Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Native to Florida and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Aug and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Florida · Zones 8–11
Native Plants for Florida
Florida gardens sit in the Southeast — a landscape of longleaf pine, oak-hickory woods, and warm humid bottomlands. The plants below evolved with that climate (subtropical to tropical, wet summers) and are hardy through zones 8–11, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Southeast
Ecoregion: Florida flatwoods, scrub & subtropical south
Collections for Florida
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Florida. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
52 native species
For bees
49 native species
Butterflies
46 native species
Hummingbirds
15 native species
For birds
26 native species
Deer-resistant
38 native species
Full sun
48 native species
For shade
16 native species
Drought-tolerant
28 native species
Clay soil
45 native species
Rain garden
24 native species
Groundcovers
9 native species
Flowering shrubs
13 native species
Grasses
6 native species
Low-maintenance
29 native species
Evergreen
5 native species
Fall color
13 native species
Fragrant
9 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Florida.
A cross-section of the 61 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Florida, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A Florida native at 2.5–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Native to Florida and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in Sep and Oct and reaches 3–5 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Native to Florida and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in May and Jun and reaches 6–10 ft.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
A Florida native at 1.5–2 ft tall that blooms Apr through Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A Florida native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms May through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Native to Florida and hardy in zones 5–9; it blooms Jun through Aug and reaches 5–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
2–3 ft tall and it flowers in Aug and Sep — an easy fit for Florida, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Native to Florida and hardy in zones 6–10; it flowers in Jun and Jul and reaches 4–7 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
6–12 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Florida, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
2–3 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Florida, hardy in zones 4–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
Native to Florida and hardy in zones 5–9; it blooms May through Jul and reaches 4–8 ft.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A Florida native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms Jun through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
5–8 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Florida, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
A Florida native at 12–18 in tall that blooms Apr through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Sourcing
Where to buy Florida natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.