & Cham.	4–20'	Part shade	High	Native	-----	Native plant with attractive foliage and berries. Can be used as a small specimen tree or barrier shrub. Attracts birds. Does poorly in full sun. Caution: The related shoebutton ardisia, A. elliptica, and coral ardisia, A. crenata, are FLEPPC Category I invasives.†
Sea oxeye, Borrichia arborescens, (Asteraceae)	(L.) DC.	2–4'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Yellow, daisy-like flowers. Excellent for beachfront plantings in sand, and widely planted on banks and slopes. Needs well-drained soil to prevent root rot. Borrichia frutescens is a related native species with similar requirements.
Bougainvillea , Bougainvillea* spp., (Nyctaginaceae)	-----	4–30’	Full sun	None	-----	B. glabra & B. spectabilis: NAP [N,C,S]	Very showy, thorny, vine-like shrubs that bloom best during the dry season. Numerous cultivars are available in a striking array of colors. Magenta is the most common color, while others have variegated foliage. Best used as a vine but can be trained as a shrub. Caterpillars are occasional pests. Do not over-fertilize. Requires well-drained soil.
Yesterday-today-tomorrow §, Brunfelsia grandiflora*, (Solanaceae)	D.Don	3–8'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Shrub with pansy-like flowers that open purple on the first day, change to paler lavender on the second day, then to white on the third day. Some leaf drop may occur during persistent droughts.
Butterfly bush *, , (Scrophulariaceae)	Maxim.	6–12'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Fast-growing shrub with gray-green leaves and showy pink, purple, or white flowers. Highly attractive to butterflies, hence the name. Buddleja madagascariensis is also drought tolerant. Nematodes are an occasional problem in sandy soil.
Locust-berry, Byrsonima lucida, (Malpighiaceae)	(Mill.) DC.	2–10'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Native shrub or small tree with a spreading canopy; makes a good hedge. Attractive flowers in white, pink, or yellow are followed by orange to yellow berries, which attract wildlife.
Dwarf poinciana *, , (Fabaceae)	(L.) Sw.	4–20'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Large shrub or small tree with showy orange to yellow flowers during the warmer months. Leaves and seeds poisonous. Needs good drainage.
Beautyberry , Callicarpa americana*, (Lamiaceae)	L.	4–8'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Native shrub with inconspicuous flowers, but long-lasting purple berries, which are quite attractive and provide food for birds.
Giant milkweed §, , (Apocynaceae)	-----	4–8'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Large, thick, grayish-green leaves and purple to white, crown-like flowers. Tolerates poor soil but requires excellent drainage. A host plant for monarch butterfly larvae.
Spicewood §, Myrcia neopallens [Calyptranthes pallens], (Myrtaceae)	Standl.	5–25'	Part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Small, shrubby native tree with burgundy-tinged new growth and inconspicuous white flowers. Can be sheared and grown as a hedge. Prefers moist soil.
Natal plum, dwarf carissa *, , (Apocynaceae)	(Eckl.) A.DC.	1–12'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Attractive large shrub or small tree with dense glossy foliage, fragrant jasmine-like flowers, and edible fruit. The spiny leaves and stems make the plant a good barrier species once established. Web blight can be a problem if kept too wet.
Cat palm §, Chamaedorea cataractarum*, (Arecaceae)	Mart.	3–8'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Mounding palm with elegant, feathery, dark green, glossy leaves. Can serve as a shrub or hedge.
Bamboo palm §, [C. erumpens*], (Arecaceae)	Burret	4–10'	Part to full shade	None	Non-Native	CatII; NAPD [S]; NAPU [N,C]	Densely clumping palm with tall, slender stems resembling bamboo canes. Can be used as a shrub or a hedge.
Snowberry, Chiococca alba, (Rubiaceae)	Hitchc.	2–8’	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native vining shrub with glossy green, elliptical to lanceolate leaves and small white flowers followed by white fruits. Chiococca pinetorum and C. parvifolia are the pineland and small-leaf milkberries, respectively; they have smaller leaves and are often more vining.
Cocoplum , Chrysobalanus icaco*, (Chrysobalanaceae)	L.	3–15'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native shrub with attractive broad leaves, inconspicuous flowers, and blue-purple mature fruits. Often used as a hedge, but will become thin and leggy if planted in too much shade; spreading and erect forms are available.
Fiddlewood, Citharexylum spinosum or C. flexuosum, (Verbenaceae)	-----	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	-----	-----	Native large shrub or small tree with thick, glossy elliptical leaves and small, white, fragrant flowers followed by round, orange-brown berries on female plants. Attractive to birds and other wildlife.
Pigeon plum , Coccoloba diversifolia*, (Polygonaceae)	Jacq.	5–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native, evergreen large shrub or small tree with a dense, narrowly rounded crown and attractive peeling bark. Small, dark purple berries on female trees attract birds.
Sea grape , Coccoloba uvifera*, (Polygonaceae)	L.	8–40'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native large shrub to medium-sized tree with large, thick, saucer-like leaves with attractive venation. Fruit is edible. Leaves can be messy and susceptible to pests. Good for beachfronts.
Croton , Codiaeum variegatum*, (Euphorbiaceae)	(L.) A.Juss.	4–10'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPD [S]; NAPU [C,N]	Grown for the colorful variegated foliage, which often includes greens, yellows, reds, and pinks. May become leggy if grown in the shade, and scales can be a problem.
Coffee colubrina, Colubrina arborescens, (Rhamnaceae)	Sarg.	10–25'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native large shrub or small tree with an open crown of large, coarse unlobed leaves; inconspicuous green flowers; and 3-seeded capsules. Attracts butterflies and other beneficial insects.
Buttonwood * §, Conocarpus erectus, (Combretaceae)	L.	4–40'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Shrub or tree that is native to our tidal swamps, but will thrive in non-flooded soil. Green and silver-leaved forms are available, with the latter being more attractive. Inconspicuous flowers, then seeds, are borne in small cone-like structures. Scales and chewing insects may cause problems. Often used as a hedge but the lower parts may thin out.
Spiral ginger §, Costus scaber, (Costaceae)	Ruiz & Pav.	4–7'	Part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 1.
Christmas berry, ground holly, Crossopetalum ilicifolium, (Celastraceae)	(Poir.) Kuntze	4–18"	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native, prostrate evergreen shrub with small, holly-like spiny leaves and attractive red berries.
Desert spoon, Dasylirion wheeleri, (Asparagaceae)	S.Watson ex Rothr.	3–10'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Linear, gray-green leaves with toothed edges. Spectacular inflorescences (to 16’) bear pink or creamy-white flowers, followed by death of the plant. This native of our desert southwest and northern Mexico takes extreme drought, but it must have excellent drainage and air circulation.
Varnish leaf, Dodonaea viscosa, (Sapindaceae)	Jacq.	5–18'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native shrub with attractive, stiff, shiny green leaves. The showy, yellowish, 3-winged capsules are brown, pink or purple at maturity and produced in terminal clusters. Used as a freestanding specimen or hedge and excellent for beachfronts.
Ti plant , Dracaena angustifolia* [Cordyline terminalis], (Asparagaceae)	(Medik.) Roxb.	3–10'	Full sun	None	Cult Only	-----	Slender palm-like plant with unique leaves, which vary in shape among varieties from strap-like to spoon-like; they can be purple, red, pink, or white. Also known as "red sister."
Dracaena , or Aloe purpurea* [Dracaena marginata], (Asparagaceae or Asphodelaceae)	-----	4–15'	Part to full shade	None	-----	D. reflexa angustifolia [D. marginata]: NAPU [N,C,S]	Narrow sword-like leaves with red margins. Leaves of the cultivar 'Tricolor' have cream stripes and red edges. Commonly grown as a house plant.
Golden dewdrops , [D. repens*], (Verbenaceae)	L.	2–12'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Sprawling, sometimes vine-like evergreen shrub or small tree. Beautiful purple flowers and yellow, grape-like poisonous fruits.
Fukien tea, Ehretia microphylla, (Boraginaceae)	Lam.	2–12'	Full sun	-----	Non-Native	-----	Dense shrub with small glossy leaves, which have a rich, dark green color even in poor, shallow rocky soils.
Lingaro, Elaeagnus triflora [E. philippensis], (Elaeagnaceae)	Roxb.	3–15'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Shrubby evergreen vine with attractive leaves, which are light green above and reddish brown below. Small, fragrant, white flowers followed by edible fruit. Grows well on poor calcareous soils. Caution: E. pungens is a FLEPPC Category II invasive.†
Beach creeper, golden creeper, Ernodea littoralis, (Rubiaceae)	Sw.	6"–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Excellent for a groundcover at beachfronts, but the flowers are inconspicuous. It poorly tolerates overwatering.
Coral bean tree , Erythrina herbacea*, (Fabaceae)	L.	2–15'	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	Native perennial shrub or small tree with deciduous trifoliate leaves and distinct, 3-lobed leaflets. Showy, scarlet blooms on tall stalks during the spring are followed by large pods that split to reveal bright red seeds. All plant parts are poisonous.
White stopper , Eugenia axillaris*, (Myrtaceae)	-----	4–15'	Full sun to dense shade	High	Native	-----	Native large shrub or small tree with pale bark and aromatic foliage. Small white flowers in midsummer form clusters next to the leaf attachment points (axils); these are followed by small purplish berries, which attract birds.
Redberry stopper, Eugenia confusa, (Myrtaceae)	DC.	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native, slow-growing, large shrub or small tree yielding red berries and attractive glossy leaves with distinctive long-pointed tips. Used as a hedge or specimen plant. The upright growth habit is suitable for a small site.
Spanish stopper , Eugenia foetida*, (Myrtaceae)	Pers.	4–15'	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	Native large shrub or small tree, which is very similar to E. axillaris but differs mainly in the more rounded leaf tips. It yields some of the smallest flowers and fruits of all stoppers, but they attract wildlife. Excellent foundation or specimen plant.
Red stopper, Eugenia rhombea, (Myrtaceae)	(O.Berg) Krug & Urb.	4–10'	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	Native large shrub or small tree with reddish-brown bark and an elegant growth habit; branches are produced in flat sprays perpendicular to the main trunk. Flower stalks (pedicels) are longer and thinner than on E. axillaris or E. foetida; however, E. rhombea is slow-growing and does not flower or fruit as a young plant.
Scarlet plume, Euphorbia fulgens, (Euphorbiaceae)	Karw. ex Klotzsch	3–6'	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Evergreen, arching shrub with very showy red flowers all year. Needs excellent drainage; ideal for a rock garden.
Crown-of-thorns, dwarf crown-of-thorns *, , (Euphorbiaceae)	Des Moul.	6”–4'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Jacob's ladder, Euphorbia tithymaloides [Pedilanthus tithymaloides], (Euphorbiaceae)	L.	3–10'	Part shade	High	Native	-----	The zigzag stems, prominently keeled leaves, showy, slipper-like red bracts, and variegated cultivars make this an attractive plant. However, the plant is poisonous and can appear leggy if not pruned. Well adapted to poor dry soil.
African milkbush, [Synadenium grantii], (Euphorbiaceae)	(Pax) Bruyns	5–15'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Large shrub or small tree with showy red clusters of flowers. Fleshy leaves and stems with poisonous milky latex; becomes woody with age.
Florida privet, Forestiera segregata, (Oleaceae)	(Jacq.) Krug & Urb.	3–10'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native shrub with inconspicuous flowers producing small, black, olive-like fruit that attract wildlife. Can be used as a hedge in place of Ligustrum. Very tolerant of alkaline soils.
Green aloe *, , (Asparagaceae)	(L.) Haw.	3–8'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	Invasive (no uses) [C,S]; Caution [N]	Large rosette of narrow leaves to 8' long, which die after flowering, but new plants arise from bulbils. Variegated form is available. A 15–30’ stem eventually borne in center of the rosette yields a pungent panicle of flowers. Requires well-drained soil.
Thryallis , Galphimia glauca* or G. gracilis, (Malpighiaceae)	-----	3–5'	Full sun to part shade	Low	-----	G. gracilis: NAPU [N,C,S]	Versatile evergreen tropical shrub with delicate yellow flowers year-round. Excellent for hedges, though it has brittle wood and benefits from a sheltered location.
Star flower, Grewia occidentalis, (Malvaceae)	L.	6–12'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Adaptable evergreen shrub with deep green, oval, toothed, leathery leaves. During the spring and summer, star-shaped, 1.5"-wide, mauve-pink flowers are followed by brownish, four-lobed berries. Excellent plant for espaliers, but scale insects are sometimes a problem.
Lignum vitae , Guaiacum sanctum*, (Zygophyllaceae)	L.	6–20'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Attractive, native, slow-growing large shrub or small tree similar to G. officinale (Table 4) in characteristics such as flower and fruit color. The blue flowers are produced year-round, but mostly in the spring, followed by green to orange seed pods, which pop open to reveal shiny, bright-red seeds. Unlike G. officinale, however, the leaves of G. sanctum usually have more leaflets (6–10 instead of 4) and the fruits have more wing-like angular edges (5 instead of 2) (Wunderlin & Hansen 2011). Extremely dense, prized wood.
Firebush , Hamelia patens*, (Rubiaceae)	Jacq.	4–15'	Partial to full shade	Low	Native	-----	Produces beautiful orange or red flowers year-round, which are highly attractive to butterflies. Can be used as a hedge, but pruning interferes with flowering. Becomes less shrubby and more tree-like if left unpruned, especially in the shade. Needs well-drained soil.
Heliconia §, Heliconia episcopalis*, (Heliconiaceae)	Vell.	3–7'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Small heliconia with tight, arrowhead-shaped inflorescences which bear dense colorful bracts; these fade from red to orange to yellow (near the tips). Year-round bloomer.
Heliconia §, Heliconia latispatha*, (Heliconiaceae)	Benth.	6–15'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Tall heliconia with banana-like, long-stalked, yellow-green leaves with red margins. The erect inflorescences have widely spaced, triangular bracts, which are yellow to orange toward the base but scarlet near the tips.
Lobster claw heliconia §, Heliconia rostrata*, (Heliconiaceae)	Ruiz & Pav.	6–15'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Tall heliconia with banana-like leaves, which are long-stalked, 4–7', and often bluish green. The pendant inflorescences bear zigzag bracts of scarlet and yellow.
Chinese hat plant §, , (Lamiaceae)	Retz.	3–6'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	A main feature of this scrambling, shrubby vine is the unique floral display. Each flower is a narrow, orange-scarlet tube backed by a circular calyx and borne in dense terminal clusters during fall-spring. Leaves are oval and slightly serrate. Old canes can be removed and new growth contained by pruning after flowering. Loses leaves during droughts.
Dwarf yaupon holly , Ilex vomitoria*, (Aquifoliaceae)	Aiton	1–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	A dwarf holly that makes a fine low-growing border hedge with its dense growth, small leaves, red fruit, and low height. Produces 1–10”, horizontal, straight, rigid branches, which can appear intermediate between a branch and a thorn. Native to the southeastern US down to central Florida; not as commonly grown in Miami-Dade County as in central and northern parts of the state.
Beach elder, Iva imbricata, (Asteraceae)	Walter	1–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Joewood, Jacquinia keyensis, (Myrsinaceae)	Mez	6–15'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Very slow-growing native shrub with attractive foliage and showy fragrant blooms year-round. At least some partial shade is beneficial. Good resistance to wind and salt spray.
Primrose jasmine, , (Oleaceae)	Hance	4–10'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU & Low risk [N,C,S]	Rambling, open, evergreen shrub with long, arching stems that climb if given support; without support, they grow into a fountain-like mound. Bears fragrant, yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. Caution: J. dichotomum and J. fluminense are FLEPPC Category I invasives.†
Downy jasmine, , (Oleaceae)	Andrews	2–10'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU & Low risk [N,C,S]	Evergreen branching vine that can be trained as a shrub. Stems and leaves are covered with downy pubescence, giving the plant a grayish-green appearance. Produces small, white star-shaped flowers in clusters year-round. Caution: J. dichotomum and J. fluminense are FLEPPC Category I invasives.†
Peregrina, , (Euphorbiaceae)	Jacq.	5–15'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Deeply lobed leaves with showy displays of small, red flowers throughout the year. But the foliage is poisonous, and mites and scales can be troublesome. Needs good drainage.
Coral plant, physic nut *, , (Euphorbiaceae)	L.	5–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Shrub or small tree with a loose, spreading crown and large distinctive leaves with 7–11 narrow lobes, each divided into narrow, pointed segments. Flowers are coral red and borne in flat-topped clusters on long stalks above the foliage. All plant parts are poisonous.
Chinese juniper, , (Cupressaceae)	L.	2–20’	Full sun	Low-Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Evergreen groundcover, shrub, or tree depending on the variety. Mature plants have both adult and juvenile foliage. Berries are fleshy and glaucous white.
Shrimp plant , [Beloperone guttata*], (Acanthaceae)	Wassh. & L.B.Sm.	3–5'	Full sun to full shade	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Crape myrtle *, , (Lythraceae)	L.	8–25'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Grown for the peeling bark and outstanding flowers, which are various shades of white, pink, red, and purple during late spring or summer. Shrubs are used for edging, while the small trees make great specimen plants. Aphids and powdery mildew can be problems.
Barbados cherry , Malpighia emarginata*, (Malpighiaceae)	DC.	5–15'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Attractive shrub that produces clusters of small pink flowers followed by red, cherry-like, edible fruits, which are tart-flavored and rich in vitamin C. Makes a good hedge, although nematodes can be troublesome in sandy soils, and insects can spoil the fruit. Malpighia glabra is a very similar species, but its leaf tips are more pointed.
Tetrazygia, West Indian lilac , Miconia* [Tetrazygia] bicolor, (Melastomataceae)	Triana	5–20'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Ornamental native shrub or small tree. The beautiful white-and-yellow flowers are followed by purple-black berries, which are highly attractive to birds. Elegant, glossy, dark green foliage. Not suitable as a hedge because the growth is somewhat thin and leggy, and the branches die when pruned.
Monstera *§, , (Araceae)	Liebm.	4–6'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]; NAPU [N,C,S]	Slow-growing vine or shrub with huge, deeply cut, perforated glossy leaves and 1" to 4” diameter stems that produce aerial roots. Mature plants bear thick, cream-colored spathes followed by sweet-smelling, cone-like, edible fruits.
Jamaica caper , Morisonia cynophallophora* [Capparis cynophallophora, Quadrella jamaicensis], (Capparaceae)	(L.) Christenh. & Byng	5–18'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native, slow-growing, undemanding plant with attractive, white, fragrant flowers resembling those of a spider lily. Can be pruned to form an attractive hedge.
Simpson's stopper , Myrcianthes fragrans*, (Myrtaceae)	(Sw.) McVaugh	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Beautiful native shrub or small tree that differs from Eugenias by having more cup-shaped leaves and flower clusters that branch above their attachment point at the stem leaf axil; two or more flowers are borne in each inflorescence. The white, puffy flowers are followed by bright orange berries, which contrast with the darker foliage. Attractive to birds.
Wax myrtle * §, Myrica cerifera, (Myricaceae)	L.	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native, fast-growing shrub or small tree with a low-branching or multi-trunked growth habit. It has evergreen, elongate, lance-elliptical, or oblanceolate leaves, inconspicuous flowers, and waxy gray fruit attached to the twigs. Leaves and fruit smell like bayberry and repel insects while attracting birds. Tolerates periodic flooding.
Mazari palm, Nannorrhops ritchieana, (Arecaceae)	(Griff.) Aitch.	8–20'	Full sun to part shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized, shrubby palm with multiple trunks and pale blue, fan-shaped leaves. Each stem produces flowers only once, then dies back. Very cold-tolerant; prefers cool, arid climates but tolerates south Florida quite well. Slightly susceptible to lethal yellowing disease.
Firespike ‡, Odontonema tubaeforme [O. strictum], (Acanthaceae)	(Bertol.) Kuntze	4–8'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Showy evergreen shrub with sparse, thick, upright branches and large, shiny leaves with wavy margins. Produces 9–12” upright panicles of brilliant red, tubular flowers from late summer to early winter. Very good drought tolerance. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Caution: Do not plant within 500’ of a native hardwood hammock in Miami-Dade County. ‡
Prickly-pear cactus , Opuntia* spp., (Cactaceae)	-----	6"–30’	Full sun	High	-----	Varies with species	About 165 species (Wikipedia 2023) ranging from tiny plants with tuberous roots to trees over 30’ tall. The branches are constricted to form broad flattened "joints,” usually with sharp spines and small bristles. Leaves are inconspicuous, succulent, tapering-cylindrical, and often shed early or absent. Flowers are generally yellow or red, followed by edible fruits (prickly pears). Caution: O. aurantiaca is a federal- and state-listed invasive species (Burks 2000) and is prohibited throughout Florida (UF/IFAS 2023).
Pittosporum *, , (Pittosporaceae)	W.T.Aiton	3–15'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Broad-leaved evergreen shrub with bright green, glossy leaves that are often variegated; bears clusters of small white flowers that smell like orange blossoms. Moderate to fast grower.
Plumbago *, , (Plumbaginaceae)	Lam.	3–6’	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	NAPU & Low risk [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Podocarpus *, , (Podocarpaceae)	(Thunb.) Sweet	4–40'	Full sun to part shade	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Evergreen shrub or tree with linear or needle-like leaves and small bluish berries. Makes an excellent hedge.
Aralias , Polyscias* spp., (Araliaceae)	-----	3–20'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	-----	-----	Many species and cultivars are used as shrubs, hedges, and groundcovers. Foliage differs in form but is usually compound and can be variegated.
Elephant bush, Portulacaria afra, (Didiereaceae)	Jacq.	2–4'	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Grown for red stems and jade-colored leaves with a variegated form available; rarely flowers in cultivation. Needs well-drained soil and good air circulation. Excellent for rock gardens.
Bahama wild coffee §, Psychotria ligustrifolia, (Rubiaceae)	(Northr.) Millsp.	4–10'	Partial to full shade	Low	Native	-----	Small understory shrub that is similar in appearance to and related to gardenias. Dull green leaves accompany abundant flowers, which lead to decorative red berries much of the year.
Wild coffee * §, Psychotria nervosa or P. lupulina, (Rubiaceae)	-----	4–10'	Partial to full shade	Low	Native	-----	Common native understory shrub similar to P. ligustrifolia except its dark green leaves are distinctively glossy and deeply impressed with lateral side veins.
Velvetleaf wild coffee §, Psychotria tenuifolia [P. sulzneri], (Rubiaceae)	Sw.	4–10'	Partial to full shade	Low	Native	-----	Native shrub similar to P. nervosa except the foliage is velvety, duller, and more bluish-green.
White indigoberry, Randia aculeata, (Rubiaceae)	L.	1–10'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native shrub with pale-colored branches that form conspicuous, V-shaped patterns by the way opposite branches attach at each node. Fragrant flowers and white berries are produced by female plants. Grows well under adverse conditions.
Buckthorn, Rhamnus spp., (Rhamnaceae)	-----	4–15'	Full sun	High	-----	-----	Deciduous plants with glossy, dark green, oval leaves to 3” long. Inconspicuous green flowers are followed by small fruits that change from red to black as they ripen. Well adapted to dry, infertile sites. Numerous spines make these plants useful as security screens.
Lady palm §, Rhapis excelsa*, (Arecaceae)	(Thunb.) A.Henry	4–12'	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Small, densely clumping fan palm bearing slender, dark brown trunks with distinctive fibers and leaf scar patterns. Small, deeply segmented, dark green, glossy leaves on thin, delicate petioles. Often grown as a shrub or potted plant.
Rosemary , Rosmarinus officinalis*, (Lamiaceae)	L.	1–4'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Evergreen woody shrub with aromatic, needle-like leaves and gray, scaly bark. Easy to propagate from cuttings. Widely used as an herb or for nontraditional medicine. Upright forms grow best in south Florida.
Firecracker plant *, , (Plantaginaceae)	Schltdl. & Cham.	2–4'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Scrub palmetto , Sabal etonia*, (Arecaceae)	Swingle ex Nash	3–7'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Nearly trunkless, shrub-like, small native fan palm. Similar to most Sabal species, leaf blades are costapalmate, or oval and imperfectly fan-shaped. Bears large clusters of small, purplish-black fruit. Grows best in sandy soils.
Dwarf blue palmetto §, Sabal minor*, (Arecaceae)	(Jacq.) Pers.	2–5'	Part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Small, native, trunkless, shrub-like fan palm resembling S. etonia. However, the leaves are more bluish-green and rounded (not costapalmate). Tolerates wet soils.
American elderberry, Sambucus canadensis, (Viburnaceae)	L.	6–15'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native, bushy, multi-stemmed, broad-spreading shrub with deciduous compound leaves. White, tiny, star-shaped flowers are followed by shiny, blue-black fruit. Provides a colorful autumn display of yellows, oranges, and reds in south Florida. Branches are brittle, and the plants may form dense thickets by suckering from roots.
Inkberry, Scaevola plumieri, (Goodeniaceae)	(L.) Vahl	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native plant with succulent leaves and inconspicuous white or pink flowers. Spreads by underground stems and is well-suited to the sandy soils of beachfronts. Caution: Scaevola taccada is a FLEPPC Category I invasive.†
Dwarf schefflera *, , (Araliaceae)	(Hayata) Hayata ex Merr.	6–15'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPD [C]; NAPU [S,N]	Used as a specimen or informal hedge and takes pruning well. Many cultivars, some with variegated foliage. Mealybugs and scales can be a problem. Caution: S. actinophylla is a FLEPPC Category I invasive and is prohibited in Miami-Dade County †.
Candle bush , [Cassia* alata], (Fabaceae)	(L.) Roxb.	5–10'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	Caution [N,C,S]	The large pinnate leaves accompany terminal, 6” yellow-flowered spikes, which appear in the late summer and fall. Caution: Senna pendula is a FLEPPC Category I invasive.†
Desert senna, Senna polyphylla, (Fabaceae)	(Jacq.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby	5–12'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Small tree with a beautiful cascading habit and abundant, small yellow flowers, especially during the dry season. Prefers well-drained soil. Caution: Senna pendula is a FLEPPC Category I invasive.†
Cassia , Senna* spp., (Fabaceae)	-----	4–15'	Full sun	Low to Moderate	-----	Varies with species	Several species of spectacular yellow-flowered shrubs, which are larval hosts for at least two of our largest sulfur butterfly species. These legumes were once in the genus Cassia but later moved to Senna. Caution: Senna pendula is a FLEPPC Category I invasive.†
Saw palmetto §, Serenoa repens*, (Arecaceae)	(W.Bartram) Small	3–8’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native, clumping fan palm with subterranean, prostrate or upright trunks and heavily armed petioles, hence the name. One of the most abundant native palms in Florida with green and silver forms available. Spreading can be a problem when left uncontrolled.
Necklace-pod , Sophora tomentosa*, (Fabaceae)	L.	3–10'	Full sun	High	Native	Varies with variety	Large, rounded, densely branched native shrub that bears clusters of yellow flowers followed by interesting necklace-like pods at the tips of branches. Fast-growing and easily cultivated, but the seeds are poisonous.
Blue porterweed , Stachytarpheta jamaicensis*, (Verbenaceae)	(L.) Vahl	1–3'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Pink porterweed , Stachytarpheta mutabilis*, (Verbenaceae)	(Jacq.) Vahl	4–8'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 1.
White bird-of-paradise §, Strelitzia nicolai*, (Strelitziaceae)	Regel & Körn.	6–25'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large shrub or small tree with dark green, banana-like foliage and large, angular white flowers emerging from angular blue bracts. Drought tolerant once established.
Orange bird-of-paradise *§, , (Strelitziaceae)	Banks	3–5'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Shrub with large, gray-green leaves arranged in a fan-like pattern with clusters of large, angular, orange-and-blue flowers; these emerge from angular, multicolored bracts. Drought tolerant once established, though scale insects can be a problem.
Marmalade plant, Streptosolen jamesonii, (Solanaceae)	(Benth.) Miers	4–8'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Fast-growing evergreen shrub with showy, deep orange to yellow flowers produced during the winter and spring. Prune hard after flowering is complete. The sprawling growth often benefits from support; it also needs an open sunny site with excellent drainage.
Bay cedar, Suriana maritima, (Surianaceae)	L.	6–12'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native evergreen shrub or small tree with clusters of small, leathery leaves and attractive peeling bark. Will grow in sand or on bare rock. Good choice for beachfronts.
Cape honeysuckle, Tecoma capensis [], (Bignoniaceae)	Lindl.	2–10'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	Sprawling, evergreen, sometimes vine-like shrub with compound leaves; 5- to 7-toothed, diamond-shaped leaflets; and clusters of tubular, orange-red flowers. Can be pruned as a shrub, trained to espalier, or grown as vine or groundcover. Requires well-drained soil.
Selloum, tree philodendron §, Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum* [Philodendron bipinnatifidum, P. selloum], (Araceae)	(Schott) Sakur., Calazans & Mayo	4–10'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Prostrate to upright trunks and huge, deeply divided, dark green leaves. Known as tree philodendron because it does not climb.
West Indian sea lavender, Tournefortia gnaphalodes [Argusia gnaphalodes, Mallotonia gnaphalodes], (Boraginaceae)	(L.) Roem. & Schult.	3–6'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Rounded shrub with fine, grayish-green leaves and small white flowers.
Limeberry, , (Rutaceae)	(Burm.f.)P.Wilson	3–10'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	Caution [N,C,S]	Small, glossy, trifoliate leaves accompany fragrant white flowers, which produce edible red berries. Well adapted to rocky, calcareous soil.
Walter's viburnum, black haw, Viburnum obovatum, (Viburnaceae)	Walter	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native large shrub or small tree with attractive white flowers that appear before the leaves fully develop in the spring. Flowers are followed by berries in the fall, which change from green to red, then to purple-black. Ideal as a hedge.
Spanish bayonet , Yucca aloifolia*, (Agavaceae)	L.	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Trunk-forming yucca with dangerously pointed, strap-like leaves. Trunks are often topped with large, upright clusters of creamy white flowers. Spreads to form thickets.
Bear grass, Adam's needle, Yucca filamentosa, (Agavaceae)	L.	3–6'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Leaves form a basal rosette and resemble long green spears edged with white threads. White, bell-shaped flowers bloom in terminal spikes from mid- to late summer.
Spineless yucca , [Y. elephantipes, Y. guatemalensis*], (Agavaceae)	Lem.	8–15'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	NAPU [N,C,S]	Attractive plant with soft-spined leaves and showy, white fragrant blooms. Needs well-drained soil.
Spanish dagger, Yucca gloriosa, (Agavaceae)	L.	2–10'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	The stout, erect stems bear tufted crowns of stiff, spear-like leaves, which are green or gray-green. White, bell-shaped flowers are borne in long terminal spikes during the summer and fall. Caution: Leaves have pointed, dangerously sharp tips.
Cycad , Zamia erosa* [Z. amblyphyllidia], (Zamiaceae)	O.F.Cook & G.N.Collins	2–4'	Part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Mounding, clumping cycad with elegant leaves to 4’ long supporting wide, paddle-shaped leaflets. Requires well-drained soil.
Cardboard "palm" *, , (Zamiaceae)	L.f. ex Aiton	2–6'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	Caution [S,C]; NAPU [N]	Medium-sized cycad with broad, stiff, cardboard-like leaflets. Commonly planted in south Florida as a shrub, specimen plant, or in large planters. Can be weedy if both male and female plants are in the same vicinity. Requires well-drained soil. [This species has been listed as Z. maritima, which does not appear to exist in the scientific community.]
Florida coontie , Zamia integrifolia* [Z. floridana, Z. umbrosa], (Zamiaceae)	L.f.	1–4’	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	Florida's only native cycad. Leaflets tend to be linear-elliptical and often differ in shape from other Zamia species. The separate male and female plants each yield reddish-brown cones. Male cones are small and elongate, while female cones are larger, wider, and have large, conspicuously red seeds. A larval hostplant of the rare and beautiful atala hairstreak butterfly (Eumaeus atala). Requires well-drained soil.

