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Native plants give us a sense of where we are in this great land of ours. – Lady Bird Johnson
A native plant is one that originates or occurs naturally in a place. As further applied in Florida, our native plants are those species that were growing in Florida prior to the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th Century. There are an amazing array of native plants available to the Southwest Florida homeowner. This article presents three for your consideration, Firebush, Passion Flower, and Blanket Flower.
One example of a striking native bush is the perennial Hamilia patens, also known as Firebush. As the name implies, this plant produces striking, bright red tubular flowers practically year round in Southwest Florida, attracting hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, such as the Florida native zebra longwing . Birds enjoy feasting on the berries that are produced in the aftermath of blooming.
The perennial Firebush does well in full sun to part shade and is not particularly picky when it comes to soil pH, whether more on the acidic or alkaline side. Sufficient watering is a must while getting established. However, once established it can prove to be quite drought tolerant, meaning the plant will do well with minimal water or rainfall. Being a fast grower, Firebush can reach a height of 12 feet and spread to 8 feet. However, occasional pruning works well to manage excess growth. Make certain to avoid pruning away too much of the plant; otherwise, you may inadvertently reduce blooms.
Another native perennial is Purple Passion Flower, also known as Passiflora incarnata. Passion Flower enjoys full sun and acidic to slightly alkaline soil. Drought tolerant once established, the vine's showy, fringed lavender-purple blooms are extremely eye-catching, with single-day blooms in view from summer to fall. The plant can reach heights of 20 feet and can quickly take over the area in which it is planted. To accommodate its quick growing habit, provide a trellis or other structure that allows the vine ample opportunity to spread. For control purposes, you can prune up to a third of the growth in late winter. Fun fact: Passion Flower is also known by other names, one being Maypop. The reason? The vine's fruits pop when crushed.
Gaillardia pulchella, not to be confused with G. aristata or similar nonnative pulchella hybrids, is a prolific bloomer year round in Southwest Florida. Also known as Blanketflower, the plant reaches a height of less than two feet, with a much wider spread. Because of its penchant to readily re-seed, providing an area where it can spread freely is ideal. Removing older growth periodically will keep growth manageable and the landscape look vibrant. The plant does not disappoint. Its striking flowers normally boast a red inner band, with outer yellow tips and dark center. As with Firebush and Purple Passion Flower, it is drought tolerant once established. Plant in full sun for best results.
Additional information regarding Florida native plants can be found at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/native-plants/. If you are considering adding native plants to your landscape and are searching for a native nursery, visit PlantRealFlorida.org for a list of nurseries near you.
Happy Gardening!
Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.
Sources:
Firebush. (n.d.). UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. Retrieved from https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/firebush.html
Gaillardia. (n.d.). UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. Retrieved from https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/gaillardia.html
Norcini, J. (2019, February). Native plants: an overview. UF/IFAS Extension. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP297
Passion flower. (n.d.). UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. Retrieved from https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/passion-flower.html