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There is a growing interest in using more native plants in our landscapes. Native plants arrived here centuries ago, before the Spanish, via wind or birds and managed to survive and thrive together. Exotics were introduced later and continue to be introduced today by people.

Florida has one of the largest populations of native plants in the country. Unfortunately, development is destroying many natural plant communities.

South Florida has lost many of its mangrove communities, beach dune and shore plants to coastal building. Also gone are many dry pine land and palm regions are now occupied by shopping centers and housing developments. Another destroyer of native plants are the invasive exotics which have been introduced and are now crowding out the native plants. The Brazilian pepper, melaleuca, and Australian pine are a few examples of exotics gone wild. Mexican petunias will quickly spread so be careful where you plant these lovely, purple flowers.

Native plants are adapted to our changeable climate. These plants are tough, low maintenance, drought disease and pest tolerant. However, as with exotics you should choose plants adapted to the conditions where they will be planted. For example, don’t plant a slash pine in areas which will be wet or get too much irrigation. Or plant a cypress tree in a high and dry area.

Many of the natives are very colorful and could easily replace exotics in the landscape. Some of the more colorful native trees include the Southern Magnolia with large, white, fragrant blooms in spring and summer. Also smaller trees in the 20 to 30-foot range include the Geiger tree, which has pretty orange flowers most of the year. The yellow Cassia or the Mahoe hibiscus with flowers open yellow in the morning and turn orange and pink to deep red as the day progresses. Most people don’t think of holly trees in Florida but we have several native hollies with beautiful red berries.

Colorful native shrubs include the Beauty berry with deep purple berries which attract birds and butterflies. The Coral Bean has foot-long bright, red spike flowers in spring and summer. Firebush with its orange-red flowers all year also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. And, Lantana comes in colors ranging from yellow-white to red-orange and is another favorite of butterflies.

And instead of those thirsty impatiens every year maybe you should try some native flowers. Near the beach you could try Sea Ox-eye Daisy with its gray leaves and yellow daisy flowers. Also, Beach Sunflower which is a lovely ground cover and the Florida Paintbrush which is a tall flower at 3-foot and prefers dry, sandy areas. Coreopsis is another tall flower with daisy-like flowers which can flower all year. A lovely, Zinnia-like flower is the Gaillardia or Blanket flower. These are usually orange or maroon and are 1 to 1 and a half feet tall.

There are many Iris and Lilies native to Florida and a Verbena with rose to purple flowers.

While native plants are not as easy to find as the often used exotics, more and more nurseries are beginning to carry them. The Florida Native Plant Society can lead you to native plant nurseries and the Collier County Extension Office most likely has a list of nurseries. Even if you don’t want to go completely native, mixing a few into your landscape will help preserve these plants which have been a part of Florida for centuries.

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Eileen Ward and her husband, Peter, own and operate Greensward of Marco Inc., a lawn maintenance and landscaping company. Besides completing horticultural courses from the University of Florida, she has a commercial maintenance spray license and is a registered dealer in agricultural products in Florida. To reach Ward, call 394-1413.