Table 4. Low-Maintenance Flowering and Shade Trees, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Baobab, Adansonia digitata, (Malvaceae)	L.	20–70'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Unusual African tree with a massive trunk shaped like a bottle, which stores water during dry periods. Deciduous in dry season. Large white flowers hang on long stalks; they open at night and are bat-pollinated. Large, football-shaped (and sized), velvety seed pods are produced. Not suitable for small lots.
Marlberry, Ardisia escallonioides, (Myrsinaceae)	Schltdl. & Cham.	4–20'	Part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Bahama strongbark or strongback, Bourreria succulenta, (Boraginaceae)	Jacq.	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native, fast-growing evergreen tree. Many small white flowers lead to orange berries, which attract birds.
Gumbo limbo , Bursera simaruba*, (Burseraceae)	Sarg.	15–45'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Native, low-maintenance shade tree with attractive, peeling bronze bark and an appealing form. Cuttings take easily but are weak rooted.
Flame of the forest, Butea monosperma, (Fabaceae)	(Lam.) Kuntze	15–50'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Large, tropical deciduous tree with gray bark, a crooked, sinuous trunk, and large leaves divided into 3 pinnate leaflets. The vivid red to red-orange flowers are shaped like claws or parrot beaks. Bluish-green 5”-long pods follow the flowers.
Locust-berry, Byrsonima lucida, (Malpighiaceae)	(Mill.) DC.	2–10'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Spicewood, Myrcia neopallens [Calyptranthes pallens], (Myrtaceae)	A.R.Lourenço & E.Lucas	5–25'	Part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Cinnamon bark, Canella winterana [C. alba], (Canellaceae)	(L.) Gaertn.	5–25'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Small, slow-growing native tree with a dense, broad crown, thick, aromatic leaves, fragrant, purplish flowers, and red berries. Flower aroma resembles daffodils, while inner bark aroma resembles cinnamon. All parts are poisonous except for the berries. Requires a well-drained site and protection from cold.
Ceylon senna, red cassia, Cassia roxburghii, (Fabaceae)	DC.	15–30'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Fairly large "shower” tree with feather-like, pinnately compound leaves and twigs covered with fine, soft hairs. Produces clusters of pink, rose, or orange flowers during late spring and summer. 'Golden’ and 'Apple blossom’ cassias are very similar and mainly differ in flower color.
Floss silk tree , Ceiba speciosa* [], (Malvaceae)	(A.St.-Hil., A.Juss. & Cambess.) Ravenna	20–70'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large deciduous tree with a uniquely swollen spiny trunk and branches. The 5-lobed leaves drop just before flowering. Flowers are large, pink to white, and produce a spectacular display. Not suitable for small lots.
Satinleaf , Chrysophyllum oliviforme*, (Sapotaceae)	L.	10–35'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Very colorful native tree. Tops of the leaves are vivid glossy green, while the undersides are covered with soft, coppery brown hairs. Can be difficult to establish.
Fiddlewood, Citharexylum spinosum or C. flexuosum, (Verbenaceae)	-----	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	-----	-----	See description in Table 3.
Pigeon plum , Coccoloba diversifolia*, (Polygonaceae)	Jacq.	5–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Sea grape , Coccoloba uvifera*, (Polygonaceae)	L.	8–40'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Coffee colubrina, Colubrina arborescens, (Rhamnaceae)	Sarg.	10–25'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Buttonwood , Conocarpus erectus*, (Combretaceae)	L.	4–40'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Mexican calabash, Crescentia alata, (Bignoniaceae)	Kunth	15–40'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Unique growth form and fruits. Large leaves with interesting lobes accompany inconspicuous flowers. Rough bark makes a good support for orchids.
Royal poinciana *, , (Fabaceae)	(Bojer ex Hook.) Raf.	20–70'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	Caution [S]; NAPU [N,C]	Large, savanna-type tree with bipinnately compound leaves and brilliant red and yellow flowers produced during late spring and summer. Hence, it is sometimes called the flamboyant tree. Requires plenty of room and freely drained soil. Deciduous during the winter. Roots can uplift sidewalks, and the limbs are prone to breakage during storms.
Coral bean tree , Erythrina herbacea*, (Fabaceae)	L.	2–15'	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Coral tree, tiger claw , Erythrina variegata*, (Fabaceae)	L.	20–80'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Broad, spreading, deciduous tree with many stout branches armed with black spines. Leaves are large and may be variegated green and yellow. Spectacular display of bright crimson flowers in dense clusters during late winter and early spring.
White stopper , Eugenia axillaris*, (Myrtaceae)	-----	4–15'	Full sun to dense shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Redberry stopper, Eugenia confusa, (Myrtaceae)	DC.	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Spanish stopper , Eugenia foetida*, (Myrtaceae)	Pers.	4–15'	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Red stopper, Eugenia rhombea, (Myrtaceae)	(O.Berg) Krug & Urb.	4–10'	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Shortleaf fig, Ficus citrifolia, (Moraceae)	Mill.	15–40'	Full sun to part shade	-----	Native	-----	Attractive, medium-sized native tree with stalked fruits and citrus-like leaves. Also known as wild banyan.
Fern tree, Filicium decipiens, (Sapindaceae)	Thwaites	15–35'	Sun or shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Striking evergreen ornamental with two or three trunks supporting a dense, rounded crown of compound leaves, which resemble fern fronds. The small white flowers in clusters give way to purple olive-like fruits; slow-growing.
Tree gardenia, Gardenia thunbergia, (Rubiaceae)	Thunb.	6–20'	Full sun	-----	Cult Only	-----	Unusual drooping large shrub or small tree with huge, tubular white flowers and interesting woody capsules.
Lignum vitae, Guaiacum officinale, (Zygophyllaceae)	L.	8–25'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Attractive, native, slow-growing large shrub or small tree similar to G. sanctum (Table 3); both have blue or purple flowers and green to orange angular fruits. However, G. officinale is larger and has fewer leaflets (4 instead of 6–10), and the fruits have fewer wing-like angular edges (2 instead of 5) (Wunderlin & Hansen 2011).
Lignum vitae , Guaiacum sanctum*, (Zygophyllaceae)	L.	6–20'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Longleaf blolly, Guapira discolor, (Nyctaginaceae)	(Spreng.) Little	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Attractive, native, hardy, and adaptable shade tree recommended for beachfronts. The greenish, inconspicuous flowers produce small red berries on female trees.
Krug holly §, Ilex krugiana*, (Aquifoliaceae)	Loes.	8–30'	Part shade	High	Native	-----	Native tropical holly with glossy foliage and black fruits. Well adapted to south Florida. Small reddish berries ripen to black.
Jacaranda *, , (Bignoniaceae)	D.Don	15–50'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	NAPD [S]; NAPU [C,N]	Outstanding, showy, lavender-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers in late spring are immersed in lacy, fern-like foliage. Will succeed in poor soils with good drainage. Wood may break during storms, and the roots can lift sidewalks and show susceptibility to root rot.
Chinese juniper, , (Cupressaceae)	L.	2–20’	Full sun	Low-Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Black ironwood, Krugiodendron ferreum, (Rhamnaceae)	Urb.	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	Native evergreen tree with dark, glossy, emerald green leaves and small black berries. The narrow crown allows for planting in tight spaces.
Wild tamarind , Lysiloma latisiliquum*, (Fabaceae)	(L.) Benth.	15–60'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Attractive, native, fast-growing shade tree. The bipinnately compound leaves are mixed with small, spherical, white-and-pink, "pom-pom-like" inflorescences; these are followed by long brown seed pods, which are distinctly wide and papery.
Tetrazygia, West Indian lilac , Miconia* [Tetrazygia] bicolor, (Melastomataceae)	Triana	5–20'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Horseradish tree, , (Moringaceae)	Lam.	15–35'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	Produces attractive panicles of fragrant, cream-colored flowers, especially during dry weather, but during longer dry spells, temporary leaf loss may occur. Needs good drainage.
Simpson's stopper , Myrcianthes fragrans*, (Myrtaceae)	(Sw.) McVaugh	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Wax myrtle , Myrica cerifera*, (Myricaceae)	L.	4–20'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Fried egg tree, Oncoba spinosa, (Salicaceae)	Forssk.	8–25'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Shrub or small tree with prominent, 1–2” sharp spines and finely serrate, dark green leaves. The 3” showy fragrant flowers have white petals surrounding a mass of bright yellow stamens. Fruits are large, hard-shelled berries.
Yellow poinciana, , (Fabaceae)	(DC.) Backer ex K.Heyne	20–70'	Full sun	-----	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Large shade tree with beautiful clusters of yellow flowers followed by brown, flat seed pods. Nice alternative to the more commonly planted royal poinciana, .
Allspice , Pimenta dioica*, (Myrtaceae)	(L.) Merr.	10–40'	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	-----	Attractive peeling bark and edible fruit. The highly aromatic, clove-scented leaves are glossy, deep green, oblong to elliptical, and have prominent veins on the undersides.
Slash pine , Pinus elliottii* var. densa, (Pinaceae)	Little & K.W.Dorman	15–60'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	South Florida's only native pine species. Because the roots need certain mycorrhiza to function efficiently (Karlsen-Ayala et al. 2022), the trees can be difficult to establish. They may perform best when planted in a group and tend to do poorly in compacted soil. Borers and rust may cause problems.
Jamaican dogwood, Piscidia piscipula, (Fabaceae)	(L.) Sarg.	15–50'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Attractive, deciduous native tree with large, dark green compound leaves, each bearing 5–9 leaflets, which have a distinctively broad, oval-elliptic shape. Masses of white flowers just before leafing out in the spring lead to unusual 4-winged pods. Poisonous.
Rusty pittosporum, Pittosporum ferrugineum, (Pittosporaceae)	W.T.Aiton	6–20'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Inconspicuous flowers are followed by colorful orange berries. Relatively free of pests and diseases.
Frangipani, plumeria , Plumeria* spp., (Apocynaceae)	-----	5–30'	Full sun	High	-----	-----	Unusual form and very showy, fragrant flowers. Good for sheltered coastal locations away from beachfronts. Roots are brittle, and the leaves are prone to rust fungus during the wet season.
Podocarpus *, , (Podocarpaceae)	(Thunb.) Sweet	4–40'	Full sun to part shade	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Live oak , Quercus virginiana*, (Fagaceae)	Mill.	10–50'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Impressive, undemanding native tree, but not suitable for small lots. Caterpillars, insect galls, and root rots sometimes cause problems.
Rain tree, Samanea saman, (Fabaceae)	(Jacq.) Merr.	15–45'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Impressive tropical tree resembling a live oak but faster growing. During the spring and summer, attractive pink flowers with prominent red stamens are followed by seed pods. Needs plenty of space for the extensive roots; not for small lots.
Soapberry, Sapindus saponaria, (Sapindaceae)	L.	10–60'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native tree with a broad crown, dense foliage, and attractive yellow fruits, although the seeds are poisonous. Excellent shade tree for small yards.
False mastic, Sideroxylon foetidissimum [Mastichodendron foetidissimum], (Sapotaceae)	Jacq.	10–50'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Large tree with fragrant, pale-yellow flowers during the summer and fruits that ripen in late winter. Thrives on infertile alkaline soils and has excellent resistance to storms.
Mahogany §, Swietenia mahagoni*, (Meliaceae)	(L.) Jacq.	20–75'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Large, attractive, storm-resistant shade tree that is prized for its deep reddish wood. Foliage and stems may be disfigured by insects, and the falling, woody, cone-like capsules can be messy and damage vehicles.
Tamarind *, , (Fabaceae)	L.	15–70'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPD [S]; NAPU [C,N]	This highly wind-resistant shade tree has attractive feathery foliage, fissured bark, yellow-and-red flowers, and pods that contain an edible pulp. May need chelated iron on limestone soils.
Black olive , [Bucida buceras*], (Combretaceae)	(L.) C.Wright	15–60'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	Caution [S]; NAPU [N,C]	Widely used as a shade tree with relatively non-invasive roots. However, the fruits can stain masonry; mites can disfigure leaves, and caterpillars can be a nuisance.
Blue acacia, Vachellia [Acacia] seyal, (Fabaceae)	(Delile)P.J.H.Hurter	15–45'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized tree with reddish bark, silvery-blue bipinnate leaves, and fragrant yellow, "pom-pom-like” flower heads produced throughout the year. Sometimes listed as Acacia sayel, which does not appear to exist in the scientific community.
Spineless acacia, cinnecord, Vachellia [Acacia] choriophylla (Fabaceae)	(Benth.) Seigler & Ebinger	15–35'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native tree with a dense, rounded crown, long bipinnate leaves, and tiny, yellow-to-gold, "pom-pom-like” inflorescences. Caution: Earleaf acacia, A. auriculiformis, is a FLEPPC Category I invasive.†
Sweet acacia , Vachellia farnesiana* var. farnesiana [Acacia farnesiana], (Fabaceae)	(L.) Wight & Arn.	4–15'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Small native tree with yellow, "pom-pom-like,” sweet-smelling inflorescences. Needs good drainage.
Pineland acacia, Vachellia farnesiana var. pinetorum [Acacia pinetorum], (Fabaceae)	(L.) Wight & Arn.; (F.J.Herm.) Seigler & Ebinger	4–15'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Dwarf, spiny, native shrub with delicate, gray-green bipinnate leaves. The round, "pom-pom-like” inflorescences have very sweet-smelling flowers.
Walter's viburnum, black haw, Viburnum obovatum, (Viburnaceae)	Walter	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Wild lime, Zanthoxylum fagara, (Rutaceae)	Sarg.	5–20'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Attractive, native shrub or small tree with small leaves, lime-scented foliage, prickly, recurved spines, inconspicuous yellow flowers, and tiny green fruits. Attracts giant swallowtail butterflies.
Indian jujube §, Ziziphus mauritiana, (Rhamnaceae)	Lam.	10–45'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Leaves of this attractive weeping tree are much paler underneath than on top and prominently marked with parallel veins. Indian jujube also has scattered spines on the branches and small, light green, apple-like fruit. Although the tree grows well on limestone soil and withstands drought or temporary flooding, rust can disfigure the leaves.

