The Best Native Plants to Use in Your Sarasota Landscape Design
Discover the best plants to add to your Florida landscape with our native guide.
There are many reasons to adopt a landscape of native plants. For one, it’s great for sustainability and creates an eco-friendly environment for local ecosystems and wildlife. Additionally, native plants are naturally adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, meaning they require less hands-on maintenance and have a higher chance of staying healthy. Sarasota’s hot tropical environment weeds out a lot of plants that are grown throughout the rest of the country, and opting for native plants will yield a beautiful landscape that will thrive.
This blog post will explore some of the best native plants to incorporate in your Sarasota landscape design.
COONTIE (ZAMIA PUMILA)
Coontie is a beautiful and hardy native plant commonly found in Sarasota. It is a slow-growing plant that produces long, feathery leaves reaching three feet long. The leaves are a beautiful shade of green, and the plant has small, yellow flowers in the spring. Coontie is an excellent plant for landscape design because it is low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and can be used as a ground cover or as an accent plant.
FIREBUSH (HAMELIA PATENS)
Firebush is a versatile native plant commonly used in Sarasota landscape design. It is a fast-growing shrub that can reach up to 8 feet in height and produces beautiful red, orange, or yellow flowers. It is a great plant to use in hedges, as a screen, or as a specimen plant. Firebush is drought-tolerant and attracts a variety of pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds.
SIMPSON'S STOPPER (MYRCIANTHES FRAGRANS)
Simpson's stopper is a native tree commonly found in Sarasota coastal areas. It produces small, fragrant white flowers and bright red fruit, a local wildlife favorite. Simpson's stopper is drought-tolerant and can be used as a specimen plant or in a hedge.
SUNSHINE MIMOSA (MIMOSA STRIGILLOSA)
Sunshine mimosa is a low-growing native plant that is perfect for ground cover. It produces small, pink flowers in the summer and has beautiful, fern-like foliage. Sunshine mimosa is drought-tolerant and can be used to prevent erosion on slopes or as a lawn substitute.
SEAGRAPE (COCCOLOBA UVIFERA)
Seagrape is a beautiful and valuable native tree commonly found in Sarasota coastal areas. It produces large, circular leaves that are a lovely shade of green and provides excellent shade. Seagrape is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant and can be used as a specimen plant or in a hedge.
BLANKETFLOWER (GAILLARDIA PULCHELLA)
Blanketflower is a native wildflower that is commonly found in Sarasota. It produces beautiful, daisy-like flowers that are a combination of yellow, red, and orange. Blanketflower is drought-tolerant, attracts pollinators, and can be used in a wildflower garden or as an accent plant.
WAX MYRTLE (MYRICA CERIFERA)
Wax myrtle is a versatile native tree commonly used in Sarasota landscape design. It produces fragrant, waxy berries that are a favorite of local wildlife and has attractive, evergreen foliage. Wax myrtle is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant and can be used as a screen or in a hedge.
SABAL PALM (SABAL PALMETTO)
Sabal palm is a beautiful and iconic native tree commonly found in Sarasota. Sabal palm is a beautiful and iconic native tree widely found in Sarasota. It produces large, fan-shaped leaves and can reach up to 80 feet in height. Sabal palm is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant, providing habitat for various local wildlife. It is a great tree to use as a focal point in landscape design or as a shade tree.
In conclusion, there are many great native plants to choose from when designing your Sarasota landscape. Consider incorporating some of these native plants into your landscape design and enjoy the benefits of a beautiful, eco-friendly landscape. Using native plants, you can create a beautiful and sustainable landscape that requires less maintenance and provides a habitat for local wildlife.
Have questions about landscaping design and maintenance in Southwest Florida? Contact Arbor Landscapes for all of your needs. Our experts are available to provide you with a free at-home consultation.
