Central Florida Landscape Plants

Palms

• Palms are well-suited to the humid subtropical climate and environment of central Florida and are versatile landscaping trees and shrubs. Sabal palmetto, pindo palm and pygmy date palm are three of many palms that grow well in central Florida. Sabal palmetto, also called cabbage palm, grows 50 feet tall, has a single, unbranching trunk with shaggy bark and a large palm leaf canopy at the top. It is drought- and salt-tolerant, and is the state tree of Florida. Pindo palm, also called feather palm, grows up to 20 feet tall, with a thick trunk and long bluish or gray green feathery leaves. Pindo palms produce a lot of fruit, called pindo palm dates, which can be avoided if undesired by removing flower stalks. Pygmy date palm is a slow-growing, small, 8- to 10-foot high shrub palm with long spear-like leaves and sharp spines. It has a rounded, mounding growth habit and grows well in any soil.

Aloe

• Aloe is a succulent plant with long spear-shaped leaves filled with wet gel. The plant grows in a clump from a central base and is light green to gray green in color. The plant grows best in well-drained sandy soil or soil mixed with gravel. Aloe grows up to 2 feet high and multiplies by sending up plantlets from roots. It is a good border plant and foundation plant in central Florida.

Butterfly Bush

• Butterfly bush is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 12 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It has tall, arching stems with clusters of tiny flowers at the ends, in purple, pink, white or yellow. Many flowers are fragrant and all are attractive to butterflies. Butterfly bush needs well-drained soil and tolerates dry conditions. It is a good foundation plant or hedge plant.

Canna Lily

• Canna lilies are attractive flowering plants that grow from tubers. They have wide furled leaves in a variety of colors from green to light- and dark-green striped to burgundy and bronze. The flowers rise from the center of the leaves on a tall stalk in red, orange, yellow, pink and peach frilly blooms. Cannas need rich, moist soil and full sun. They grow 3 to 4 feet high, with dwarf varieties only 2 feet tall. Cannas multiply by sending up new plants from underground tubers.

Azalea

• Azaleas are deciduous shrubs with glossy green leaves and showy flowers in pink and white. Azaleas require acidic soil and won't grow in alkaline soil and are not drought-tolerant. They grow well in a variety of light conditions, from full sun to light shade. Azaleas are attractive, colorful foundation plants if planting beds are well-prepared with the right kind of soil.