Table 5. Low-Maintenance Fruit Trees, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Atemoya , Annona* × atemoya (A. cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L.), (Annonaceae)	Mabb.	15–30'	Full sun	None	Cult Only	-----	Hybrid of the sugar apple and the cherimoya. Fast-growing tree with a short trunk. Fruit similar to sugar apple. Hand-pollinate to increase fruit set.
Sugar apple , Annona squamosa*, (Annonaceae)	L.	8–20'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	-----	Popular, semi-deciduous fruit tree with pale green flowers. Well-adapted to the alkaline soils of Miami-Dade County. Large fruit has custard-like texture and is delicious when fresh. Hand-pollinate to increase fruit set.
Jackfruit *, , (Moraceae)	Lam.	15–50'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Medium to large tree that produces the world’s largest known tree fruits (Morton 1987; Plantatlas 2022). The enormous, green, pebbly fruits weigh up to 50 pounds and contain small pieces of pineapple-tasting flesh surrounding numerous large seeds. Jackfruit is well adapted to humid tropical and subtropical climates.
Longan , Dimocarpus longan* [Euphoria longana], (Sapindaceae)	Lour.	10–40'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	-----	Similar to lychee, longan fruit is round or oval and larger than an olive. The thin, rough, caramel-colored skin is easily peeled. Pulp is translucent, white and sweeter than lychee, but not as juicy.
American persimmon §, Diospyros virginiana*, (Ebenaceae)	L.	10–50'	Full sun	None	Native	-----	Native, slow-growing deciduous tree with black-textured bark and elliptical duo-toned leaves (dark green above, pale green below). Female trees produce 2” fruits that ripen deliciously sweet. Many named cultivars exist.
Loquat, Japanese plum *, , (Rosaceae)	(Thunb.) Lindl.	10–30'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	Caution [C,S]; NAPD [N]	Attractive tree with showy fragrant flowers produced year-round, followed by excellent fruit. Over-fertilization can increase the risk of fire blight disease.
Lychee *, , (Sapindaceae)	Sonn.	10–40'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Dense, round-topped, slow-growing tree with a smooth gray trunk and leathery pinnate leaves, which are lighter colored and longer tipped than on longans. Foliage and branches may reach the ground. Fruit has a rough texture, leathery rind, and pink to strawberry-red color. The edible aril is white, translucent, firm, and juicy, but not reliable for fruit production.
Mammee apple, Mammea americana, (Calophyllaceae)	L.	20–60'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Resembles a large magnolia with thick, broadly elliptical leaves. The small, fragrant white flowers lead to edible fruits with apricot-like flesh but poisonous seeds. Requires adequate water when in fruit.
Mango *§, , (Anacardiaceae)	L.	20–60'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	Caution [C,S]; NAPU [N]	Attractive reddish inflorescences produce tiny white flowers during late winter and early spring. Requires dry season for flowering and fruit set. Large, tasty, green, yellow, or red fruits. Water needs increase during fruit development. Choose only known grafted varieties.
Spanish lime , Melicoccus bijugatus*, (Sapindaceae)	Jacq.	10–60'	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Upright, attractive tree ideally suited to the oolitic limestone in Miami-Dade County and the Keys. Tolerates drought once established. Both male and female trees are required for reliable fruit production.
Red mulberry, Morus rubra, (Moraceae)	L.	15–60'	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	This small to medium-sized tree has a spreading crown with serrated, heart-shaped leaves with rough upper surfaces. The abundant fruits are rather tasteless but attractive to birds and other wildlife. Can be disfigured by leaf spotting diseases.
Avocado , Persea americana*, (Lauraceae)	Mill.	10–50'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	-----	Dense evergreen tree mainly grown for fruit. The attractive, lush canopy also supports many native plants and animals, but produces a messy leaf shed in the spring. Choose only known grafted varieties because seed-grown trees usually have inferior fruit production. Fruit development often increases water uptake. Needs excellent drainage; not well adapted to heavy marl soils.
Canistel, egg fruit *‡, , (Sapotaceae)	(Kunth) Baehni	10–40'	Full sun	None	Non-Native	NAPD [S]; NAPU [C,N]	Small to medium-sized, broad-spreading evergreen tree. From September to March, it produces yellow to bright-orange fruit with yellow flesh, which varies in dryness depending on variety. Caution: Do not plant within 500’ of hardwood hammocks in Miami-Dade County. ‡

