Property Border Plants in Florida

Perennial Borders

• Perennials form a permanent border that colors your Florida landscape. Day lilies (Hemerocallis spp.) brighten the front of the border. These 1- to 3-foot-tall perennials bloom from from March through June in shades ranging from light yellow to dark red. They thrive in sun and are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 10. In the mid-border, agapanthus (Agapanthus spp.) blooms with blue flowers atop 3-foot-tall stems. This perennial blooms from summer through fall and is hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11. At the back of the border, plant firebush (Hamelia patens). This Florida native grows in rounded mounds to 6 to 12 feet tall and blooms with orange-red, tube-shaped blossoms through most of the year, attracting hummingbirds. Firebush is hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 and produces the most colorful flowers in full sun.

Low Borders

• For low borders, choose small shrubs such as the snowberry (Chiococca alba), an evergreen that grows as a low shrub or a vine. A Florida native, the snowberry has lustrous, dark foliage and blooms with panicles of white flowers that turn yellow over time. The snowberry is named for the large, white fruits that attract birds. It grows best in sunny, dry sites in USDA zones 10 to 11, where it tolerates coastal conditions. Crown-of-thorns (Euphorbia milii) makes an excellent edging plant for borders. Hardy in USDA zones 9b to 11, it grows from 1 to 5 feet tall and blooms with red bracts when planted in sunny sites. An evergreen, crown-of-thorns grows in dense masses of thorny branches that form an effective border.

Medium Borders

• Plants that grow less than 15 feet tall create a mid-size border. For year-round color in shrubbery border, plant two to three copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana) shrubs. These evergreens have coppery red, heart-shaped foliage and dense branches. They grow from 10 to 15 feet tall and bloom with fuzzy red catkins in summer. The copperleaf is hardy in USDA zones 10b to 11 and prefers sunny sites with regular irrigation. The Spanish bayonet (Yucca aloifolia) adds a dramatic flair to the border with its dark, pointed foliage that, as its name suggests, resembles swords. This evergreen grows to 15 feet tall with a 5-foot spread and guards the border with its sharp fronds. It's hardy in USDA zones 6 to 11 and grows in full sun to full shade and very dry soil.

Taller Borders

• Choose shrubs and trees more than 15 feet tall to create a living fence on your border. The Southern waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera) grows as a large, multi-stemmed shrub but can also be grown as a tree if its lower branches are removed. This evergreen grows rapidly up to 25 feet and has fragrant foliage. It attracts birds with its gray-green fruits and grows in USDA zones 7b to 11. The Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) grows to 50 feet tall and has dense, evergreen foliage, making it suitable for use as a screen or windbreak in a border. Hardy in USDA zones 2 to 9, this native North American tree bears blue fruits and grows well in sunny sites with well-draining soil.