Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Friday - May 09, 2008

From: Winter Garden, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Container Gardens, Cacti and Succulents, Herbs/Forbs, Shrubs
Title: Plants for pool area in Florida
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

My husband and I have a pool with 4 planters and are looking for plants that we can put into our screened in pool area. We live in Central Florida and looking for ideas of plants that are slow growing and small with not too much height. Can you please give us some ideas? Thank you

ANSWER:

There are a couple of ways to find recommended plants for Florida. First, you can go to our Florida Recommended page on the Wildflower Center web site to find a list of native plants that are commercially available for landscaping in Florida. Most species have photos with the text. The second source for recommended plants for Florida is the Florida Native Plant Society. In the Florida Native Plant Society's "Natives to Grow in Orange County" list it gives the name, the form of the plant (shrub, tree, etc.) and its tolerance for wet and dry soils, tolerance for salt and usefulness for butterflies and wildlife. There are no photos accompanying this list, but you can find photos for most of the ones on the list by searching in our Native Plant Database under the scientific name.

Here are a few choices from the two lists:

Ceratiola ericoides (sand heath) is a small sub-shrub that resembles rosemary.

Phlox nivalis (trailing phlox)

Rhexia mariana (Maryland meadowbeauty)

Salvia coccinea (blood sage)

Amsonia ciliata (fringed bluestar)

Berlandiera subacaulis (Florida greeneyes)

Conoclinium coelestinum (blue mistflower)

Morella cerifera (wax myrtle). There are dwarf cultivars of this species.

Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)

Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit)

Rhapidophyllum hystrix (needle palm). Here is a photo and more information.