Table 6. Low-Maintenance Palms, Cycads, and Other Palm-Like Plants, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Macaw palm, gru-gru palm *§, , (Arecaceae)	Lodd. ex Mart.	15–45'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Extremely fast-growing palm similar to the queen palm except for a denser canopy and sharp, black 4–6” spines on the trunk, petiole, and leaf rachis.
Cuban belly palm , Acrocomia [Gastrococos] crispa,* (Arecaceae)	(Kunth) C.F.Baker ex Becc.	15–45'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Graceful palm with a spiny trunk and leaves. Growth is initially slow, but increases as the trunk forms. Trunk distinctly swollen in the middle. Orange, golf-ball-sized fruit.
Seashore palm , Allagoptera arenaria,* (Arecaceae)	(Gomes) Kuntze	4–10'	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Clumping palm with short, prostrate, or subterranean stems and graceful pinnate leaves, which are green above and silver below. Fruits arranged spirally on long stalks with the cluster resembling pineapples. Excellent for beachfronts. Prefers sandy soil.
Cohune palm §, Attalea cohune,* (Arecaceae)	Mart.	20–60'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Huge palm with extremely long pinnate leaves to 33’, which erupt from the trunk in a nearly vertical orientation (similar to a shuttlecock). Cream-colored flower clusters are followed by huge clusters of woody brownish-yellow fruits. Prefers moist soil but can tolerate drought.
Ponytail "palm," * Beaucarnea recurvata [Nolina recurvata], (Asparagaceae)	(K.Koch & Fintelm.) Lem.	10–30'	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Grown for its highly unusual bulblike trunk and delicately thin leaves, this relative of the agaves is often mistakenly called a palm. It needs excellent drainage and well-lit conditions, but tolerates shifting shade.
Bismarck palm §, Bismarckia nobilis,* (Arecaceae)	Hildebrandt & H.Wendl.	15–50'	Full sun	None	Cult Only	-----	Enormous palm with huge, silvery-blue or green leaves. This native of Madagascar is very durable and adaptable.
Blue hesper palm , Brahea armata,* (Arecaceae)	S.Watson	20–50'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Tall palm with pastel, bluish-white, palmate leaves. Trunk is up to 1.5’ wide, slightly swollen at the base, and bears persistent leaf scars. Prefers well-drained soil and an arid climate, but can tolerate south Florida’s humidity. Not common.
Sierra Madre palm, Brahea decumbens, (Arecaceae)	Rzed.	4–10'	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Low-growing palm with a prostrate trunk and large, blue, fan-shaped leaves. Prefers well-drained soil and arid climates, but can tolerate south Florida's humidity.
Bamboo cycad , Ceratozamia hildae,* (Zamiaceae)	G.P.Landry & M.C.Wilson	3–7'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Trunkless cycad with upright bamboo-like leaves that emerge green or brown. Very cold tolerant but requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Ceratozamia kuesteriana,* (Zamiaceae)	Regel	3–6'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Trunkless and shrubby with brown emergent leaves. One of the few completely spineless cycads making it a good choice for along sidewalks. Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Ceratozamia latifolia,* (Zamiaceae)	Miq.	6–12'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large cycad that may spread up to 9’ wide and has green, red, or brown emergent leaves. Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad, Ceratozamia robusta, (Zamiaceae)	Miq.	4–8'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large cycad with green emergent leaves. Cold hardy but requires well-drained soil.
Cat palm §, Chamaedorea cataractarum,* (Arecaceae)	Mart.	3–8'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Bamboo palm §, [C. erumpens*], (Arecaceae)	Burret	4–10'	Part to full shade	None	Non-Native	CatII; NAPD [S]; NAPU [N,C]	See description in Table 3.
Stolon chamaedorea , Chamaedorea stolonifera,* (Arecaceae)	H.Wendl ex Hook.f.	2–5'	Part shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Sparsely clumping rainforest palm from Central America that forms large stands vegetatively with stolons. The nearly entire leaves and raised annular rings on slender stems are quite attractive. Grows best in well-drained soil and is drought tolerant.
Red leaf palm , Chambeyronia macrocarpa,* (Arecaceae)	Vieill.	10–30'	Full sun to part shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Rainforest palm from New Caledonia. New leaves are bright red to maroon and fade to dark glossy green. Requires shade when young and well-drained soil. Two forms are known: one with a green crownshaft and the other with a yellow to cream crownshaft; the latter is sometimes called C. hookeri.
Silver palm , Coccothrinax argentata,* (Arecaceae)	(Jacq.) L.H.Bailey	3–15'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Small, slow-growing, native palm bearing round palmate leaves with silvery undersides. Numerous small, purplish-black fruit are produced nearly year-round.
Old man palm , Coccothrinax crinita,* (Arecaceae)	-----	6–12'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Slow-growing Cuban palm with a characteristic dense "beard” of gray or straw-colored fibers on the trunk. Leaves are large, round, and palmate, while the fruit is glossy and purple-black.
Coconut palm *§, , (Arecaceae)	L.	15–45'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	CatII; Invasive [S]; Caution [C]; NAPU [N]	Popular pan-tropical palm. "Maypan” and "Fiji Dwarf” varieties are resistant to lethal yellowing. Only use plants or trees grown from certified seed; do not grow from seed collected locally.
Bailey copernicia palm , Copernicia baileyana,* (Arecaceae)	León	15–45'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Large, slow-growing palm from Cuba. Huge, stiff, blue-green leaves top a massive, slate-gray trunk that resembles concrete.
Cuban wax palm §, Copernicia hospita,* (Arecaceae)	Mart.	8–25'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Handsome palm of moderate dimensions. Gray, waxy, fan-shaped leaves on spiny petioles. Prefers well-drained soil and an arid climate, but can tolerate south Florida's humidity and short periods of inundation. Available in green and blue forms. Not common.
Cuban petticoat palm , Copernicia macroglossa,* (Arecaceae)	-----	6–15'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Cuban palm with very short petioles. It retains old leaves on the trunk in a characteristic resemblance to a skirt or petticoat.
Carnauba wax palm §, Copernicia prunifera, (Arecaceae)	(Mill.) H.E.Moore	15–45'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized palm with an open crown of silvery-white, fan-shaped leaves. Trunk is smooth on the top third but has persistent leaf bases on the bottom two-thirds. Wax on leaves is used to make heat-resistant carnauba wax. Prefers well-drained soil and arid climates, but can tolerate south Florida's humidity and short periods of inundation.
Virgin's "palm," * Dioon edule, (Zamiaceae)	Lindl.	3–7'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized Mexican cycad with relatively small leaflets (< 15 mm wide) without spines on their edges (RBCS 2012b). Foliage varies from medium green to blue-green. Sprouts at the base grow into separate trunks. Very cold tolerant but requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Dioon mejiae,* (Zamiaceae)	Standl. & L.O.Williams	4–10'	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized cycad, larger than D. edule but smaller than D. spinulosum. New leaves bear soft, golden hairs. Suitable replacement for queen sago (Cycas spp.). Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad, Dioon rzedowskii, (Zamiaceae)	De Luca, A.Moretti, Sabato & Vázq.Torres	4–10'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Rare medium-sized cycad from Mexico that is similar to D. spinulosum but much smaller. Use as a specimen or accent plant. Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Dioon spinulosum,* (Zamiaceae)	De Luca, A.Moretti, Sabato & Vázq.Torres	8–30'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	This largest of American cycads resembles the queen sagos (Cycas spp.) Grows best in filtered sunlight and needs well-drained soil.
African oil palm *§, , (Arecaceae)	Jacq.	25–50'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPD [S]; NAPU [C,N]	Large palm with long, feathery, pinnate fronds (to 25’ long) and a broad trunk (to 30” wide), which is smooth near the top but rough near the bottom from persistent leaf bases. Fruit is orange but ripens black, held tight near the trunk, and has a high oil content. Not suitable for a small lot.
Cycad , Encephalartos ferox,* (Zamiaceae)	G.Bertol.	3–7'	Part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized South African cycad with an underground trunk. The long, glossy, dark-green, spiny leaves have leaflets resembling holly leaves. Impressive, large, bright-red cones are produced on female plants. Sprouts at the base may grow into separate trunks. Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Encephalartos gratus,* (Zamiaceae)	Prain	6–15'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Large, trunk-forming cycad from South Africa with long, glossy, dark-green, spiny leaves divided into elongate, holly-like leaflets. Sprouts at the base may grow into separate trunks. Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Encephalartos hildebrandtii,* (Zamiaceae)	A.Braun & C.D.Bouché	5–12'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Large South African cycad with long, glossy, dark-green, upright, spiny leaves divided into elongate, holly-like leaflets. Sprouts at the base may grow into separate trunks. Smaller than E. gratus. Requires well-drained soil.
Cycad, Encephalartos villosus, (Zamiaceae)	Lem.	5–10'	Part to full shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized, clumping, trunkless cycad with long, graceful, glossy, dark-green leaves divided into narrow leaflets. Females bear large orange cones. Requires well-drained soil. Not common.
Chinese needle palm, Guihaia argyrata, (Arecaceae)	(Lee & Wei) S.K.Lee, F.N.Wei & J.Dransf.	2–4'	Part to full shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	This small, slow-growing, clumping palm has very round, deeply divided, fan-shaped, rigid leaves, which are green above and silvery brown below (Palmpedia 2023). Can be mistaken for Rhapis spp. Not common.
Sagisi palm §, Heterospathe elata,* (Arecaceae)	Scheff.	15–45'	Full sun to part shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Native to the Philippines and adjacent islands, this tall rainforest species is slow-growing when young, but grows much faster once the trunk forms. The mature tree bears a crown of gracefully arching leaves and produces small white fruits almost continuously.
Doum palm, gingerbread palm , Hyphaene coriacea,* (Arecaceae)	Gaertn.	15–35'	Full sun	None	Cult Only	-----	Hyphaene spp. are unique among palms because they usually branch conspicuously above ground. These coarse palms have arching, palmate, gray-green leaves with spiny petioles and trunks with persistent leaf bases. Hyphaene coriacea bears orange to brown, pear-shaped fruits in long clusters.
Cycad, Lepidozamia peroffskyana, (Zamiaceae)	Regel	6–20'	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	Tall Australian cycad. Unlike the other cycad genera, leaflets of Lepidozamia are attached along the midline (top) of the rachis, or leaf midrib. The elegant, glossy green leaves can reach 10’ long with narrow leaflets to 1' long. Use as a specimen or accent plant. Requires well-drained soil.
Keys thatch palm §, Leucothrinax* [Thrinax] morrisii, (Arecaceae)	(H.Wendl.) C.Lewis & Zona	8–20'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native to the Florida Keys and Caribbean, this palm grows naturally in alkaline soils and on limestone outcrops. Leaves are bluish-green above and silvery below. Small white fruits are produced in the fall.
Chinese fan palm *§, , (Arecaceae)	R.Br.	15–40'	Full sun to part shade	None	Non-Native	CatII; Caution [N,C,S]	Fast-growing, medium-sized palm with spiny petioles supporting large, palmate, light-green leaves ending in conspicuously drooping, split tips. Produces large quantities of blue, olive-shaped fruit.
Australian ribbon palm §, Livistona decora* [L. decipiens], (Arecaceae)	(W.Bull) Dowe	15–45'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Tall, slender palm with graceful, deeply segmented, fan-shaped leaves tipped with long, thin, ribbon-like segments. Best when protected from strong winds.
Dwarf livistona palm, Livistona muelleri, (Arecaceae)	F.M.Bailey	10–18'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized palm with an 8–12” diameter trunk supporting a crown of fan-shaped, deeply segmented, bluish-green, rigid leaves (Palmpedia 2023). The branched inflorescences are strikingly red and yield blue, olive-sized fruits. Not common.
Mazari palm , Nannorrhops ritchieana,* (Arecaceae)	(Griff.) Aitch.	8–20'	Full sun to part shade	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Madagascar "palm," Pachypodium lamerei, (Apocynaceae)	Drake	4–15'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Not a palm or cycad, but a sparsely branched cactus look-alike. Spiny trunks bear showy white flowers upon maturity. Other Pachypodiums are also drought tolerant.
Screw pine, screw palm §, Pandanus utilis,* (Pandanaceae)	Bory	10–25'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Not a palm, but a many-branched palm-like plant with sawtoothed, pineapple-like leaves. Occasionally susceptible to lethal yellowing. Prefers moist conditions but can tolerate drought; other Pandanus spp. are also drought tolerant.
Canary Island date palm §, Phoenix canariensis,* (Arecaceae)	-----	20–50'	Full sun	Low	-----	-----	Robust, thick-trunked date palm with a huge, rounded crown of long, arching pinnate leaves. Best for avenue plantings; not suitable for a small lot. Caution: is a FLEPPC Category II invasive.†
Pygmy date palm *§, , (Arecaceae)	O'Brien	4–12'	Full to part sun	None	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Dwarf date palm with elegant, pinnate fronds bearing impressive spines at their bases. Commonly planted in south Florida landscapes, often near a front door or in pool enclosures. Caution: is a FLEPPC Category II invasive.†
Cliff date palm, Phoenix rupicola, (Arecaceae)	T.Anderson	10–25'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	-----	Medium-sized palm with gracefully arching, dark green, feathery leaves. Like all Phoenix spp., it has large spines on the leaf bases; but unlike the other species, leaflets are generally 2-ranked and in a flat plane. Fruits are purplish-red and 3/4” long. Needs well-drained soil. Caution: is a FLEPPC Category II invasive.†
Ti palmis maron, Pseudophoenix lediniana, (Arecaceae)	Read	10–35'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized palm with long, graceful, pinnate leaves and a smooth gray trunk distinctly swollen in the middle. Related to P. sargentii but much faster growing.
Buccaneer palm , Pseudophoenix sargentii,* (Arecaceae)	H.Wendl. ex Sarg.	6–15'	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Slow-growing native palm with a gray cylindrical trunk, which is not conspicuously swollen in the middle, unlike the other Pseudophoenix species. The prominent, gray-green crownshaft bears a sparse crown of silvery, bluish-green leaves. Produces red, grape-sized fruit. Grows well in sandy or limestone soils.
Cherry palm, wine palm , Pseudophoenix vinifera,* (Arecaceae)	(Mart.) Becc.	10–35'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Similar to P. lediniana, but slower growing and more robust overall. Produces abundant, red, grape-sized fruit.
Traveller's tree §, Ravenala madagascariensis,* (Strelitziaceae)	Sonn.	15–35'	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large and palm-like but not a palm. Forms a giant flat fan of foliage from bright green, banana-like leaves (to 10’ long), which grow in two opposite rows on long, tightly overlapping leaf petioles (stalks). Clusters of white flowers are borne between leaf bases during the summer.
Lady palm §, Rhapis excelsa,* (Arecaceae)	(Thunb.) A.Henry	4–12'	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Puerto Rican hat palm , Sabal causiarum,* (Arecaceae)	Becc.	20–60'	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Large palm with a massive, smooth gray trunk to 4’ in diameter. Similar to most Sabal species, the leaf blades are costapalmate, or oval and imperfectly fan-shaped; they are up to 6' long, deep green, deeply segmented, and have drooping tips. Not for small lots.
Scrub palmetto , Sabal etonia,* (Arecaceae)	Swingle ex Nash	3–7'	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Dwarf blue palmetto §, Sabal minor,* (Arecaceae)	(Jacq.) Pers.	2–5'	Part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Cabbage palm §, Sabal palmetto,* (Arecaceae)	(Walter) Lodd. ex Schult.f.	8–50'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Common, native, highly adaptable palm with a rounded crown and a single trunk, which varies considerably in retention of old leaf bases. Similar to most Sabal species, the leaf blades are costapalmate, or oval and imperfectly fan-shaped. Plant only from containers or field-grown plants that were not taken from natural stands. Florida's "state tree.”
Footstool palm §, Saribus rotundifolius* [Livistona rotundifolia], (Arecaceae)	Blume	10–40'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	-----	Tall, slender fan palm; leaves are round (not costapalmate), symmetric, shallowly segmented, and have well-armed petioles. Bright red fruits are borne on long, thin arching stalks.
Saw palmetto §, Serenoa repens,* (Arecaceae)	(W.Bartram) Small	3–8’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Florida thatch palm §, Thrinax radiata,* (Arecaceae)	Lodd. ex Desf.	10–50'	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Florida, where it grows naturally in sand or limestone. Differs from Leucothrinax [Thrinax] morrisii in its more plain or light-green (not bluish-green) leaves, especially on the undersides.
Veitchia palm §, Veitchia* spp., (Arecaceae)	-----	10–50'	Full sun	None	-----	Varies with species	Fast-growing palms from the South Pacific that are widely planted in south Florida. Well adapted to high winds and different soil, water, and nutrient conditions.
Washingtonia palm *‡‡, , (Arecaceae)	H.Wendl.	10–60'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	CatII; Caution [S], NAPD [C], NAPU [N]	Tall, common, fast-growing palm with large, palmate leaves and toothed petioles. Caution: Do not plant within 500’ of beaches or coastal wetlands in Miami-Dade County. ‡‡
Cycad , Zamia erosa* [Z. amblyphyllidia], (Zamiaceae)	O.F.Cook & G.N.Collins	2–4'	Part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Cardboard "palm" *, , (Zamiaceae)	L.f. ex Aiton	2–6'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	Caution [S,C]; NAPU [N]	See description in Table 3.
Cycad, Zamia herrerae, (Zamiaceae)	S.Calderón & Standl.	2–4'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized cycad with an underground trunk; good landscape potential with its shrub-like appearance and long, stiffly erect, slightly twisted leaves. Requires well-drained soil. From southern Mexico and Central America; rare.
Cycad, Zamia inermis, (Zamiaceae)	Vovides, J.D.Rees & Vázq.Torres	3–5'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized cycad with an above-ground trunk; good landscape potential with its shrub-like appearance and long, upright leaves. Requires well-drained soil. From Veracruz, Mexico; rare.
Florida coontie , Zamia integrifolia* [Z. floridana], (Zamiaceae)	L.f.	1–4’	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Cycad, Zamia loddigesii, (Zamiaceae)	Miq.	2–4'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Small, durable cycad from Mexico similar in appearance to the cardboard palm (Z. furfuracea), though with narrower leaflets. Very drought tolerant but requires well-drained soil.
Cycad , Zamia vazquezii,* (Zamiaceae)	D.W.Stev., Sabato & De Luca	2–4'	Part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Small to medium-sized, fern-like cycad with delicate green or brown leaves that have tapering pointed tips. Requires well-drained soil.
Zombie palm , Zombia antillarum,* (Arecaceae)	(Desc.) L.H.Bailey	8–20'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Clumping palm with narrow trunks that bear unique rings of 2–3” beige spines, which are attached to woven, fabric-like leaf sheathes. The palmate, medium-green leaves accompany clusters of white, olive-sized fruit.

