Native Floridian Shrubs
Beauty Berry - (Callicarpa American)
Temperature: Survives winters as cold as 5°F and as warm as 95°F, grows best in temperatures from 65°F to 80°F.
Light: Partial sun / shade.
Fruit/Berries: Edible (raw and cooked) magenta-purple fruit like clusters.
Size: 3 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide.
Water: 1 inch of water per week when growing - becomes very drought resistant after a few weeks. Best kept with slightly damp soil.
Soil Type: adaptable to well drained soils like sand, loam, or clay.
Tips: Fruit is best harvested early because birds tend to eat the berries. Look for the Callicarpa American Beauty Berry since it is native to Florida. The leaves can be crushed and used as a natural mosquito and tick repellent.
Red Tipped Cocoplum
Temperature: Grows best around 70°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures as low as 30°F, but can be damaged by hard freezes.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white flowers followed by edible pink to dark purple fruits that are edible and slightly sweet.
Size: 10-15 ft tall.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: loose well drained sand loam soils.
Tips: Excellent hedge or privacy screen, can live on/near the beach, it attracts birds with its fruit.
Southern Elderberry
Temperature: Best growth around 65°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures below freezing.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Large clusters of white flowers followed by dark purple-black berries.
Size: 10-15 ft in height and 8-12ft in width.
Water: Prefers regular watering but tolerates occasional drought once established.
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soils; adaptable to sand and loam.
Tips: Excellent wildlife plant that attracts pollinators and birds. Raw berries, stems, and leaves are poisonous if eaten. This plant will take over a garden and spread into other areas.
Silver Buttonwood
Temperature: Best growth around 68°F to 86°F, it can tolerate cold around 50°F to 55°F, cannot tolerate frost.
Light: Sun
Fruit/Berries: Tiny green/white flower clusters with a red/brown cone like fruit.
Size: 15ft height
Water: Water daily until mature, will become drought tolerant once mature.
Soil Type: adaptable to well drained soils like sand, loam, or clay.
Tips: Makes a very good hedge especially for coastal areas.
* POISONOUS FOR DOGS
Fetterbush - Shiny Lyonia
Temperature: Best growth around 65°F to 85°F, tolerates temperatures below freezing.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white to pink bell-shaped flowers followed by small capsules.
Size: 3-8 ft tall and 3-4ft wide.
Water: Keep soil consistently moist, especially while establishing.
Soil Type: Moist, acidic sandy soils.
Tips: Great for rain gardens and natural landscapes. Poisonous if eaten by people or pets.
Coral Bean
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures down to 20°F–25°F but may die back after freezes and regrow in spring.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Bright red flowers followed by seed pods with glossy red seeds. Size: 3-20 ft tall.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or loamy soils.
Tips: Excellent hummingbird plant. Seeds are POISONOUS to people and pets if eaten.
Firebush
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 95°F, damaged by frost but regrows in warm climates.
Light: Sun (best flowering) to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Bright orange-red tubular flowers followed by small black berries that are edible.
Size: 5-10 ft height and 3-h ft wide.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Adaptable to well-drained sandy, loamy, or rocky soils.
Tips: Excellent for butterflies and hummingbirds.
Calusa Firebush
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 95°F, sensitive to frost.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Produces bright orange-red flowers with few or no berries.
Size: 4-8 ft height.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or loamy soils.
Tips: Compact cultivar with long-lasting blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Fiddlewood
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 90°F, damaged below 30°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Fragrant white flowers followed by small orange berries that turn black.
Size: 12-25 ft tall and about 12 ft wide.
Water: Water regularly until established, then moderately drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or loamy soils.
Tips: Attracts butterflies and birds, can be pruned into a hedge.
Florida Privet
Temperature: Best growth around 65°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures below freezing.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white/yellow flowers followed by dark blue-black berries.
Size: 5-15 ft height and width.
Water: Water regularly until established, then moderately drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained sandy or loamy soils.
Tips: Excellent native hedge and bird-friendly shrub. Berries may be MILDLY POISONUS if eaten in large amounts.
Yaupon Holly
Temperature: Best growth around 65°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures well below freezing.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white flowers followed by bright red berries on female plants.
Size: 15-25 ft height and width.
Water: Water regularly until established, then very drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Adaptable to sandy, loamy, or clay soils with good drainage.
Tips: Excellent hedge or small tree, highly attractive to birds. Berries may cause stomach upset if eaten by dogs.
Marlberry
Temperature: Best growth around 70° to 90°, tolerating temperatures to about 30°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white flowers followed by dark purple berries.
Size: 3-18ft in height.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or limestone soils.
Tips: Excellent native hedge and food source for wildlife.
Jamaican Caper
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 90°F, damaged below 30°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Fragrant white flowers with purple stamens followed by long seed pods.
Size: 6-15 ft tall and 6-10 ft wide.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or limestone soils.
Tips: Salt tolerant, excellent for coastal landscapes, and attracts pollinators.
Simpson’s Stopper
Temperature: Best growth 70°F to 90°F, damaged below 28°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade
Fruit/Berries: Fragrant white flowers followed by orange-red flowers are edible but seeds should be avoided.
Size: 3-20 ft tall.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or limestone soils.
Tips: Has a peeling bark trunk, can be a great hedge, and attracts birds and butterflies.
Wild Coffee
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 90°F, sensitive to frost.
Light: Partial shade to full shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white flowers followed by bright red berries.
Size: 1-8 ft tall and 1-5 ft wide.
Water: Keep soil evenly moist until established, then water as needed.
Soil Type: well drained loamy soil.
Tips: Great shrubs for small gardens.
Christmasberry
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures to about 30°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white flowers followed by bright red berries which are edible and have a sweet tomato like taste.
Size: 8–15 ft height.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or limestone soils.
Tips: Excellent for coastal gardens and attracts birds.
Walter’s Viburnum
Temperature: Best growth around 65°F to 90°F, tolerates temperatures below 20°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: White flower clusters followed by blue-black berries.
Size: 6-20 ft height.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Adaptable to sandy, loamy, or clay soils.
Tips: Excellent hedge and highly attractive to birds and pollinators.
Bahama Cassia
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 95°F, damaged by frost.
Light: Full sun.
Fruit/Berries: Bright yellow flowers followed by slender seed pods.
Size: 2-4 ft tall by 3-6 ft wide.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy soils.
Tips: Host plant for Sulphur butterflies and blooms for much of the year.
Button Sage (Lantana involucrata)
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 90°F, damaged below 30°F.
Light: Sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Small white flower clusters followed by purple-black berries.
Size: 3-5 ft tall by 1-5 wide.
Water: Water regularly until established, then drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Well-drained sandy or limestone soils.
Tips: Highly fragrant leaves, attracts butterflies, bees, and birds.
Saw Palmetto
Temperature: Best growth around 70°F to 95°F, tolerates temperatures down to about 15°F.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Fruit/Berries: Creamy white flower clusters followed by dark blue to black berries which are edible but not very good and to pick on public land you will need a permit.
Size: 3–8 ft height.
Water: Water regularly until established, then very drought tolerant.
Soil Type: Adaptable to well-drained sandy, loamy, or slightly rocky soils.
Tips: Excellent for wildlife gardens. The berries provide food for birds and mammals, and the dense foliage offers shelter. Very low maintenance and salt tolerant.