Top Landscaping Plants in Florida

Gopher Apple (Licania Michauxii)

• This hardy plant serves as the perfect ground cover for Florida landscapes. The main stems of the plant grow beneath the ground and sprout to form a creeping ground cover. The sprigs from the main stems have a low growth habit of 3 to 12 inches in height. Gopher apple grows slowly but tolerates drought conditions. In central and northern Florida, the plant dies back during the winter. In southern Florida, the foliage is evergreen. In late spring, the gopher apple produces clusters of small pale yellow or pale green flowers. Its plum-like ivory fruit has stain-like highlights of red or purple. The deep green leaves of the plant resemble a thin oak leaf and range from 1 1/2 to 4 inches in length.

Carolina Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium Sempervirens)

• The yellow Carolina jessamine (or jasmine) vine fills the landscape with emerald green foliage and yellow fragrant flowers. In Florida, the blooms appear in late winter and last through early spring. This vine is prevalent throughout the South and can even be seen in gardens of southern California. The growth habit of the jessamine tends to be full and compact in bright sun. In shady areas, the plant may climb along fences and trees up to 20 feet in height. Leaves of the yellow Carolina jessamine are shiny, oblong and form in pairs on smooth red-brown stems.

Coontie (Zamia Pumila)

• This Florida native landscape plant looks much like a small palm that reaches a height of 3 feet when fully mature. The coontie, a perennial, grows by producing groups of suckers that develop into plant mounds of up to 6 feet wide. The deep green feather-like leaves are 3 feet long, featuring narrow leaflets with the appearance of fern fronds. The coontie has both male and female reproductive cones. One plant produces both pollen and seeds. Soft to the touch, this cycad does not have the sharp edges like its close relative, the sago palm.

Myrtle Dahoon Holly (Ilex Myrtifolia)

• The myrtle dahoon holly, a hybrid of the myrtle and dahoon hollies, makes a beautiful addition to a natural landscape. The Florida native features tiny, leathery evergreen leaves. This small tree rarely reaches heights of more than 20 feet. To some, the growth habit of the myrtle holly seems chaotic with small branches growing perpendicular to primary branches. It has leaves similar in size and shape to the familiar yaupon holly with a smooth margin. The shrub or tree has small, white flowers that bloom in late winter and early spring. Myrtle dahoon holly produces red, yellow or orange berries that are a quarter-inch in diameter.