Plants Overview

Blessed with a bounty of sun and rain, your Florida home can be a pleasing example of an abundantly verdant landscape. With an almost unlimited array of choices in the Orlando area, there is nothing like a generous display of greenery for so many reasons—being surrounded with beauty, color, scent, style and, of course, as an introduction to your home.  Visit this page If you would like to learn more about landscape designs typical in Orlando.

Reorganize the table by clicking on the each column header to sort by characteristic.  Read explainations of each type of plant below this table.

PlantPrimary UseSecondary UseFloweringColor
African IrisGroundcoverAccent, SpeciminYesWhite
AgapanthusGroundcoverAccent, SpeciminYesBlue, White
Alamanda Dwarf  ShrubShrubYesYellow
AlyssumAccentGroundcoverYesVarious
AniseShrubNo
Arboricola TrinetShrubNo
AzaleasShrubsYesPink, Various
Aztec GrassGroundcoverAccentNo
Bird of ParadiseSpecimenShrubYesOrange
Giant Bird of ParadiseSpecimen TreeYesWhite
BougainvilleaVineShrubYesPurple, Various
Burordi HolliesShrubHedgeNoRed Berries
CaladiumGroundcoverAccentNoColored Leaves
CamelliaShrubHedgesYesRed, White, Pink
Cardboard PlantNo
Carissa HollyShrubYesWhite in the spring
Cast Iron PlantAccentSpecimenNo
Century PlantSpecimenAccentNo
ColeusAccent PlantShrubNoBrightly colored leaves
Confederate JasmineVineGroundcoverYesWhite
CordylineAccentSpecimenNoDeep red, purple leaves
Creeping FigVineGroundcoverNo
Crepe MyrtleSpecimen TreeYesRed, Pink, Whites
CrotonsAccent PlantShrubsNoBright Colored Leaves
Crown of Thorns
Day LillyGroundcoverYesMulti
DianellaGroundcoverAccent Plant
Dianthus
Downy JasmineShrubYesWhite
Drift RoseGroundcoverYesRed, Pink
East Palatka HollySpecimen TreeRed Berries
Eugenia BallsTopiaryNo
FirecrackerShrubsYes
Formosa AzaleaShrubYesLavender
Green Fountain GrassOrnamental GrassGroundcoverNo
Foxtail FernGroundcoverAccentNo
GardeniaShrubGroundcover, TreeYesWhite
GeraniumsAccent FlowerSpecimenYesRed, Pink, White
GingerShrubHedgeYesVarigated Yellow Green
GoldmoundGroundcoverAccentNoGold Leaves
HibiscusShrubAccentYesRed, Yellow, Various
Ilex SchillingGroundcoverAccentNo
ImapatiensAccent FlowerYesPink Red
Indian HawthornGroundcoverYesLight Pink
Italian CypressAccentSpecimenNo
IxoraShrubGroundcoverYesRed, Pink
Jasmine MinimaGroundcoverVineNoDark Green or Variegated Leaf
JatrophaSpecimen treeShrubYesRed
Duranta Saphire JasmineShrubYesPurple
Knockout RosesAccentSpecimenYesRed
Lady PalmAccentSpecimenNo
LantanaGroundcoverYesPurple, White
LigustrumSpecimen TreeShrub, HedgeNo
Liriope Super BlueGroundcoverInconspicuousPurple
Loropedalum, PlumShrubYesPink
Mondo GrassGroundcoverNo
NandinaAccentSpecimenNo
OleanderShrubSpecimen TreeYesMany Colors, Reds, Pinks, White
OrchidsAccent FlowerGroundcover, SpecimenYesBright Colors
Pampas GrassSpecimenAccentNo
PansyAccent FlowerYesPurple, Yellow
PapyrusAccentSpecimenNo
PandoreaVineYesPink
Parsoni JuniperGroundcoverYesBlue-Green Leaves
PentasAccent FlowerYesRed, Pink, White
Perennial PeanutGroundcoverYesYellow
PetuniaAccent FlowerGroundcoverYesPurple, Pink
Philodendron selloumAccentSpecimenNo
Pittosporum, DwarfShrubGroundcoverYesVariegated green & white leaves
PlumbagoPrimaryAccentYesBlue
PlumeriaShrubYesWhite
PodocarpusHedgeShrubNo
Purple QueenGroundcoverNoPurple Leaf
PurslaneGroundcoverYesWhite, Multi
Rubber PlantAccentSpecimenNo
Schefflera, TallSpecimenAccentNo
SeagrapeShrubAccentNo
Sedum
SnapdragonAccentSpecimenYesRed, Pink, Yellow
Society GarlicGroundcoverYesPurple
Star JasmineShrubYesWhite
Sweet Potato VineGroundcoverNo
Sweet ViburnumHedge Screen, ShrubNo
Texas SageShrubHedgeYesPurple
ThryallisHedgeShrubYesYellow
Trailing VerbenaGroundcoverNo
Weeping Yaupon HollyAccent TreeNo
Yellow African IrisGroundcoverAccentYesYellow
Xanadu PhilodendronGroundcoverNo
Zamia CoontieGroundcoverNo

