At a glance
- Region ID: SOUTH-FL
- Anchor cities: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Naples
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 10b–11a
- Soil: Coral rock, limestone substrate, alkaline, often shallow with limited organic layer
- Catalog size: 72 plants
- Climate factors: No true winter, wet season June–October, dry season November–May, hurricane risk June–November, salt air, year-round growing season
Pruning & maintenance calendar
January – February
Dry season. Bougainvillea hard cutback. Plumbago hard cutback. Major structural pruning window — best time for significant reshaping before wet season growth surge.
March – April
Dry season continues. Palm frond cleanup. Pre-wet-season preparation — inspect irrigation, assess structural integrity of mature trees.
May – June
Wet season begins. Hurricane prep — dead frond removal, structural inspection of canopy trees. Chinch bug monitoring on St. Augustine begins in earnest.
July – September
Peak wet season. Afternoon thunderstorms daily. Fungal pressure at peak. Growth surge on tropicals — hedges may need weekly attention. Entomosporium pressure heavy in sustained humidity.
October – November
Hurricane season wanes. Fall planting window — the best time to install new material before dry season establishment period. Transition to dry season irrigation schedules.
December
Dry season. Tourist season — landscape appearance matters more for commercial and HOA properties. Minimal structural work. Focus on detail maintenance and color rotation.
Regional pest & pathogen pressure
- Lethal bronzing on palms — phytoplasma disease, fatal, no cure. Preventive oxytetracycline trunk injection is the only management option. Tell: one-sided fruit drop, premature fruit color change, progressive frond collapse from lower canopy upward.
- Rugose spiraling whitefly — heavy on palms, coconut, gumbo limbo. Tell: white waxy spirals on leaf undersides; heavy sooty mold below.
- Southern chinch bug on St. Augustinegrass — year-round pressure in South Florida; no winter reprieve. Tell: expanding yellow-to-brown patches in sunny lawn portions; tiny black-and-white bugs at patch margins.
- Bougainvillea looper caterpillar — defoliates rapidly. Tell: skeletonized leaves, green caterpillars matching leaf color, frass on ground below.
- Ficus whitefly — has devastated ficus hedges regionwide, driving the shift to native hedge alternatives (cocoplum, Simpson's stopper, clusia).
- Invasive green iguanas — browse on hibiscus, bougainvillea, orchids, and many ornamentals. Dig burrows that damage infrastructure. Florida allows humane removal on private property.
- Hurricane wind damage — annual risk. Species selection for wind resistance is critical. Cabbage palm and live oak among the most resistant.
- Sooty mold following whitefly — cosmetic but highly visible to clients. Resolves when whitefly population is managed.
- Lobate lac scale — increasing on many ornamental species throughout South Florida. Tell: raised, reddish-brown bumps on twigs and branches; heavy honeydew and sooty mold.
Core staples (commonness 1)
Currently: 13 of 13 core staples profiled. Full catalog tracked in the catalog data.
Bougainvillea
Core staplePruning — January–February hard cutback
Year-round color in frost-free zones. Drought stress triggers heavier bloom — overwatering produces foliage at the expense of bracts. Thorny; site away from pedestrian paths. Hard cutback in dry season promotes vigorous spring bloom flush.
Common pests
Pest Bougainvillea looper caterpillar
Primary concern. Green caterpillars that match leaf color — camouflaged and easily missed until defoliation is significant. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is the standard cultural control. Inspect undersides of leaves regularly during growing season.
Cocoplum
Core staple · NativePruning — as needed year-round
Native hedging workhorse replacing ficus throughout South Florida. Red Tip cultivar is the landscape standard — new growth flushes red, maturing to glossy green. Extremely low maintenance. Tolerates heavy hedging, salt spray, and poor soils. Edible fruit attracts wildlife.
Cultural notes
The single most important native hedge replacement following the ficus whitefly crisis. Available in both green-tip (species form) and red-tip cultivar. Rarely has significant pest or disease issues — one of the lowest-maintenance hedge options available in the region.
Simpson's Stopper
Core staple · NativePruning — minimal; light shaping as needed
Replacing ficus and podocarpus as a hedge and specimen plant throughout South Florida. Fragrant white flowers, small orange-red berries attract birds. Dense canopy, attractive bark. Increasingly specified by landscape architects for native-first designs.
Cultural notes
One of the best native alternatives for formal and informal hedging. Slower-growing than ficus but virtually pest-free. Tolerates a range of soil conditions including the limestone substrate common throughout the region.
Plumbago
Core staplePruning — January–February hard cutback
Year-round bloom in frost-free South Florida. Sky-blue flower clusters. Sprawling habit — needs regular shaping or a structure to lean against. Hard cutback in dry season renews form and promotes dense new growth.
Cultural notes
Host plant for the Cassius blue butterfly — larvae feed on flower buds. Generally welcomed as ecological value; minor aesthetic impact. One of the most reliable blue-flowering shrubs for the region.
Cabbage Palm
Core staple · NativePruning — dead frond removal only
Florida state tree. One of the most hurricane-resistant trees — survives storms that destroy other species. Never over-prune; removing green fronds weakens the palm and does not reduce hurricane risk. Dead frond removal before hurricane season is essential for reducing projectile hazard.
