Get Started with Native Plants in October

October is Florida Native Plant Month. There is a slight drop in the heat and humidity and we know it is as fall. It’s the ideal time to check the garden. For the month of October, think of Native Plants and reassess your plants after a long, hot, humid summer season. Florida gardening is year-round and summer can be too hot for many non-native plants to survive.

According to the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS), a Florida native plant is defined as a species that occurs naturally within Florida’s boundaries prior to European contact – which is generally accepted as the 1500s. It means they grow here naturally, having adapted for hundreds or even thousands of years to Florida’s climate and sandy soil, and interacted with our beautiful wildlife. Florida native plants are the true Floridians!

Native Plants have evolved over time and come with many perks for the landscape and for the gardeners:

Support local wildlife. They provide essential food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Many insects depend on native species to survive, making them a critical part of our local food web. Our local wildlife visit, eat, build a nest, raise young, and put a smile on your face.

Save money over time. Many native plants are perennials; they come back year after year, providing you savings and year-round beauty.

According to UF/IFAS, there are nearly 3,000 native plant species and the majority live on dry land.

Southwest Florida falls primarily within USDA Hardiness Zones 9a to 11a, allowing gardeners a diverse range of native plants for year-round gardening.

The Florida Native Plant Society is a good source for information on Florida native plants and their habitats. They have an extensive database/list of native plants, their descriptions, and suggested growing conditions. My landscape is a mix of popular Florida native and Florida friendly plants with an emphasis on pollinators. Here are some top picks: 

Coontie (Zamia pumila). I chose this plant for its history. It is a cycad, which means it is very ancient and most likely a foliage plant for the dinosaurs some 200 million years ago. It is a very slow-growing evergreen shrub that matures to three feet tall and up to five feet wide and is great for edges and contrast. It has a long historical significance to Florida, as the Seminoles made flour for bread from its roots. But it was the Europeans who harvested coontie almost to extinction, producing flour by the tons. It is also important ecologically as the only host plant for the Atala butterfly larvae, another species that was almost extinct.

Sunshine mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) is a native ground cover that thrives in sloped areas. It is adaptable, drought-tolerant, and attract bees and butterflies. This is a nitrogen-fixing plant that improves the soil by converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the plant, thus benefiting both the plant and the environment. 

Firebush (Hamelia patens) is also known as scarlet bush or firecracker shrub. This Florida native has vibrant red and orange tubular flowers, is a great addition to an open space as a semi-hedge, and can easily be pruned to control height. From morning till early evening, the plant is alive with local birds feasting on its berries, hummingbirds for the tubular flowers, and bees and butterflies for the nectar.

Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa) is an underrated native evergreen shrub perfect for a shaded background. Its small white flowers and red berries are a favorite for the birds. All day, local birds are hovering nearby; you don’t need a bird feeder with wild coffee.

Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is native to Florida! This ornamental grass is very popular. In October, it produces a stunning fall display, as its leaves turn into wispy clouds of pink-purple inflorescence (plumes).

On a sunny day, stop by the Calusa Park Butterfly Garden on Winterberry Drive to check out mature Florida natives plants and consider adding these natives to your collection.

Save the Date: The UF/IFAS Naples Yard and Garden Show, October 24 at 14700 Immokalee Road. Some vendors might have the native plant you’ve been looking for!