SPECIMEN

Not the first word we think of when considering what we want to do with the area around our home, it’s really a good word to think about as you begin to plan what you want to assemble as, let’s call it an orchestration of “events.” Specimen is defined as an “item typical of a group or whole,” i.e. trees, ground cover, plants, etc. Now you can begin to make decisions, based on the specimens you prefer to use. A discussion of several may help you to form a picture of what a well-rounded setting might include.

GROUNDCOVER

A boon to the person assigned to mow the lawn, ground cover can be placed anywhere—lovely when it’s shaped organically—with most types being very hardy and not requiring special care. It can be used on areas that are difficult to mow, such as embankments or swales. You’ll just have to keep the edges neat with a weed-eater and perhaps the occasional “hair-cut” with the hedge clippers, if it threatens to grow higher than you prefer. The tiny leaf colors vary from a medium to a dark green. Confederate Jasmine flowers have the most intoxicating scent.

SHRUBS

These specimens are so useful—and come in a variety of types. Azaleas love the southern weather and with their colorful display in front of a wall, or massed on a hill, they literally charge the air with color when they bloom. Non-blooming shrubs can become the centerpiece, for a flowerbed, that gradually layers down from tall to small. They can also start the blooming season, then become a quiet backdrop as smaller plants begin to bloom in front of them.

HEDGES

You may enjoy having them as a privacy border for your property, or using them to define
certain areas set aside for a specific purpose, such as a swimming pool or game court. They do require a bit of looking after with hedge clippers, depending on how tall you want them to be.

(Regular pruning will keep them from getting too “leggy.”) Other than that, once well rooted, they won’t require a lot of your time. They can border your front-door walkway nicely or enhance the wall of a front porch.

TOPIARIES

If you’re knowledgeable with the pruning hook and hedge clippers, you can train certain shrubs into pleasing shapes, such as round balls, on a single stem. It definitely takes some artistry, and if you don’t have this particular talent or knowledge you can buy them ready-made, with a certain resolve to help them keep their shape. Wonderful as an introduction to your walkway or front door, they lend a somewhat formal note to your residence. Investigate this charming garden inhabitant, and you’re likely to find other uses for them as you develop your plan.

ACCENTS

Some plants are so special and of a certain size that they need to be a feature in the landscape. Look for these types, such as a Weeping Youpon Holly, which maintains it’s diminutive size and contributes a graceful note or a Giant Bird of Paradise that stands out as a colorful accent to enhance an area that might otherwise be a lonely corner.

When you look at this collection of specimens, spend some time considering how you can orchestrate them to make your home a pleasure to approach and especially to enjoy when the weather encourages outdoor activities.

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Buy at an Orlando Nursery near you

  • Pokey’s Lake Jem Citrus Nursery

    3259 N. Orange Blossom Trail Zellwood, FL 32798

    Only Fruit Trees, no shipping
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