Common pathogens
Disease Lethal bronzing
Emerging phytoplasma disease, fatal. No cure once symptomatic. Preventive oxytetracycline trunk injection is the only management option. Tell: one-sided fruit drop, premature fruit color change, progressive frond collapse from lower canopy upward.
Esperanza / Yellow Bells
Core staplePruning — late winter shaping; deadheading optional
Year-round bloom in frost-free zones — bright yellow trumpet flowers. Heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant once established. Fast growth rate. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Low pest pressure overall.
Bird of Paradise
Core staplePruning — remove spent flower stalks and dead leaves
Reliable year-round bloom potential in South Florida. Iconic tropical form. Clump-forming; divide every 3–5 years to maintain vigor and bloom production. Low pest pressure. Deer-resistant.
Wax Myrtle
Core staple · NativePruning — as needed for shape and size control
Fast-growing native privacy screen. Aromatic foliage. Tolerates wet and dry conditions. Waxy berries attract birds. Can be trained as a small tree or maintained as a dense hedge. One of the fastest native screening options available.
Live Oak
Core staple · NativePruning — late summer or fall
Iconic shade tree, salt-tolerant, drought-tolerant, hurricane-resistant. Spanish moss draping is epiphytic and harmless. Surface roots extensive at maturity — site away from structures, hardscape, and underground utilities. One of the most wind-resistant broadleaf trees for hurricane zones.
Indian Hawthorn
Core staplePruning — immediately after spring bloom
Salt-tolerant foundation shrub. Entomosporium leaf spot pressure is heavy in South Florida's sustained humidity. Resistant cultivars (Eleanor Taber, Snow White, Olivia) and substitute species Distylium increasingly specified.
Common pathogens
Disease Entomosporium leaf spot
Reddish-purple spots progressing to brown blotches and significant leaf drop. Pressure heavily correlated with overhead irrigation, sheared-canopy plantings, and South Florida's sustained summer humidity.
Lantana
Core staplePruning — hard cutback as needed; year-round bloom
Heat and drought workhorse. Florida invasive status — sterile cultivars only (New Gold, Bloomify, Bandana). Several Florida counties prohibit non-native lantana species. All parts toxic if ingested. Lace bug pressure mid-summer.
St. Augustinegrass
Core stapleMowing height — 3.5–4 inches standard, 2.5 inches dwarf cultivars
Regional turf default. Chinch bug pressure is year-round in South Florida — no winter reprieve this far south. Maintain at proper mowing height to suppress pest pressure and weed encroachment. Use sharp blades — wide leaf blades show torn edges immediately when dull.
Common pests
Pest Southern chinch bug
Year-round pressure in South Florida. Irregular yellow-to-brown patches in sunny lawn portions, expanding outward. Tiny black-and-white bugs at the soil surface at patch margins. The defining pest of St. Augustine throughout the region.
Firebush
Core staple · NativePruning — minimal; shape as needed
Native hummingbird plant with year-round bloom in South Florida — no dieback, no dormancy. Continuous orange-red tubular flowers. Confirm species at purchase — the native Hamelia patens var. patens has been diluted by African hybrids in the nursery trade; only the native form has full ecological value.
Inside the app
Skip the spreadsheet. Verdant Meridian seeds your library with the regional palette on day one.
Pick your region at onboarding — the app loads commonness-1 and commonness-2 plants into your element library.
Try Free — 30 DaysHow this list was built
Compiled from regional wholesale grower availability lists — not retail garden references. No chemical, fungicide, or product recommendations appear anywhere in this database. Diagnostic and cultural information only.
FAQ
What hardiness zone is Miami?
Miami is USDA Zone 10b coastal, 11a at the southern tip. Fort Lauderdale is 10b. Naples is 10a–10b. South Florida is tropical/subtropical with no true winter, a wet season June through October, and dry season November through May.
What is replacing ficus hedges in South Florida?
Cocoplum (Red Tip cultivar), Simpson's stopper, and clusia are the primary replacements. Ficus whitefly devastated ficus hedges regionwide, driving a landscape-wide shift to native and resistant alternatives.
Is cabbage palm hurricane-resistant?
Yes. Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) is one of the most wind-resistant trees and the Florida state tree. It routinely survives hurricanes that destroy other species due to its flexible trunk and minimal wind resistance profile.
Are iguanas damaging my plants?
Invasive green iguanas browse on hibiscus, bougainvillea, orchids, and many ornamentals. They also dig burrows that damage infrastructure. Florida allows humane removal on private property.
When is hurricane season in Florida?
June through November. Peak activity is August through October. Pre-season structural pruning and dead frond removal is essential for reducing wind damage risk to landscapes and structures.
Cite this page
Verdant Meridian, “South Florida Subtropical Plant Palette,”
verdantmeridian.app/regions/south-florida, updated May 2026. CC-BY-4.0. Raw data: /data/plants.json.Published under CC-BY-4.0. Free to use, redistribute, build on — attribution required.
