Native Plants for a Xeriscape in South Florida

Several South Florida native plants provide attractive foliage or flowers for gardens that intentionally do not use irrigation. A xeriscape -- a landscape planted with water-conserving/drought tolerant plants -- makes particular sense in the sandy soils and high population areas across the region. While these plants don't use much water, ample irrigation is needed when first planted to establish a strong, extensive root system. The South Florida rainy season, from late May to mid-October primarily sustains these native plants later on.

Rufino Osorio, author of "A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants," mentions that trees provide shade and habitat to native fauna. These trees naturally tolerate the climate and sandy soils of South Florida and make good additions to a xeriscape design. Strongbark (Bourreria succulenta), gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), Jamaican caper (Capparis cynophallophora), sea-grape (Coccoloba uvifera), silver buttonwood (Conocarpus erecta), black ironwood (Krugiodendron ferreum), sand live oak (Quercus geminata), slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa), live oak (Quercus virginiana), West Indian mahoghany (Sqietenia mahogoni), strangler fig (Ficus aurea) and lignum-vitae (Guaiacum sanctum) comprise a list of the more ornamental southern Florida native plants to use.

Shrubby palms that resemble thickets of foliage useful in a South Florida xeriscape landscape include saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and scrub palmetto (Sabal etonia). Taller growing palms with an upright trunk with low water requirements are the brittle thatch palm (Thrinaz morrisii), Florida thatch palm (Thrinax radiata) and the buccaneer palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii). Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) also makes a good choice but looks much better if not exposed to as much dry soil as the others.

Osorio notes that some native wildflowers persist for two to four years at most and reseed themselves. Examples of these include Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella), beach sunflower (Helianthus debilis) and tropical sage (Salvia coccinea). Longer enduring flowers for a South Florida xeriscape include the natives butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Florida greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis), prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa) and Adam's needle (Yucca filamentosa).

Tufted clumps of native grasses provide a soft texture to a garden and attractive seed plumes and rustling sound in the wind. These grasses tend to look lusher in soils that aren't continually dry: Florida mock grama (Tripsacum floridana), eastern mock grama (Tripsacum dactyloides), pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) and Elliott's love grass (Eragrostis elliottii).

Additional flower interest comes from these southern Florida native shrubs: firebush (Hamelia patens), Cherokee bean (Erythrina herbacea), joewood (Jacquinia keyensis), pineland lantana (Lantana depressa), Chapman's senna (Senna mexicana var. chapmanii), yellow necklacepod (Sophora tomentosa) and tetrazygia (Tetrazygia bicolor). A native shrub-like cycad is the coontie (Zamia floridana).