Table 7. Low-Maintenance Ornamental Grasses and Grass-Like Plants, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Big bluestem §, Andropogon gerardii, (Poaceae)	Vitman	3–6’	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Perennial, upright, native bunch grass that forms large clumps. Stems are blue at the base, with the leaves blue-green in early summer, becoming coppery or orange-brown in the fall. Produces 2–3”, bronze to purple seed heads during late summer. Tolerates flooding in the summer.
Indian wood-oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, (Poaceae)	(Michx.) H.O.Yates	2–5’	Full sun to part shade	None	Native	-----	Attractive, clump-forming grass with wide leaves and nodding, arching clusters of flat, oat-like seed heads. Resembles small sea oats; the dried flower heads are highly prized. A good groundcover for shady areas.
Pampas grass *§, , (Poaceae)	(Schult. & Schult.f.) Asch. & Graebn.	4–10’	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	Impressive, graceful, fountain-like clumps of foliage erupt in 12–18”, silky flower plumes in mid-summer. Will tolerate poorly drained soil and brief flooding. Dried flower heads are highly prized.
Lemongrass *§, , (Poaceae)	Stapf	2–6’	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Elegant, fragrant, clumping grass with thin, strap-like, yellow-green leaves that release a citrus aroma when crushed. Prefers moist soil but has moderate drought tolerance.
Lilyturf, liriope *, , (Asparagaceae)	(Decne.) L.H.Bailey	1–2’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	The grass-like foliage produces erect stems which bear trumpet-shaped flowers in blue, purple, pink, or white depending on the cultivar. Cold tolerant; needs well-drained soil. Add mulch to control weeds. 'Evergreen Giant’ can take full sun.
Creeping lilyturf, dwarf liriope *, , (Asparagaceae)	Lour.	6–18”	Part shade	Moderate to high	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	Similar to lilyturf (L. muscari) but with a more creeping, less upright growth habit.
Pink muhly grass, hairgrass §, Muhlenbergia capillaris,* (Poaceae)	Trin.	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	Compact clumping grass with thin, tubular leaves below the fine, pink, feathery inflorescences.
Blue muhly grass §, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, (Poaceae)	Hitchc.	1–2’	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	Similar to pink muhly grass but with bluish-gray foliage and purplish to gray flower heads. Prefers dry but tolerates wet soil. Excellent groundcover in poor sandy soil.
Mondo grass *, , (Asparagaceae)	(Thunb.) Ker Gawl.	6–18”	Part to full shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Dark-green, glossy, grass-like leaves. Infrequently produces small lavender flowers, followed by iridescent, dark-blue berries. Good border plant, especially under trees, where turf grasses may not grow well.
Beach panic grass, Panicum amarum, (Poaceae)	Elliott	1–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Clumping grass with flower stalks rising well above the foliage. Thrives in the sand at beachfronts.
Oriental fountain grass , Pennisetum orientale,* (Poaceae)	Rich.	1–2’	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Low-growing, compact fountain grass with fluffy pink or white inflorescences during the summer and fall. Prefers well-drained soil. Caution: The related P. purpureum is a FLEPPC Category I invasive.†
Sand cordgrass , Spartina bakeri,* (Poaceae)	-----	3–6’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Large, native, bunch-forming grass with leaves that are rolled, wire-like, sandpapery, and greenish-brown. Highly adaptable and under-planted. Good for beachfronts.
Fakahatchee grass §, Tripsacum dactyloides,* (Poaceae)	L.	3–7’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Large native grass with rich green foliage in fountain-like clumps. Distinctive flower spikes rise above the leaves in mid-summer and bear relatively large seeds and thick stems for grasses. Virtually pest-free, this easy-to-grow species prefers moist soil, but shows good drought tolerance.
Dwarf Fakahatchee grass §, Tripsacum floridanum,* (Poaceae)	Porter ex Vasey	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Native grass similar to T. dactyloides, but not as tall, and with narrower, more folded leaves.

