21 Native Wildflowers For Florida Gardens

Here in Florida, we have a unique range of climate conditions from tropical zone 11 to much cooler zone 8. With such a range of climates, there is a wide range of native plant life and Florida wildflowers.

Native gardening definitely has some advantages over growing non-native plants. For one thing, native plants support native wildlife. Many species of butterflies and bees have specific wildflowers that they adapted to use as food sources, and Florida pollinators are no different! Additionally, native plants are also much easier to care for because they’re adapted to regional weather and soils.

By planting native species, you take much of the guesswork out of tending to your garden. Plants that naturally grow in your environment will need significantly less attention than non-natives. Here are 21 of my favorite native Florida wildflower species for a low-maintenance and wildlife-friendly garden. 

Swamp Milkweed

	botanical name Asclepias incarnata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3’-5’
	hardiness zones 3-9

When I think of Florida native wildflowers, I automatically think of butterflies. It is a goal in my garden to attract monarch butterflies. The only surefire way to attract these insects to your garden is with milkweed. Milkweed is the sole larval food for the Monarch caterpillar. Fortunately, more than 70 species of this plant are native to the United States. 

If you are gardening in Florida and looking for a native milkweed, it may be confusing. The tropical milkweed that pops up at every nursery is not native to Florida. It has been suggested that non-native milkweeds lead to Monarchs reproducing at the wrong time in migration. This may or may not be true, but it seems better to offer them foods they would encounter naturally.

Swamp milkweed is a pretty native species with narrow, lanceolate leaves and long, strong stems. The flowers are borne in umbels atop the stems. Rather than the orange and yellow of tropical milkweed, swamp milkweed produces beautiful pink flowers with a spicy scent. This plant is versatile in terms of light exposure and soil. It does need at least partial sun to bloom. 

Butterfly Milkweed

	botanical name Asclepias tuberosa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1′-2’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Another versatile milkweed that is native to Florida, butterfly milkweed can really take the heat. If you’re too far south for swamp milkweed, butterfly milkweed is a great alternative. Milkweeds are drought tolerant and require little to no care once established. Caterpillars will strip your milkweed of its leaves, but that’s OK because you are helping a new generation of butterflies prepare for metamorphosis! You can prune the stems back or just allow them to grow new leaves in time. 

Butterfly milkweed is mid-sized with umbels of gold or orange flowers on strong stems. Its leaves are narrow and lanceolate. This plant is truly one that you can plant anywhere. It prefers not to have wet feet, but I’ve seen this everywhere, from coastal dunes to the Everglades. 

Florida Paintbrush

	botanical name Carphephorus corymbosus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-4′
	hardiness zones 8-11

Florida paintbrush is a pretty wildflower that blooms mainly from late summer through the fall. It occurs naturally in Central and Northern Florida but will thrive as far south as zone 11, near Miami and Naples. This member of the Aster family flowers in bursts of violet-pink. Clusters of flowers bloom atop three-foot stems, growing from a basal rosette of leaves. 

The flowers have a delicate appearance, with only disk flowers and no ray flowers. However, the plant is exceptionally hardy and drought-tolerant. It is a great pollinator plant and readily reseeds itself. If you prefer to keep this plant confined, be sure to deadhead the spent flower heads. 

Lanceleaf Tickseed

	botanical name Coreopsis lanceolata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

 This bright little sunshine of a plant is an incredibly easy addition to the wildflower garden. But then, ease is one of the landmark traits of a native wildflower garden! Lanceleaf tickseed has a grass-like appearance with tall, arching leaves. The flowers are single and bloom atop tall, thin stems. 

Lanceleaf tickseed flowers are bright yellow with a cluster of disk florets surrounded by large ray florets. They are highly drought-resistant and can tolerate sandy or salty soil, as well as soil with a high clay content. Butterflies, other pollinators, and a host of beneficial insects frequent patches of these flowers. 

Purple Coneflower

	botanical name Echinacea purpurea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-4’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Purple coneflowers look great in the garden and they are easy to grow. While these take a little while to germinate and mature, once they are in the garden, you can depend on them to return. Their large, showy, purple flowers with orange centers are a favorite for pollinators. 

These are sturdy plants with excellent drought tolerance. They like average soil and don’t need much fertilizer. An overabundance of nitrogen in the soil will slow flowering. Purple coneflowers bloom for a long portion of the summer. These Florida wildflowers make a great addition to the native garden. Their large flowers are unusual for a native wildflower.

Coastal Mock Vervain

	botanical name Glandularia maritima
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 8″-12″
	hardiness zones 8-11

Add this endangered flower to your Florida wildflower garden to help support the species. Coastal mock vervain, also known as beach verbena, is endemic to the east coast of Florida. Umbels of lavender to pink flowers bloom above the lobed foliage of this delightful native wildflower. 

