5 Plant Types That Thrive in Hot and Humid Tropical Gardens

Choosing plants that are hardy to the high temperatures and humidity in Florida can be difficult. There are plants that thrive in these conditions and picking some of these will help you to create a successful and beautiful garden.

Blanket Flower

Blanket flowers are Florida native perennials making them one of the best choices. These plants are resistant to droughts and salt so they’re ideal regardless of where in the state you are. It’s no wonder these are one of the first plants added to a garden when many people purchase a new home. Being a native plant, it requires less care than most other garden flowers.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus plants are perennial flowering shrubs that produce large tropical blooms. They come in a variety of colors which is part of why these are some of the most popular plants grown throughout Florida. The shrub blooms on and off throughout the entire year so there’s often a pop of color in your garden with a hibiscus plant. There are often multiple blooms on the plant at a time. It’s also moderately salt-tolerant and loves the high heat in the full sun.

Sea Grapes

Sea Grapes are beautiful large shrubs with red-veined leaves. If you have the space for multiple of these perennials, the female plants will produce grape-like fruit that ripens from green to purple. The sweet fruit can be used for making jelly or wine which is a reason in itself to cultivate the sea grape. These plants are salt-tolerant and once established are drought-tolerant as well.

Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto requires almost no maintenance making it great whether or not Florida is your primary residence. This 3-6 foot palm variant is also cultivated is a less common silver variety if you’re looking for a more unique look. It’s a hardy plant that can be grown in any part of Florida with both drought and salt resistance.

Firebush

If you’re a lover of wildlife such as hummingbirds and butterflies, firebush is a must in your garden. The vibrant, tubular red-orange flowers bloom on and off throughout the year. This is another Florida-native plant making it an ideal addition to the garden. A full-size firebush plant can grow to be 4-5 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide. If this is too space-consuming, there’s also a dwarf variety that doesn’t exceed 4 feet in height.

Paradisiacal Backyard

There are many aspects of a new home that make you fall in love with it.  You should work with the environment that you move into. When you search for native plants you won’t have to worry about heat lamps, green homes, or the excess or lack of moisture. Work with what you are given instead of going uphill when designing your new garden.

There are quite a few hardy perennials that can be added to a Florida garden that will love the hot and humid climate. Create beautiful landscaping that will last once established by choosing some of these 5 plants that thrive in Florida.