Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - December 18, 2011
From: Cape Coral, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Soils, Grasses or Grass-like, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Plants resistant to salt spray in FL
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
What type of plants can I put in a small planter bed next to a waterfall with a saltwater pool? Everything I put in there dies. I live in Southwest Florida.ANSWER:
Your situtation is a really tough one. There are plants that are adapted to a "salty" environment near the ocean where the groundwater can be brackish and there is a certain amount of salt in the air so you will have to choose the toughest of that group.
If you visit the website of the Florida Native Plant Society you will find a county map. You can select your county (Lee) and it will generate a list of plants native to your county. The plants' salt tolerance is one of the characteristics that are noted in the chart. You will want to choose only from those with a Big S as the conditions of your planter are more extreme than those in nature near the ocean or in a salty marsh.
Here are a few perennials and grasses that might work for you (grasses are generally quite tough and can be quite ornamental)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed)
Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense (Jamaica swamp sawgrass)
Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel)
Gossypium hirsutum (Upland cotton)
Helianthus debilis (Beach sunflower)
Ipomoea imperati (Beach morning glory)
Teucrium canadense (Canada germander)
There are quite a few shrubs that are salt tolerant as well, if your planter bed is large enough to accomodate them.
You can also refer to this list of salt tolerant plants for Florida issued by the University of Florida IFAS Extension, keeping in mind that not all the plants on this list are native to Florida.
From the Image Gallery
More Soils Questions
Need Plants and Soil for a Green Roof in Buffalo, TX
September 13, 2010 - I'm building a green roof on my cabin in the Buffalo, Texas, area. Would you know what soil and plants would be best suited for that area? I have a lot of sand I could use, but didn't know if that...
view the full question and answer
Stress in potted Tif blueberry plants
August 15, 2008 - Recently purchased Tif Blue Blueberry plants (about 3 ft tall)are showing signs of stress. They are in 10 gallon pots. Should they be transplanted? Medium? Fertilizer? Location? Trimming?
view the full question and answer
Need help growing plants in red dirt in Mount Pleasant, NC.
September 17, 2011 - I live in N.C. and I have had the hardest time getting plants to grow;I have red dirt at my house. Can you suggest a few colorful plants that would do real well in red dirt? Thank You So Very Much!!!!...
view the full question and answer
Limp leaves on Texas purple sage in Magnolia TX
July 22, 2010 - Recently planted Texas purple sage, some of it looks healthy and has new blooms, but a few of the plants have limp leaves and are thin at the bottom. I read the article on cotton root rot, but am not ...
view the full question and answer
Poor drainage in wildflower bed
November 10, 2004 - I have a flower bed that has given me difficulty because it has poor drainage but typically receives sun for most of the day. Salvia gregii was the only survivors for the initial landscaping attempt. ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |