No area in the United States allows a more tropical set of plants that will thrive than Miami and the entire South Florida area. Extremely infrequent cold nights and an abundance of both sunshine and rain fuel extremely an extremely colorful array of foliage.
The chart below list most of the plants available at local retial nurseries in Miami. Many of them can serve multible functions in a landscape design. Those primary and secondary functions along with color characteristices are listed in the alphabetized chart.
| Plant | Primary Use | Secondary Use | Flowering | Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African Iris | Groundcover | Specimin, Accent | Yes | White |
| Agapanthus | Groundcover | Specimin, Accent | Yes | White, Blue |
| Alamanda Dwarf Shrub | Shrub | Yes | Yellow | |
| Alyssum | Accent | Groundcover | Yes | Various |
| Anise | Shrub | No | ||
| Arboricola Trinet | Shrub | No | ||
| Azaleas | Shrubs | Yes | Pink, Various | |
| Aztec Grass | Groundcover | Accent | No | |
| Bird of Paradise | Specimen | Shrub | Yes | Orange |
| Giant Bird of Paradise | Specimen Tree | Yes | White | |
| Bougainvillea | Vine | Shrub | Yes | Purple, Various |
| Bufordi Holly | ||||
| Caladium | Groundcover | Accent | No | Colored Leaves |
| Camellia | Shrub | Hedges | Yes | Red, White, Pink |
| Cast Iron Plant | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Century Plant | Specimen | Accent | No | |
| Confederate Jasmine | Vine | Groundcover | Yes | White |
| Cordyline | Accent | Specimen | No | Various Red-Purple Shades |
| Crotons | Accent Plant | Shrubs | No | Bright oranges, reds, yellows |
| Crown of Thorns | ||||
| Day Lilly | Groundcover | Yes | Various colors | |
| Dianella | Groundcover | Accent Plant | ||
| Dianthus | ||||
| Downy Jasmine | Shrub | Yes | White | |
| Dracena | ||||
| Drift Rose | Groundcover | Yes | Pink or Red | |
| East Palatka Holly | ||||
| Eugenia Balls | Topiary | |||
| Firecracker | Shrubs | Yes | Red | |
| Formosa Azalea | Shrub | Yes | Lavender | |
| Green Fountain Grass | Ornamental Grass | Groundcover | No | |
| Foxtail Fern | Groundcover | Accent | No | |
| Gardenia | Shrub | Groundcover, Tree | Yes | White |
| Geraniums | Accent Flower | Specimen | Yes | Various Red, Pinks, Whites |
| Ginger | Shrub | Hedge | Yes | Yellow and Green Variegated |
| Goldmound | Groundcover | Accent | No | Bright gold leaves |
| Hibiscus | Shrub | Accent | Yes | Multiple: Red, Yellow |
| Ilex Schilling | Groundcover | Accent | No | |
| Imapatiens | Accent Flower | Yes | Reds and Pinks | |
| Indian Hawthorn | Groundcover | Yes | Pink | |
| Italian Cypress | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Ixora | Shrub | Groundcover | Yes | Pink or Red |
| Jasmine Minima | Groundcover | Vine | No | Dark Green or Variegated Leaf |
| Duranta Saphire Jasmine | Shrub | Yes | Purple | |
| Knockout Roses | Accent | Specimen | Yes | Red |
| Lady Palm | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Lantana | Groundcover | Yes | White, Purple | |
| Ligustrum | Hedge | Shrub | No | |
| Liriope Super Blue | Groundcover | Inconspicuous | Purple | |
| Loropedalum, Plum | Shrub | Yes | Pink | |
| Mexican Petunia | Groundcover | |||
| Mexican Petunia, Dwarf | Groundcover | |||
| Mondo Grass | Groundcover | No | ||
| Nandina | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Orchids | Accent Flower | Specimen, Groundcover | Yes | Various bright colors |
| Pampas Grass | Specimen | Accent | No | |
| Pansy | Accent Flower | Yes | Yellow or Purple | |
| Papyrus | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Pandora | Vine | Yes | Pink | |
| Parsoni Juniper | Groundcover | Yes | Blue-Green Leaves | |
| Pentas | Accent Flower | Yes | Various Reds, Pinks, Yellows | |
| Perennial Plant | Groundcover | Yes | Yellow | |
| Petunia | Accent Flower | Groundcover | Yes | Purple or Pink |
| Philodendron selloum | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Pittosporum, Dwarf | Shrub | Groundcover | Yes | Variegated white & green leaves |
| Plumbago | Primary | Accent | Yes | Blue |
| Plumeria | ||||
| Podocarpus | Hedge | Topiary | ||
| Purple Queen | Groundcover | No | Purple Leaf | |
| Purslane | Groundcover | Yes | White, Multi | |
| Rubber Plant | Accent | Specimen | No | |
| Schefflera, Tall | Specimen | Accent | No | |
| Seagrape | Shrub | Accent | No | |
| Sedum | ||||
| Snapdragon | Accent | Specimen | Yes | Red, Pink, Yellow |
| Society Garlic | Groundcover | Yes | Purple | |
| Star Jasmine | Shrub | Yes | White | |
| Sweet Potato Vine | Groundcover | No | ||
| Sweet Viburnum | Hedge | Screen, Shrub | No | |
| Texas Sage | Shrub | Hedge | Yes | Purple |
| Thryallis | Hedge | Shrub | Yes | Yellow |
| Trailing Verbena | Groundcover | No | ||
| Weeping Youpon Holly | Accent Tree | No | ||
| Yellow African Iris | Groundcover | Accent | Yes | Yellow |
| Creeping Fig | Vine | Groundcover | No | |
| Xanadu Philodendron | Groundcover | No | ||
| Zamia Coontie | Groundcover | No |
GROUNDCOVER PLANTS
Groundcover helps landscapers fill in or accent larger areas may not be ideal for grass for several reasons:
- Property owner wants more color with flowers or leaves
- Landscaper wants to complement a lawn
- Area needs to be more “maintenance free”
- Area does not get sunlight
- Area is difficult to mow on an embankment or a thin side of a home
Regardless of what you are looking for, find the perfect groundcover on the chart above.
SHRUBS
Shrubs in Miami add greenery to any space and can be a fantastic carrier of color for your landscaping project in the form of flowers or colored leaves. They can be small plants or take the form of small trees but they are generally made of a woody material.
HEDGES
Hedges are considered a specific type of shrub and used mainly for a delineation or defining an area. Whether for aesthetics or privacy, a well chosen and well place shrub can be a vital part of a landscape. Many hedges grow tall enough to provide privacy from neighbors when a fence just won’t do. They can also serve as foundation plants or to create a better looking walkway.
ACCENT PLANTS
Miami is could be considered the epicenter of accent plants since there are so many to choose from. Shrubs, hedges, and other greenery as a foundation of a landscape can serve as the perfect launching pad to the bright colors of accent plants such as Coleus, Crotons, and Caladium. Well-placed accent plants can make Miami yard come alive with color that, if chosen wisely, can last the entire year.