You might imagine that Florida ("Land of Flowers") gardens would be the most exuberant, colorful showplaces of every kind of flower: zinnias, pansies, delphiniums, roses, gladioli, marigolds, and so on. Not true.
Most Florida soil is sandy and not nutrient-rich. What grows naturally here in Central Florida is, for the most part, green. Delicate flowers don't hold up to the withering heat, drenching humidity, winds, and constant variation between dry and wet that characterizes Florida summers.
Sturdy Florida natives tend to be tough, drought-resistant, and modest. They look like this:
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| Saw palmetto, photo by Michael Rivera |
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| Tickseed, the offical state wild flower |
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| Blanket flower |
In our little garden, we have tried to go native. Here are some of them:
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Firecracker plant--attracts butterflies
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| Tropical hibiscus (we are at the northern end of its range--it is very sensitive to frost) |
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| Croton--it's a very common plant used around public buildings and shopping areas |
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