The Best Plants to Landscape Your Yard in Northeast Florida

Hardy Hibiscus

• Hardy hibiscus is an herbaceous perennial that can grow up to 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide. In Northeast Florida, hardy hibiscus will begin to grow in mid-spring and bloom by late spring or early summer. Hardy hibiscus flowers can be up to 12 inches in diameter. Although each flower blooms for only one day, there is a profusion of them that will last well into fall. Hibiscus flowers bloom in shades of red, pink, white, and orange.

  Hardy hibiscus grows in full or partial sun and moist soil. Although most hibiscuses prefer well-drained soil, some cultivars, such as the swamp rosemallow, will grow in tidal zones in swampy conditions.

Spiderwort

• The Spiderwort works well as a ground cover or border plant, according to the Florida Gardener website. Tall, thin green leaves grow from the ground and are succulent, reaching to 15 inches tall. Clusters of three-petaled purple flowers bloom throughout the growing season. Spiderwort is slightly drought-tolerant and prefers to grow in partial shade to full sun. This plant will spread via its roots and will form a ground cover, but it is not generally invasive. Spiderwort grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

• Oakleaf hydrangea is a large deciduous shrub that can grow to 10 feet tall and wide. The leaves of this shrub resemble that of the oak tree. The leaves will also turn red, bronze, or purple in the fall. Oakleaf hydrangea prefers to grow in alkaline soils in partial to full shade. The flowers start white and bloom on cone-shaped clusters that will turn pink as they age. The flowers make beautiful cut flowers and dry well for dried flower arrangements. The Oakleaf hydrangea is found in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 to 9.

Lily of the Nile

• This evergreen perennial thrives in full to partial sun. Dark-green, thin, spear-like leaves grow to about 18 inches high in an arching form. Large clusters of purple or white flower bloom on sturdy stalks reaching to 3 to 4 feet tall. Lily of the Nile, or Agapanthus, grows in well-drained soil. The flowers bloom in late May and early June and, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, are stunning in mass plantings or as an accent plant. Lily of the Nile is found from USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11.