15 Florida Drought-Tolerant Plants

Florida Drought-Tolerant Plants

When you first move to Florida, the plants that you bring with you from another area of the country may not do well in the humidity and the heat in Florida. An easy to care for garden for this state would include drought-tolerant plants that can do without a lot of water in intense heat.

In this guide, we are going to discuss some of the options that will not require as much care throughout the year.

These 15 plants are colorful and can help create a spectacular garden.

Blanket Flower

Blanket-Flower

If you like flowers that resemble daisies, this is a plant that has orange petals that get lighter towards the tips. It is a plant that does not require a lot of water, but it does need well-draining soil to thrive. It also can grow in full to partial sun, but with too little light, the blooms can droop.

Firebush

Firebush

This shrub is an excellent option for most gardens, and it will help attract pollinators to your garden because of the red flowers that it creates. It will flower best in full sun, but it will still grow in partial sun. It is tolerant of salt, and it needs well-drained soil to grow.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

Beautyberry-(Callicarpa-americana)

The beautyberry is a shrub that can grow to be four to five feet tall. It needs fertile, slightly acidic soil and full to partial sun to grow. It has light pink blooms, but the berries are a shade of lavender that will look grow in clusters and add to the coloration of your garden.

Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)

Buttonwood-(Conocarpus-erectus)

Buttonwood is a lovely accent tree that has silver foliage that will stand out in a mostly green garden. They need full sun to keep the silver color, but they can still grow in partial shade. They can grow to be between 10 and 20 feet, and they are drought-tolerant, so they will survive dry spells easily.

Desert Rose

Desert-Rose

This is a succulent plant that thrives in high temperatures and a lot of sun. They need to grow in well-drained soil. The blooms, which can be seen during the warmer months, are pink, red, and white. They can grow to be four feet tall, but during the wintertime, the leaves may drop.

Crown of Thorns

Crown-of-Thorns

If you like red blooms, this is a plant that will produce them from spring until summer has ended. It is a succulent, so it does not require a lot of water, but it tends to do best in indirect light. It also doesn’t like to grow in temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yellow Pine (Pinus palustris)

Yellow-Pine-(Pinus palustris)

Yellow pine is a tree that can easily grow to be over 100 feet tall and 40 feet wide if you have the space. It prefers to grow in full-sun conditions, but it can tolerate some shade. It will do well in hot, humid conditions, but it does need well-drained soil.

Orange geiger Tree (Cordia sebestena)

Orange-geiger-Tree-(Cordia sebestena)

This is a tree that has bright orange blooms, and it will do a great job of attracting hummingbirds to your garden. It is a low-maintenance plant that can grow to be 20 feet tall. It is salt-tolerant, but it will need to be protected from high winds. It needs full to partial sun to grow.

Dwarf Poinciana Tree (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Dwarf-Poinciana-Tree-(Caesalpinia-pulcherrima)

The dwarf poinciana tree is a small tree that has fern-like foliage and bright orange to red blooms that will attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden. It is a salt- and drought-tolerant plant. It prefers full sun and will need to be cut back in the fall to encourage new growth in the spring.

Texas Sage

Texas-Sage

Texas sage is a plant that has beautiful silver foliage and soft purple flowers that bloom in the spring and summer of the year. As the humidity rises, the blooms seem to become more plentiful. They prefer full sun and soil that has good drainage. It should also be fertilized once or twice a year.

Baby Sun Rose (Aptenia cordifolia)

Baby-Sun-Rose-(Aptenia-cordifolia)

The baby sun rose is an excellent ground cover that can be planted in hot areas. It produces bright red bloom, and it needs full sun to thrive. It is a salt-tolerant plant, so it will not have an issue growing near the beaches of Florida. Trim the plant in early spring so that you can get rid of any winter damage before the growing season.

Green Island Ficus (Ficus microcarpa)

Green-Island-Ficus-(Ficus-microcarpa)

This is a small shrub that does not require a lot to maintain. It grows slowly, so with the right trimmings, it can be kept relatively small. It can grow in full sun, partial sun, or partial shade. It is a salt-tolerant plant as well. The milky sap that is inside of the stem contains toxins that could potentially irritate your skin.

Frangipani Tree (Plumeria)

Frangipani-Tree-(Plumeria)

If you like exotic, colorful trees in your garden, then the frangipani tree is a great option to consider. It blooms red, pink, yellow, and multi-colored flowers during late spring, and the blooms continue until the end of summer. It can easily grow to be 20 feet tall with full-sun conditions and well-draining soil.

Simpson’s Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)

Simpson's-Stopper-(Myrcianthes-fragrans)

This is a shrub that will attract butterflies and birds to your garden. It is a cold-hardy plant that is tolerant of salt and dry conditions. Blooms are white and appear during the spring, and it also produces berries that are bright red. It can grow in any type of sunlight, and it’s typically about eight feet in height.

Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnia recurvata)

Ponytail-Palm-(Beaucarnia-recurvata)

Even though this looks like a palm tree, it is actually a succulent from the Agave family. It is also known as an elephant foot tree because of the large trunk that holds water for the dry times of the year. They need full sun, well-draining soil, and very little water to grow.