Tick flowers are like tiny sundrops, so it makes sense that they would be the official wildflower of the Sunshine State. There are more than 100 different species and cultivars of ticks, but most are bright yellow with a brown ring around the center. Like most wildflowers, they bloom in spring and summer. The USDA has developed “plant hardiness zones” that represent the lowest annual temperatures in an area.
The zones range from 1a (the coldest) to 13b (the hottest). Florida's hardiness zones range from 8a in the northwest to 11a in the southeast. It is important to know the hardiness zone in your area and always make sure that a plant is suitable for your area before buying it. Otherwise, the plants could freeze and die in winter.
Beautiful azaleas are some of the most recognizable flowering shrubs and trees in Florida. They are closely related to rhododendrons and come from the same genus. Azaleas can be deciduous or evergreen and prefer to grow in wooded or shady wetland areas. Pine trees are among Florida's native plants; some of them work very well for family gardens with large spaces.
However, only one variety of Crinum plants is native to the Southeast: the swamp lily, which is often confused with the stream spider lily. The bright green medium-sized leaves of coral honeysuckle are attractive enough to become the backdrop for other plants in your garden. In general, aguileña is a wildflower that comes in many colors, but species native to Florida have interesting red and yellow flowers that attract hummingbirds. You can let them grow tall and use them as a hedge or windbreak or prune them shorter as an ornamental plant in the landscape.
Native to South Florida and the Keys, gumbo-limbo is a wind-tolerant tree that withstands frequent hurricanes in the area. This law is in effect to protect Florida's 170 native wildflower species, especially threatened or endangered plants. Florida is home to many wildflower plants, several of which grow along the road and others thrive in the garden. These iconic wildflowers grow as perennials in Florida and thrive in humid, sunny habitats, such as pine forests.
This tree emits beautiful fall colors in muted oranges and yellows, and Florida's older maples have attractive ribbed gray bark. Researching the specific species you want to have in your garden is essential to find out what conditions it needs before planting them. Another plant native to South Florida is the Gumbo-Limbo tree, a large semi-evergreen tropical tree that can reach sixty feet in height. The visual effect works best when several tufts are planted together in a group or as a border around a landscape bed.
These evergreen plants, deciduous in the north and perennial in the south, thrive in the rocky pine lands of Florida. Yucca has different varieties, including Mound Lily Yucca, Adam's Needles and Spanish Bayonet, all of which are native Florida plants and are commonly available in nurseries. Central Florida swamps offer gardeners an opportunity to create beautiful landscapes with native plants that thrive in this unique environment. Knowing which plants are best suited for this region will help you create a stunning garden that will last for years to come.