Table 8. Low-Maintenance Groundcovers, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Bromeliad , Aechmea rubens,* (Bromeliaceae)	(L.B.Sm.) L.B.Sm.	1–2'	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Medium-sized, vase-shaped bromeliad with green leaves. Flowers appear in summer as tall, red and orange spikes followed by berries. Related species are also drought-tolerant.
Soap aloe, Aloe microstigma subsp. microstigma [A. saponaria], (Asphodelaceae)	-----	1–2’	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	The stemless rosettes of succulent, lance-shaped leaves produce additional rosettes that grow into new plants. Leaves are pale green with white speckles and have sharp, dark-brown teeth. Tubular, yellow, orange, or red flowers are borne on a purplish stalk. Perfect for rock gardens and seaside locations; attracts hummingbirds. Requires well-drained soil. Other aloes are also drought tolerant.
, Aloe vera* [A. barbadensis], (Asphodelaceae)	(L.) Burm.f.	1–2’	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Clump-forming succulent with fleshy green leaves and tubular flowers, which are orange, yellow, or greenish, and produced during the winter and spring. Sap from the leaves has medicinal value, such as in treating burns.
Big bluestem §, Andropogon gerardii, (Poaceae)	Vitman	3–6’	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Perennial peanut *§, , (Fabaceae)	Krapov. & W.C.Greg.	2–4’	Full sun to deep shade	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	Low, non-twining legume with oval leaflets and yellow, pea-like flowers. Stems grow along the ground rooting at nodes when in contact with soil. Will shed leaves during droughts. Tolerates a wide range of soils including when frequently flooded or waterlogged. Grows better in the shade than in full sun. Often mistaken for A. glabrata (grassnut) or A. hypogaea (peanut).
Star begonia, winter begonia §, Begonia heracleifolia,* (Begoniaceae)	Cham. & Schltdl.	2–3’	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 1.
White begonia §, Begonia popenoei,* (Begoniaceae)	Standl.	2–4’	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 1.
Castor bean begonia §, Begonia ricinifolia,* (Begoniaceae)	-----	2–3’	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 1.
Beach bean, Canavalia rosea, (Fabaceae)	(Sw.) DC.	6–12’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Attractive purple flowers. Excellent groundcover for beachfronts but can grow over fences and into surrounding shrubs.
Natal plum, dwarf carissa *, , (Apocynaceae)	(Eckl.) A.DC.	1–12'	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Hottentot fig, ice plant, , (Aizoaceae)	(L.) N.E.Br.	4–12"	Full sun	High	Non-Native	-----	Prostrate succulent with long, spreading, narrow stems and crowded, erect leaves with finely serrate, reddish margins. In the spring and summer, it produces 3”-diameter, pale yellow flowers that age to dull pink, followed by fig-like fruits.
Indian wood-oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, (Poaceae)	(Michx.) H.O.Yates	2–5’	Full sun to part shade	None	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Snowberry, Chiococca alba, (Rubiaceae)	Hitchc.	2–8’	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Christmas berry, ground holly, Crossopetalum ilicifolium, (Celastraceae)	(Poir.) Kuntze	4–18"	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Lemongrass *§, , (Poaceae)	Stapf	2–6’	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 7.
Seashore saltgrass, Distichlis spicata, (Poaceae)	(L.) Greene	2–6”	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Small, spiky grass with leaves in a single plane. Well adapted to wet, saline soils. Host plant for wandering skipper butterfly larvae.
Miniature agave *, , (Bromeliaceae)	hort. ex Baker	6–24”	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Rosette-forming, terrestrial bromeliad. Leaves are stiff, linear, spiny-margined, often reddish or brownish, and may be coated with silvery scales. The bell-shaped, yellow, orange, or red flowers grow from the edges of rosettes. Plants are suitable for beds and rock gardens where they may form large clumps.
Twinflower, Dyschoriste angusta, (Acanthaceae)	(A.Gray) Small	6–18”	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Beach creeper, golden creeper, Ernodea littoralis, (Rubiaceae)	Sw.	6"–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Crown-of-thorns, dwarf crown-of-thorns *, , (Euphorbiaceae)	Des Moul.	6”–4'	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Indian blanket , Gaillardia pulchella,* (Asteraceae)	Foug.	1–2’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Gopher apple, Geobalanus oblongifolius [Licania michauxii], (Chrysobalanaceae)	Small	4–12”	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native, low-growing groundcover with oblong, yellow-green leaves. Clusters of small flowers give way to white fruits that ripen brown. Little landscape appeal.
Moss verbena , Glandularia aristigera* [Verbena tenera, V. tenuisecta, G. pulchella], (Verbenaceae)	(S.Moore)Tronc.	6–18”	Full sun to part shade	-----	Non-Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Fig marigold, , (Aizoaceae)	(Haw.) N.E.Br.	4–8"	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	The 3–4”, light-green, semi-cylindrical leaves are accompanied by large, yellow, daisy-like flowers in the spring.
Guzmania , Guzmania lingulata,* (Bromeliaceae)	Mez	12–18”	Part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Popular bromeliad with relatively thin leaves, which are broad, strap-like, apple-green, and in basal rosettes. Striking, red, orange, or yellow bracts surround clusters of tubular, white to yellow flowers in the summer. Other Guzmanias are also drought tolerant.
Beach sunflower , Helianthus debilis,* (Asteraceae)	Nutt.	2–4’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Daylily , Hemerocallis* spp., (Asphodelaceae)	-----	1–2’	Full sun or part shade	Moderate	-----	H. fulva: NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 1.
Dwarf yaupon holly , Ilex vomitoria,* (Aquifoliaceae)	Aiton	1–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Beach morning glory, Ipomoea imperati [I. stolonifera], (Convolvulaceae)	(Vahl) Griseb.	4–8”	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Twining vine that grows over sand dunes. Blooms from spring to fall; the white flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon. Ideal for beachfronts.
Railroad vine, Ipomoea pes-caprae, (Convolvulaceae)	(L.) R.Br.	3–8”	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native, coarse, sprawling vine with smooth fleshy leaves and large pink flowers.
Beach elder, Iva imbricata, (Asteraceae)	Walter	2–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Chinese juniper, , (Cupressaceae)	L.	2–30’	Full sun	Low-moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Shore juniper, Juniperus rigida var. conferta [], (Cupressaceae)	(Parl.) Patschke	6–12”	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Prostrate, spreading groundcover that tolerates seaside conditions. The soft, aromatic foliage has needle-like leaves of green and pale-blue. Fruits are soft and pale green.
Kalanchoe ‡, Kalanchoe* spp., (Crassulaceae)	-----	6"–12’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	-----	Varies with species	Over 200 species, which vary greatly from small, leafy succulents to large, tree-like plants. Valued for their decorative foliage and bell-shaped flowers, which appear in early spring; these are followed by small seed-bearing capsules. Caution: Do not plant K. pinnata within 500’ of a hardwood hammock in Miami-Dade County ‡.
Lilyturf, liriope *, , (Asparagaceae)	(Decne.) L.H.Bailey	1–2'	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	See description in Table 7.
Creeping lilyturf, dwarf liriope *, , (Asparagaceae)	Lour.	6–18”	Part shade	Moderate to high	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	See description in Table 7.
Pink muhly grass, hairgrass §, Muhlenbergia capillaris,* (Poaceae)	Trin.	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Blue muhly grass §, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, (Poaceae)	Hitchc.	1–2’	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 7.
Bromeliad , Neoregelia cruenta,* (Bromeliaceae)	(Graham) L.B.Sm.	1–3’	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Popular bromeliad that forms rosettes of thick, green, red-tinted leathery leaves with solid red tips and spiny margins. Flowers appear in stalkless clusters in the centers of rosettes and are often covered with water. Other Neoregelias are also drought tolerant.
Mondo grass *, , (Asparagaceae)	(Thunb.) Ker Gawl.	6–18”	Part to full shade	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 7.
Prickly-pear cactus , Opuntia* spp., (Cactaceae)	-----	6"–30’	Full sun	High	-----	Varies with species	See description in Table 3.
Beach panic grass, Panicum amarum, (Poaceae)	Elliott	1–3’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Wild allamanda, Pentalinon luteum [Urechites luteus], (Apocynaceae)	(L.) B.F.Hansen & Wunderlin	1–2’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	Native, fast-growing, twining vine to 50’. The lustrous, elliptical leaves have lighter-colored midribs. Produces bright-yellow, bell-shaped flowers year-round.
Baby rubber plant , Peperomia obtusifolia* or P. emarginulata, (Piperaceae)	-----	12–18”	Part to full shade	Low	-----	-----	Bushy groundcover with fleshy leaves and occasional spikes of minute flowers. The leaves may be plain green or variegated with gray-green, cream, or gold marbling.
Pennyroyal, Piloblephis rigida [Pycnothymus rigidus, Satureja rigida], (Lamiaceae)	(W.Bartram ex Benth.) Raf.	6–24”	Full sun	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 1.
Bromeliad , Portea petropolitana* [Aechmea petropolitana, P. gardneri], (Bromeliaceae)	Mez	1–3’	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large stemless bromeliad with heavy spines on the thick leaves. The tall flower spikes have narrow, blue-violet flowers.
Moss rose, rose moss *, , (Portulacaceae)	Hook.	4–10”	Full sun	High	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 2.
Purslane , Portulaca oleracea,* (Portulacaceae)	L.	4–10”	Full sun	Moderate	Native	-----	Sprawling, low-growing groundcover with thick, reddish, fleshy stems and abundant flowers in yellow and other colors. Not long lasting and needs excellent drainage.
Bromeliad, Puya berteroniana, (Bromeliaceae)	Mez	1–3’	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	Large bromeliad with blue-green, strap-like foliage and prostrate stems. During the summer, metallic blue flowers with vivid orange stamens form dense panicles. Rosettes of leaves die after flowering, but their surviving offsets grow into new plants.
Inkberry, Scaevola plumieri, (Goodeniaceae)	(L.) Vahl	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Saw palmetto §, Serenoa repens,* (Arecaceae)	(W.Bartram) Small	3–8’	Full sun to part shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Sea purslane, Sesuvium portulacastrum, (Aizoaceae)	(L.) L.	4–8”	Full sun	High	Native	-----	Native, sprawling, succulent groundcover with small, bead-like, light-green to yellow leaves. Good for beachfronts.
Sand cordgrass , Spartina bakeri,* (Poaceae)	-----	3–6’	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Carrion flower, Stapelia spp., (Apocynaceae)	-----	6–12”	Part shade	Moderate	-----	Varies with species	Perennial succulents from southern Africa resembling small cacti in growth habit but lacking thorns. Flowers are wide-open stars, elegant in their symmetry.
Yellow star jasmine, , (Apocynaceae)	Nakai	4–8”	Part to full shade	High	Cult Only	Low risk; NAPU [N,C,S]	Durable, low-growing groundcover with slender stems that form dense, tangled mats. Small, glossy green leaves accompany small, yellow flowers, which have a spicy, jasmine-like fragrance. Not a true jasmine.
Fakahatchee grass §, Tripsacum dactyloides,* (Poaceae)	L.	3–7’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Dwarf Fakahatchee grass §, Tripsacum floridanum,* (Poaceae)	Porter ex Vasey	2–4’	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 7.
Florida coontie , Zamia integrifolia* [Z. floridana], (Zamiaceae)	L.f.	1–4’	Full sun to shade	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.

