USDA Hardiness Zones

• Florida encompasses four hardiness zones ranging from zone 8 through 11. Any ornamental plant suitable for the appropriate zone can be considered. Plants are usually tagged indicating the zone. If not, ask the plant specialist at your neighborhood garden center for assistance.
  
  

Growing Regions

• Aside from using the hardiness zone guide, Florida has four distinct growing regions: north, central, south and tropical. Use printed and online plant guides, local extension services and assistance at garden centers to help fill out the garden with plants that will prosper in your area.
  
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North Florida

• North Florida has broad seasonal changes with frost and freezing during winter and hotter summers than further south. Soils tend toward sandy, but some may be clay-based. This region covers zones 8 and 9. Good choices for ornamentals are palms including the European Fan Palm, Needle Palm, Saw Palmetto, Windmill Palm and the Washingtonia Palm. Lantana, Mansanita, Mimosa, Red Buckey, azaleas and Flowering Quince attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
  
  

Central Florida

• Seasons tend toward sub-tropical with hot summers, warm falls and mild winters. Changes are less noticeable than in the north. Soils also tend toward sandy, with some clay-based or peat-filled to be found. Covering a broad area in zone 9, choose camellias, the Florida Anise Bush, Eucalyptus, Chinese Fan-Palm, junipers, bamboo, Azalea Rhododendron, Japanese Boxwood, Dwarf Natal Plum, Cuphea, Crown of Thorns, Gardenia Augusta, Chinese Holly, Chinese Juniper, hybrid azaleas, Century plant, Snow Bush, Beauty Berry, Candle Bush, Hydrangea, Chinese Hibiscus, Primrose Jasmine, Texas Sage, Chinese Holly Grape, Myrtle, Rice Paper plant, Viburnum, Bouganvillea or Spineless Yucca.
  
  

South Florida

• This area is sub-tropical. Frosts are rare so any variety of ornamental tropical plant will prosper. Sandy soils are found along with peat or limestone fill. Select Bougainvillea, Cape Honeysuckle, Chenille plant, Cocoplum, Crepe Jasmine, Firebush, Golden Dewdrop, Hibiscus, holly, Marlberry, Black Olive, Weeping Rubber,Tamarind, Orchid Tree, Chinese Fan, Orange and Star Jasmine, Poinsettia, Snow Bush, Blue Sage, Heralds Trumpet, Henna and Yew. Staghorn and Bird's Nest ferns also do well.
  
  

Tropical Florida

• Key West is the primary area in tropical Florida. Soils are made up of of sand and limestone. Beside the mass variety of palms to select from, Carolina Silverbells, Mayberry, Jerusalem Thorn, Sweet Pepper Bush, Boston Fern, Peacock Flower, Golden Dewdrop, Golden Club, Firebush, Mistflower, Pink Trumpet tree, Arabian Jasmine, Crepe Ginger and Orange Coneflower grow well in this region.
  
  

Native Species

• Native plants take to the soil, humidity and rain factors better than outsiders. In Florida, the Butterfly Orchid is the most common orchid. Coontie, zones 8 to 10, also known as arrowroot, is a "living fossil" and was around while dinosaurs ruled the land. Pluchea Rosea, zones 8 to 10, is a prolific annual for damp spots. Spiderwort, zones 8 to 9, is an easy-care, drought-tolerant plant to use for a low border or ground cover. Its flowers last only a few hours, like its cousin, the dayflower. Sweet Acacia, zones 9 to 11, blooms with fragrant puffballs of yellow. The flowers smell like grape-flavored candy. This plant is in the mimosa family.