Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals

Florida’s Best Native Landscape Plants is an illustrated guide for landscape designers, home gardeners, and restoration professionals. Published in cooperation with the Association of Florida Native Plant Nurseries and the Florida Department of Transportation, it provides technical information on the design and maintenance of native plants that are readily available from the state’s native plant nurseries for use in Florida gardening and landscaping. The 200 species were selected for their availability and for their general hardiness, popularity, and ease of use in both commercial and residential landscapes. All are easily found in the native plant trade and will perform well in both home and commercial landscapes.

Each species profile details size and form, uses for landscaping and/or gardening, best features, range and distribution, physical appearance, culture, best companion plants, allergenic properties, cultivars, and similar species. Each account is illustrated with one or more color photos, over 700 in all, and 180 of them are further illustrated with an original watercolor. An introductory section introduces readers to the importance and benefits of using native plants in landscaping.

Both federal and state guidelines mandate the incorporation of regional native plants in public site design to the maximum extent possible. Gil Nelson’s book provides information for those charged with selecting easy-to-obtain native species for use in state and local parks and along our highways—and assists planners and designers, architects, and homeowners in making educated decisions about native plant selection and use.

Gil Nelson is a writer, naturalist, and educator who lives and works in Tallahassee, Florida. He is the author of Ferns of Florida, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Florida, Trees of Florida, Exploring Wild Northwest Florida, and Exploring Wild North Florida and coauthor of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southeast, and Florida Wetland Plants.