Table 9. Low-Maintenance Vines, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Purple allamanda , Allamanda blanchetii* [A. violacea], (Apocynaceae)	A.DC.	Moderate	Full sun	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Dutchman's pipe, calico flower , Aristolochia littoralis* [A. elegans], (Aristolochiaceae)	D.Parodi	Fast	Part to full shade	Low	Non-Native	CatII; High risk [N,C,S]	Evergreen vine with heart-shaped, glossy, light-green leaves and unusual 2–5", white-and-purple, upside-down heart-shaped flowers.
Bougainvillea , Bougainvillea* spp., (Nyctaginaceae)	-----	4–30’	Full sun	None	-----	B. glabra & B. spectabilis: NAP [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Tropical wisteria, Callerya reticulata [Millettia reticulata], (Fabaceae)	(Benth.) Schot	Fast	Full sun	Moderate	Non-Native	-----	Very attractive, blue to rose-pink, pea-like flowers in terminal panicles during the summer. Mites and whiteflies are possible pests. Prefers well-drained soil.
Beach bean, Canavalia rosea, (Fabaceae)	(Sw.) DC.	Fast	Full sun	High	Native	-----	See description in Table 8.
Snowberry, Chiococca alba, (Rubiaceae)	Hitchc.	Moderate	Full sun to part shade	Low	Native	-----	See description in Table 3.
Glory bower vine, bleeding heart, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, (Lamiaceae)	Balf.	Moderate	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Interesting weak-stemmed vine with 4" oval green leaves and spectacular sprays of white bracts, which are tipped with red flowers. Produces flowers in the shade.
Violet trumpet vine, Clytostoma callistegioides, (Bignoniaceae)	-----	Fast	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Robust, evergreen woody vine with bright green glossy leaves and 3” lavender to purple, trumpet-shaped flowers; these are followed by large prickly seed pods. Needs lots of room; best to grow on a fence or pergola. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Lingaro, Elaeagnus triflora [E. philippensis], (Elaeagnaceae)	Roxb.	Moderate	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Chinese hat plant, , (Lamiaceae)	Retz.	Fast	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Primrose jasmine, , (Oleaceae)	Hance	Fast	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU & Low risk [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Downy jasmine, , (Oleaceae)	Andrews	Fast	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	NAPU & Low risk [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Hyacinth bean, lablab bean, subsp. purpureus [Dolichos lablab], (Fabaceae)	(L.) Sweet	Moderate	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	Moderate risk but NAPU [N,C,S]	Twining, short-lived perennial with three leaflets and showy, bright-purple flowers and pods. Grown for food in Asia and Africa. Mature beans must be cooked with two changes of water to remove toxins. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Pink allamanda, mandevilla , Mandevilla splendens*, (Apocynaceae)	Woodson	Moderate	Full sun	Moderate	Cult Only	-----	This evergreen, twisting climber has 3–8”, lustrous green, elliptical to rectangular leaves. Deep reddish-pink flowers with yellow centers appear in late spring and early summer.
Garlic vine , Mansoa alliacea* [Pseudocalymma alliaceum], (Bignoniaceae)	(Lam.) A.H.Gentry	Moderate	Full sun	Low	Cult Only	-----	The attractive, trumpet-shaped flowers in lavender, pink, and white appear during spring through fall. Takes hard pruning after flowering. Prefers well-drained soil.
Monstera *§, , (Araceae)	Liebm.	Slow	Full sun to part shade	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]; NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Passionflowers †, Passiflora* spp., (Passifloraceae)	-----	Fast	Full sun to part shade	None	-----	Varies with species	Twining vines with glossy green, 0- to 5-lobed leaves and large, often showy flowers, which are red, white, yellowish, blue or purple. The red, orange, yellow, blue or green fruits are edible berries that usually have air pockets. Numerous butterfly larvae eat the leaves. Passiflora incarnata is native to Florida, but P. biflora is a FLEPPC Category II invasive.†
Wild allamanda, Pentalinon luteum [Urechites luteus], (Apocynaceae)	(L.) B.F.Hansen & Wunderlin	Fast	Full sun to part shade	Moderate	Native	-----	See description in Table 8.
Flame vine, , (Bignoniaceae)	Miers	Moderate	Full sun	Low	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]; NAPU [N,S]; NAPD [C]	Grown for the spectacular terminal panicles of bright-orange flowers produced mainly during the winter and spring. Should be severely cut back after flowering. Scales can be a pest.
Mistletoe cactus, Rhipsalis baccifera, (Cactaceae)	(Sol. ex J.S.Muell.) Stearn	Slow	Light to full shade	None	Non-Native	-----	Hanging epiphytic cactus with stems to 6’ long. Bears flowers, then berries.
Mexican flame vine, Senecio confusus, S. scandens or , (Asteraceae)	-----	Fast	Full sun	Low	-----	Varies with species	Woody, compact, tropical evergreen vine with thick, serrated arrowhead-shaped leaves. Covered with brilliant, orange to red, daisy-like flowers in the summer. Attracts butterflies.
Cup of gold, chalice vine, Solandra maxima, (Solanaceae)	(Sessé & Moc.)P.S.Green	Fast	Full sun to part shade	High	Cult Only	-----	Heavy, woody evergreen vine with ropelike stems, which branch frequently and root at the nodes. The simple shiny leaves accompany huge (6–10” x 4–7"), yellow-to-gold flowers, which smell like coconuts. Requires sturdy support; blooms best during winter dry season, but loses its leaves during droughts.
Jade vine , Strongylodon macrobotrys*, (Fabaceae)	A.Gray	Moderate	Full sun to part shade	Low	Cult Only	-----	Evergreen twining vine with thick woody stems and trifoliate leaves. During the spring and summer, it yields spectacular aquamarine, claw-shaped flowers in huge hanging clusters to 5' long. Best when grown on a sturdy pergola for ideal viewing of the heavy flower clusters.
Cape honeysuckle, Tecoma capensis [], (Bignoniaceae)	Lindl.	Fast	Full sun to part shade	High	Non-Native	High risk [N,C,S]	See description in Table 3.
Yellow star jasmine, , (Apocynaceae)	Nakai	Moderate	Part to full shade	High	Cult Only	Low risk & NAPU [N,C,S]	See description in Table 8.

