Every garden needs some structure and grounding. This can be achieved with the addition of larger statement shrubs and trees that you then design the rest of the plantings around. Read on for four Florida-Friendly flowering shrub options that will attract wildlife and bring beauty to the landscape.
If you’d like to attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds to your yard plant a firebush!
Extremely heat and drought tolerant, you can’t go wrong with this long blooming shrub, but be sure to give it plenty of room to grow to its full 8-10′ potential. Songbirds enjoy the berries that appear in fall after the blooms fade. In N FL it will die back after a hard freeze and regrow quickly from the roots come spring.
A great option for a shady area of the landscape, Hamelia patens var patens is native to South FL. Buyer beware: oftentimes the non-native Hamelia patens var glabra is sold under the name Hamelia patens “Compacta” or “Dwarf” and it is neither native nor small. Read more here.
The radiant golden blooms of thyrallis shower your garden with brilliance, adding cheer and beauty all summer and fall.
A beneficial source of nectar, butterflies constantly flock to the flowers of this plant. Galphimia glauca, also known as golden thyrallis, is a delightful evergreen flowering shrub. It graces gardens with its abundant clusters of yellow, star-shaped flowers. It thrives in full sun and doesn’t need a lot of water. Thryallis’ airy, mounding form needs no pruning, making it very low maintenance. Left to its own it will reach heights of 5-9′ and widths of 4-6′.
Native to Mexico and Central America, Florida-Friendly thryallis is well-adapted to USDA climate zones 9-11 and is not considered invasive. If a freeze occurs, plants may sustain some damage but generally grow back from the roots without issue. If you struggle with wildlife eating your plants, another superb quality of this plant is its resistance to deer and rabbit browsing.
Meet: Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly known as oakleaf hydrangea.
Countless paper-thin ivory flowers unfold, creating a dazzling contrast against the dark green backdrop of large oak-shaped foliage. Arguably one of the most manageable and beautiful of Florida’s native flowering shrubs for a landscape setting, oakleaf hydrangea prefers part shade and rich, damp, slightly acidic soils. It is not salt tolerant. These characteristics make it a great specimen choice for understory plantings.
Growing naturally 6-10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide, these boisterous beauties need a fair amount of room. Limited on space? Try one of the more compact nativars (cultivars of native species) such as “Pee Wee”.
As its native range in Florida includes only the northwest portion of the state it may be short-lived and need a little more care when planted south of the panhandle. Here in NE FL, we can expect the showy blooms to appear in late spring through summer. The cone shaped flower clusters stay on the plant for several months, fading from white to pink or purple and eventually tan.
Oakleaf hydrangea are deciduous but their interesting bark still adds interest even when the stems are dormant and barren. Plants can grow a bit leggy. Pinching back the fresh growth at the end of the stems will promote branching and bushiness. If pruning is needed, plan to do it after flowering.
Groundsel, sea myrtle, saltbush, or botanically speaking, Baccharis halimifolia, this snowy shrub goes by many names.
Although it may go unnoticed when not in bloom, its abundant fluffy flowers in late fall cannot be overlooked. The tassel shaped “flowers” of groundsel are actually hairs on the ripe fruits.
This Florida native woody shrub is seldom featured in residential landscaping, yet it is particularly well-suited for gardens throughout the state.
In South Florida a saltbush keeps its leaves year round, but in the more northern parts of the state it is deciduous. As an added bonus, saltbush is a nectar plant for butterflies including monarchs. It is a favorite of many native bee species as well!
In its natural environment, it flourishes in moist regions or alongside ponds. It’s also capable of thriving in drier areas. This quality makes it an excellent selection for rain gardens and stormwater pond plantings. For information about creating a rain garden and a full list of suggested plants for Duval County see Rain Gardens Design and Plant List.
For more Florida-Friendly plants that will fit seamlessly into your landscape, use the FFL Plant Guide App to search and filter options recommended for your zip code and growing conditions. Don’t forget to follow along on Flower Fridays when we celebrate all things blooming in Florida!
Article written by Stephanie Means, Duval County Master Gardener Volunteer and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program Assistant for UF/IFAS Extension Duval County.
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