Gulf fritillaries and skipper butterflies are attracted to this plant. It makes a nice addition to the pollinator garden. This low-growing plant makes a nice ground cover or border. It also makes a nice container plant if you want to bring more native plants to your patio container garden.

Dune Sunflower

	botanical name Helianthus debilis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height up to 2’
	hardiness zones 8-11

If you’re building a native coastal garden, dune sunflower makes a perfect ground cover. This low-growing native is evergreen in zones 10-11, where it can bloom year-round. It is highly drought and salt-tolerant, growing best in poor and sandy soils. It also adapts well to other soil types and can grow inland. 

The yellow daisy-like flowers resemble black-eyed Susans. They are appealing to pollinators, and the low-growing foliage provides cover and safety for small animals. Birds love to eat the seed heads. Make sure to give this plant a location with excellent drainage, as the roots won’t tolerate being wet. 

Scarlet Swamp Hibiscus

	botanical name Hibiscus coccineus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6’-8’
	hardiness zones 5-9

For some of the largest and boldest native flowers in the garden, scarlet swamp hibiscus has few rivals. The extra large, red blooms that grow on this plant can be as large as 10-12 inches across. Their large, ovate petals have light veining, and a prominent stigma and stamens sit in the center. 

One of Florida’s most striking native wildflowers, this is a great shrub for low-lying and swampy areas. It is tolerant of wet soil and in fact, prefers it. If you plant this shrub in a hot, dry spot, you must water it regularly. In areas that experience colder winters, this plant will die back to the ground in winter. In warmer areas, it is deciduous. 

Wild Blue Phlox

	botanical name Phlox divaricata
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Wild blue phlox is a great plant for the northern Florida shade garden. Pollinators love the small, fragrant blue flowers. It is not salt, or drought-tolerant, so it doesn’t work well for sandy coastal gardens. This is an inland plant that grows under woodland tree canopies. 

This plant makes a great mass planting in the garden bed that gets partial sun or dappled light, a pleasant surprise for Florida wildflowers that typically demand full sun. However, in full or full shade, it will struggle. It is wonderful for those in-between spaces in the garden. 

Black-Eyed Susan

	botanical name Rudbeckia hirta
	sun requirements Full sun
	height up to 4’
	hardiness zones 3-9

I can’t say enough great things about this plant. Even though it is as common as they come, black-eyed Susans are one of my favorite native Florida wildflowers. They are so easy to grow, and provide an excellent nectar source for native bees. They are highly disease and pest-resistant. 

Black-eyed Susans seem able to grow just about anywhere. They need a significant amount of sun, but they are drought-tolerant and tolerate a wide range of soil types. This plant produces a ton of bright yellow flowers with a deep brown center. They make great cut flowers and bring a ton of sunshine to the garden. 

Tropical Sage

	botanical name Salvia coccinea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-3’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Tropical sage goes by a lot of names and is one of the most fragrant Florida wildflowers. Pollinators love this plant for its tubular, nectar-rich flowers that grow on tall spikes. You will love it for its exceptional ease of care and disease resistance. The fragrant foliage is a nice benefit, as well. 

This member of the mint family has a shrubby form and can tolerate hard pruning to help it maintain its shape. It’s highly adaptable to different soil conditions and drought tolerant. I find this to be one of the most foolproof plants in the native garden. 

Seaside Goldenrod

	botanical name Solidago sempervirens
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-8’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Goldenrod wildflowers light up the fall in Florida. These plants grow in a wide variety of environments as incredibly hardy perennials. Large clusters of golden flowers are nectar-rich and favored by pollinating insects. This is a great source of food for them in the fall as the seasons begin to shift. Fun Fact: The honey produced using this plant has a musty smell but tastes pleasantly light and sweet!

Seaside goldenrod grows along the coasts of Florida and you will also see it inland. It is well suited to mass plantings and it is very salt tolerant. It’s wonderful for adding color and texture to coastal gardens. 

Blue Porterweed

	botanical name Stachytarpheta jamaicensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6″-12″
	hardiness zones 10-11

If I were to recommend one plant for the Florida hummingbird garden, blue porterweed is it. I have a large specimen of this plant right outside my bedroom window. In the summer, I wake up to hummingbirds every morning. Bumblebees are fond of the blue-violet flowers, too.

Blue porterweed is an attractive plant with tall, graceful stems. The ends of the stems bloom from the bottom to the top with small, tubular, blue flowers. It is tolerant of full sun or partial shade and seems to bloom best with some afternoon protection. In zone 9, it dies back in winter but re-grows in the spring. 

