You may create a stunning landscape that can withstand dry conditions in your yard by growing drought-tolerant plants there.
Plants that can tolerate dry weather and need less water are drought-resistant.
Several drought tolerant plants in Florida; include trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials.
A garden in this area is simple to manage because of the drought-tolerant plants that don’t need much water in the heat.
Plants that can withstand drought need not look ugly or ragged; certain plants may be trimmed or clipped to take on a groomed appearance.
Below is a list of drought tolerant plants in Florida.
1. Beauty Berry
The American blueberry and sparkling berry tree are distant cousins of this tall plant. It features lovely lavender flowers and strikingly bright purple berries in huge clusters.
Even though the berries taste quite sour and have a poor flavor, some people combine them with other berries to produce jams and jellies.
This shrub tends to put out a long taproot that will collect water from Florida’s high water table, so it may go for many weeks without receiving direct irrigation.
2. Frangipani
The waxy flowers of the frangipani have a pleasant scent reminiscent of the tropics and are ideal for making traditional Hawaiian leis. Plumeria could be the plant for you if you want to give your yard a touch of tropical beauty and a beautiful floral display.
If you adhere to a few simple rules, you can grow frangipani almost everywhere, commonly known as plumeria. Although the plant is salt- and drought-tolerant, dry months could need watering. It loves to drink often and wait a long time between sips so that it may dry out.
3. Blanket Flower
Gaillardia, also known as blanket flower, is a daisy-like perennial that is simple to grow and has a short lifespan. The plant’s common name refers to its tendency to spread out and cover an area. Flowers known as blankets grow quickly.
The plants spread out to a width of 20 inches and a height of almost 24 inches. These drought tolerant plants in Florida are a garden’s mainstay and bloom all through the warm season with big red and yellow flowers.
It doesn’t need a lot of water, but it does need soil that drains effectively for it to grow. As the blooms will droop with insufficient sunlight, they may also thrive in full to partial sun.
4. Desert Rose
The desert rose is one of the drought tolerant plants in Florida that blooms in the summer with a profusion of pink, rose, or white trumpet-shaped flowers. Even though it is sensitive to temperatures below 40 degrees, it looks lovely on a deck or patio.
As its name suggests, this plant can withstand droughts but needs a well-drained area. The plant may reach a height of four feet, and its leaves can fall off in the winter. The desert rose is a garden star that does well in hot, dry, and sunny environments.
5. Cactus
Although it would seem like a no-brainer, cactus grows remarkably well in Florida, especially in South Florida. Even though there are dozens of different types, many gardeners have discovered that blooming plants perform best in their gardens.
Although cacti can withstand heat and drought, you should be careful that they may get overwatered. A cactus may get enough water from an average Florida thunderstorm to last a month.
Considering this, many people plant cacti in pots that they can bring inside during rainy weather.
6. Aloe
Many Florida gardeners admire this plant because it spreads swiftly and has therapeutic use. Aloe or aloe vera is often propagated by clipping from another plant and planting it straight in the ground.
Once it becomes established, the plant typically requires very little water, so most Florida gardeners leave it outdoors to absorb moisture naturally. Aloe may grow quickly in a garden or container and is extremely difficult to over or drown.
Since the leaves may be cut off, split open, and the gel used to cure minor burns and skin irritations, many Floridians keep this plant in their gardens or a container on their patios. The gel may also be added to a beverage to alleviate an upset stomach.
7. Buttonwood
With their stunning, dark-green, leathery leaves contrasting with the surrounding vegetation, buttonwoods are small, decorative trees, shrubs, or hedges. These plants excel when combined with red, blue, purple, and white blooming plants.
They have a 15–20 foot height range. This is one of the drought tolerant plants in Florida; since it can grow in various soil types, it is commonly used in home and commercial garden designs.
8. Firebush
Firebush is known by the scientific name Hamelia patens. It is a shrub that is semi-woody or perennial. Popular garden plants called fire bush blooms from late spring through winter. Its bright red flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
A fire bush plant is ideal for adding color and depth to your patio or deck in regions where other plants would wither from the scorching summers. Both as a standalone shrub and in mixed borders, it performs well.
The area where the plant is cultivated affects its size. It may reach a maximum height of fifteen feet in South Florida, although it is easily managed at or below eight feet.
9. Seagrape
Seagrape is a well-known shrub in South Florida with rounder leaves on upright stems. Sea grapes have a lot of potential as a plant for landscaping. With its expanded branches, the plant will have a height and breadth of 6 to 8 feet.
It is a great option for beachfront homes since it is resistant to saltwater and salt spray conditions. Along with providing a habitat for animals, it will also help to stabilize dunes.
10. Yellow Pine
If you want to cultivate this tree, ensure you have enough room since it may grow to be over 100 feet tall and over 40 feet broad. Although it can survive some partial shade, the likelihood is that it won’t remain in shadow for very long because of how fast it grows.
Consider how big the root system will get as you plant other items around it if you grow it in a garden.
11. Palm Trees
It’s difficult to imagine Florida without thinking about palm trees. The assumption that these trees are one of the drought tolerant plants in Florida occurs much too often. While it’s true that palm trees can withstand the heat, they aren’t always the ideal option for a Florida garden.
In actuality, Florida isn’t even the native home of these trees. They start off needing a tremendous quantity of water and continual irrigation for the rest of their life.
They are also quite vulnerable to the cold, which makes them a bad option for many gardeners in the state’s northern regions.
12. Longleaf Pine
Longleaf pines are evergreen trees that keep their leaves all year long. The tall, fragrant canopies of mature plants thrive in coastal regions. They may reach a length of 18 inches and feature long, flexible, dark green blades. The rectangular, six to ten-inch-long brown cones are brown.
Although they may thrive in some shade, longleaf pines prefer the bright sunshine and sandy, well-drained soil of their natural sandhill habitats.
13. Blue Salvia
This plant, native to the country’s southwest, is popular in Florida. Numerous additional types of this plant produce blooms in various colors, while blue salvia is the most well-known.
This plant is simple to cultivate, resistant to deer and rabbits, and easy to include in a garden as a pest deterrent. This is one of the best drought tolerant plants in Florida.
