Florida Friendly means that a given plant is perfectly suited for being grown in Florida. Florida-friendly plants will be low maintenance, drought-tolerant, somewhat cold tolerant and have a low environmental impact. Florida Friendly plants fit in well with the local environment and are an excellent choice when designing a Sarasota area landscape for your home or business. While some exotic plants from parts of the world may be stunningly beautiful, they often will require larger amounts of water or fertilizer to care for and sustain Sarasota’s poor sandy soils. Plants that are not Florida friendly will also require significant pest control to maintain their beauty adding to the financial and environmental cost. The Florida Friendly plants you choose, will also need to fit in your specific climate zone. For example, Jacksonville’s climate zone is very different from Miami’s and the Florida-friendly plants will need to choose accordingly.
What Is The Difference Between Florida Friendly and Florida Native?
Florida-friendly is basically as the name implies, meaning that the plant will thrive in our local climate and soil, requiring little care. Florida Friendly plants however do not necessarily need to be a native plants. Examples of exotic plants that are Florida Friendly are, Orange and White Bird of Paradise, Pygmy Date Palms, and Cuban Royal Palms. Florida native means exactly that. A Florida native plant is from the natural environment local to the sunshine state.
Can Florida Friendly make a Beautiful Landscape?
Absolutely, there are many beautiful Florida native plants that are accustomed to the local climate. Whenever it is Trees or Ornamentals these and much more can beautify your property. Examples of Florida Native Flowers and ornamentals include the Yellow Leavenworth Tickseed and the Red Florida Sweetheart Caladium for some easy coloring. For trees, there are Florida-native options for both the tropical look and southern shade trees. Beautiful and hardy Florida native palm trees include the Sabal Palms, Cabbage Palms, for Temperatures you cannot go wrong with Oak and Pine Trees there are many Native Ferns that grow perfectly in Florida. Choosing Florida Friendly plants will give you a beautiful landscape that’s easier and less expensive to maintain as well as having a low environmental impact.
Do I Still Need to Worry about Maintenance?
While being optimized for growing in Florida it does not mean zero maintenance. We recommend you work with a qualified Sarasota Landscape Maintenance Company and do research before planting. That being said you’ll be glad to have gone Florida Friendly this is because Florida Friendly plants are usually drought resistant and require minimal fertilizer and water. Not having enough water can cause plants to enter a state of water stress causing the plant’s condition to deteriorate leading to wilting and browning. The plant will survive without water longer especially if it is Drought Tolerant. This means less money spent and less labor required in order to maintain a full landscape of Florida Friendly plants.
What can I expect to Save using Florida Friendly plants?
This is complicated as it all depends on the size and thickness of your landscape. However, it will always be cheaper because Florida Friendly plants are usually low maintenance and drought tolerant. To save the most avoid over-irrigating your plants and watering them when you don’t need to. With this in mind, you can expect to save from 40% up to 60% on watering a landscape without Drought Tolerance. Through consistent and careful care Florida Friendly plants will save significantly more money.