Spiderwort

	botanical name Tradescantia ohiensis
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 2′-3′
	hardiness zones 4-9

Spiderwort seems to pop up everywhere, and I am not mad about it. This relative of zebrina has similar, small bluish-purple flowers. Instead of a creeping or trailing habit, it grows upright. The leaves are long and lanceolate, growing in a rosette. The flowers bloom on terminal stems growing from the center. 

This plant is not picky about the sun but will bloom best with full morning exposure. The bloom time begins early in the year, in February if the temperatures are warm enough. The flowers only open for one day, but the plants can continue to bloom for up to three months. 

Giant Ironweed

	botanical name Vernonia gigantea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height up to 12’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Giant ironweed is another great plant for those with naturally wet soil types. This plant grows in floodplains, wet pine woods, and ruderal areas naturally. It can grow quite tall— up to nine feet under ideal conditions. This summer bloomer produces small, fuzzy-looking flowers in an electric shade of pink. 

The blooms peak in July but continue to bloom into the fall months. Butterflies love this plant, so it makes a great addition to the pollinator patch. Giant ironweed is a member of the Aster family, but unlike most of its relatives, it has no ray florets. The disc florets are long and tubular with curled stamens. 

Cherokee Bean 

	botanical name Erythrina herbacea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height up to 20’
	hardiness zones 6-11

These easy-to-grow Florida native wildflowers are essential for the hummingbird enthusiast. The tubular red flowers grow high up in the air, where little pollinators are certain to spot them. They are easy to propagate from seeds, cuttings, or root division. 

Cherokee Bean is highly tolerant of different soil conditions, including sandy and salty. This plant will die back in a freeze but grows to about nine feet in a season. In zones where the plant is evergreen, it can tower to heights of 20 feet. Watch out for the seeds of this plant. They are toxic to humans and pets. 

Firebush

	botanical name Hamelia patens
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-15’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Firebush is a great, long-flowering shrub that grows native throughout Florida. It dies back to the ground in areas that experience freezing weather. However, it will return in spring and can grow nine feet in a single season. In South Florida, this plant grows year-round and doesn’t die back. It can grow much larger in this area. 

Firebush produces clusters of small, red, tubular flowers, and has green foliage with orange accents. It attracts several butterfly species including the zebra longwing and gulf fritillary. A dwarf cultivar exists which is suitable for container gardening. 

Sweet Pinxter Azalea

	botanical name Rhododendron canescens
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 3’-8’
	hardiness zones 5-9

If you love azaleas but don’t want to plant non-native shrubs in your garden, there is good news. Sweet pinxter azaleas are native to northern Florida, and they are a great support for local birds and butterflies. Rather than blooming in spring with their northern cousins, this azalea blooms in midsummer. 

Sweet pinxter azalea has sweetly scented flowers that are attractive to ruby-throated hummingbirds. This shrub grows to about three to six feet tall and has a similar spread. The white and pink flowers are borne in terminal clusters on old wood. 

Trumpet Creeper

	botanical name Campsis radicans
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20’-40’
	hardiness zones 4-10

Trumpet creeper is a tall, vigorous vine that is great for covering a wall, arbor, or fence. It can grow as tall as 30 feet with adequate support. It grows quickly and requires pinching if you want it to be lush and bushy. You can plant this vine in a wide variety of soil types, and in full or partial sun. 

Trumpet creeper blooms in the summer, producing yellow or orange trumpet-shaped flowers. You might see a hummingbird or two hanging out near your trumpet creeper. This plant is adaptable to wet soil types and prefers moist soil.

It will easily withstand drought, though. It’s not a plant to grow on an arbor, or in a garden bed with other plants, though. Instead, grow it in an open area where it can climb and spread without the need for intervention.

Carolina Jessamine

	botanical name Gelsemium sempervirens
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height up to 20’
	hardiness zones 6-9

One of the earliest blooming vines native to Florida, Carolina jessamine is a beautiful addition to the native garden. While it is best grown in full sun and rich soil, it is very adaptable. You can grow it in partial shade, but the foliage will not be as dense. Best flowering also happens in full sun exposure. 

The delicate vines of Carolina jessamine are great climbers. The plant has fine, lanceolate leaves and bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowers have a wonderful fragrance, which makes them great for planting near the house or outdoor living space. 

Coral Honeysuckle

	botanical name Lonicera sempervirens
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height up to 20’
	hardiness zones 4-10

This is a great little flowering vine that requires little afterthought. It is drought-tolerant and adaptable to different soil compositions. Coral honeysuckle is native to most of the state of Florida. Its vines grow to about 20 feet long and climb any structure they are close to. 

I find this to be another favorite with the hummingbirds. They love its bright orange, tubular flowers for their abundance of sweet nectar. Coral honeysuckle grows and blooms best in full sun, but it will tolerate partial shade. You can also plant this as a creeping ground cover.