Table 10. Low-Maintenance Epiphytes, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Bird's nest anthurium §, Anthurium salvinii,* (Araceae)	Hemsl.	3–5'	Part to full shade	None	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Lady-of-the-night , Brassavola nodosa* or B. subulifolia, (Orchidaceae)	-----	10–20”	Bright, filtered light	-----	Cult Only	-----	Epiphytic orchid with short slender stems concealed by tubular sheaths. Gray-green leaves are usually erect, very fleshy, grooved on the upper surface, and semi-cylindrical. Flowers are long-lived, fragrant at night, 3.5–6” across, and vary from pale green or yellowish to nearly pure white.
Butterfly orchid, Encyclia tampensis, (Orchidaceae)	Small	6–18”	Bright, filtered light	-----	Native	-----	Epiphytic orchid that is common and native to most of the Florida peninsula (Wunderlin & Hansen 2011). Flowers are small with greenish-red sepals and narrow, tubular, white or pink petals.
Orchid , Guarianthe skinneri* [Cattleya skinneri], (Orchidaceae)	(Bateman) Dressler & W.E.Higgins	1–2'	Bright, filtered light	-----	Cult Only	-----	Stout erect epiphyte with stiff leathery leaves on top of pseudobulbs. After months of inactivity, erect inflorescences emerge and yield a colorful show of flowers; these are typically tubular, funnel-shaped, uniformly rose-purple and up to 3.5” across. Numerous hybrids exist; all are drought tolerant.
Orchid , Myrmecophila tibicinis* [Schomburgkia tibicinis], (Orchidaceae)	(Bateman) Rolfe	1–6’	Bright, filtered light	-----	Cult Only	-----	Epiphytic orchid with impressive 6’ flower stalks and brownish-orange to magenta flowers. Must be kept dry once new growth is fully developed.
Staghorn fern *, , (Polypodiaceae)	(Cav.) C.Chr.	2–6’	Light to full shade	-----	Non-Native	CatII; Caution [N,C,S]	Epiphytic fern with large flattened fronds that grow out of large, smooth plate-like growths; these wrap around trees or other supporting objects and form nest-like structures. Other Platycerium spp. are also drought tolerant.
Resurrection fern , Pleopeltis michauxiana* [Polypodium polypodioides var. michauxiana], (Polypodiaceae)	(Weath.)Hickey & Sprunt	4–7”	Light to full shade	-----	Native	-----	Epiphytic fern that grows by rhizomes. Very drought-tolerant in humid climates; it comes back to life after being dried, hence the name. The deeply incised fronds are green and unfurled when wet, but curled, gray and scaly when dry. Will cover branches and trunks of trees.
Purple shell orchid , Prosthechea* [Encyclia] cochleata, (Orchidaceae)	(L.)W.E.Higgins	1–2'	Bright, filtered light	-----	Native	-----	Epiphytic orchid with leathery, strap-like leaves. Flowers have twisted sepals and petals, which are greenish-yellow with dark-purple blotches.
Mistletoe cactus, Rhipsalis baccifera, (Cactaceae)	(Sol. ex J.S.Muell.) Stearn	1–6’	Light to full shade	None	Non-Native	-----	See description in Table 9.
Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides, (Bromeliaceae)	(L.) L.	1–5’	Bright, filtered light	-----	Native	-----	Weeping, hanging gray-green epiphyte with tiny, narrow leaves and uncommon, inconspicuous green flowers. Dries up during droughts but springs back to life once the rains return. The related ball moss T. recurvata is also drought tolerant.
Air plants , Tillandsia spp.,* (Bromeliaceae)	-----	2"–5’	Bright, filtered light	-----	-----	-----	Hundreds of varieties including 14 that are native (Wunderlin & Hansen 2011); all have stiff, linear gray-green leaves. Typically, long stalks above the foliage yield colorful but often inconspicuous flowers. Most water and nutrients are absorbed through the leaves (Granados-Mendoza et al. 2017), while the roots serve as wire-like anchors. Thick-leaved varieties tend to be more drought tolerant.

Table 11. Low-Maintenance Herbs and Vegetables, listed in alphabetical order by scientific name.

Common Name, Scientific Name (Family)	Author Name	Size	Light Preference	Salt Tolerance	Establishment	Prohibited or Caution	Description
Dill , Anethum graveolens* or Ridolfia segetum, (Apiaceae)	-----	2–5’	Full sun	None	-----	-----	Erect, freely branched annual herb with fine, lacy blue-green foliage. When grown from seeds, the plants will produce herbaceous flowers, which are small, yellow and borne in large, rounded umbrella-like clusters. May bolt quickly to flowering during prolonged drought.
Orach, French spinach, Atriplex hortensis, (Amaranthaceae)	L.	2–6’	Full sun	-----	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 2.
Pigeonpea, , (Fabaceae)	-----	4–12’	Full sun	-----	Non-Native	NAPU [N,C,S]	Perennial woody shrub which is mainly grown as an annual crop for its peas. Tolerates poor soils, fixes soil nitrogen.
Coriander, cilantro , Coriandrum sativum*, (Apiaceae)	L.	1–3’	Full sun	None	Non-Native	-----	Fine feathery foliage is the source of cilantro, while the dried seeds provide coriander. Small white or pink flowers are borne in flat-topped clusters. Requires well-drained soil and suffers during humid rainy weather; plant in the fall or winter.
Rosemary , Rosmarinus officinalis*, (Lamiaceae)	L.	1–4'	Full sun	High	Cult Only	-----	See description in Table 3.
Mexican tarragon, Tagetes lucida, (Asteraceae)	-----	1–3’	Full sun or part shade	-----	-----	-----	Bushy, semi-woody subshrub with many smooth, upright unbranched stems and yellow flowers, which appear during late fall. Leaves are used to make a soothing, aromatic herbal tea and herbal vinegars. Requires well-drained soil.

Low-Maintenance Landscape Plants for South Florida

Introduction

Criteria

Categories

Table Notes

Selecting the "Right" Plant

Acknowledgments

References

Publication #ENH854

Allamanda schottii

Arachis pintoi

Asclepias curassavica

Begonia cucullata

Calotropis gigantea

Carpobrotus edulis

Cocos nucifera

Cortaderia selloana

Delonix regia

Duranta erecta

Eriobotrya japonica

Furcraea foetida

Helianthus annuus

Leonotis nepetifolia

Liriope muscari

Liriope spicata

Livistona chinensis

Mangifera indica

Monstera deliciosa

Moringa oleifera

Phoenix reclinata

Platycerium bifurcatum

Pyrostegia venusta

Scaevola taccada var sericea

Senna alata

Syagrus romanzoffiana

Tecomaria capensis

Terminalia buceras

Tithonia diversifolia

Triphasia trifolia

Washingtonia robusta

Zamia furfuracea