YardNatives

Native plants for Miami-Dade County, Florida

1,115 native plants recorded in Miami-Dade County, Florida

The USDA plant database has 1,807 plants recorded growing wild in Miami-Dade County. 1,115 of them are native to the lower 48, and 498 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 509 wildflowers and herbs, 182 grasses and sedges, 84 shrubs, 101 low woody plants, 153 trees, 86 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 168 of them (15%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and 21 more are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Miami-Dade County

SpotRated to fitRated not toUnrated
Sun all day1650950
Half shade12243950
Under trees8184950
Heavy clay12543947
Sandy, drains fast12741947
Never watered8381951
Stays soggy9370952

Sun all day in Miami-Dade County: 165 rated natives

48 wildflowers and herbs, 45 grasses and sedges, 43 trees, 12 shrubs, 9 vines, 8 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Bayhops (Ipomoea pes-caprae) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Climbing hempvine (Mikania scandens) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Lavender thrift (Limonium carolinianum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Half shade in Miami-Dade County: 122 rated natives

40 grasses and sedges, 36 wildflowers and herbs, 25 trees, 9 shrubs, 7 low woody plants, 5 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  2. Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  3. Lavender thrift (Limonium carolinianum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  4. Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  5. Roving sailor (Maurandella antirrhiniflora) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  6. Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  7. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  8. Peelbark St. Johnswort (Hypericum fasciculatum) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance

Under trees in Miami-Dade County: 81 rated natives

34 grasses and sedges, 22 wildflowers and herbs, 10 trees, 7 low woody plants, 7 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Lavender thrift (Limonium carolinianum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Roving sailor (Maurandella antirrhiniflora) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  7. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  8. Peelbark St. Johnswort (Hypericum fasciculatum) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Heavy clay in Miami-Dade County: 125 rated natives

41 wildflowers and herbs, 31 trees, 31 grasses and sedges, 9 shrubs, 8 low woody plants, 5 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Lavender thrift (Limonium carolinianum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Pennsylvania bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Roving sailor (Maurandella antirrhiniflora) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Climbing hempvine (Mikania scandens) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Miami-Dade County: 127 rated natives

40 trees, 34 grasses and sedges, 30 wildflowers and herbs, 12 shrubs, 6 low woody plants, 5 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Bayhops (Ipomoea pes-caprae) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Lavender thrift (Limonium carolinianum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Pennsylvania bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  7. Roving sailor (Maurandella antirrhiniflora) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Never watered in Miami-Dade County: 83 rated natives

27 trees, 21 grasses and sedges, 17 wildflowers and herbs, 6 low woody plants, 6 shrubs, 6 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  2. American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  3. Peelbark St. Johnswort (Hypericum fasciculatum) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  4. Bayhops (Ipomoea pes-caprae) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Roundpod St. Johnswort (Hypericum cistifolium) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  7. Roving sailor (Maurandella antirrhiniflora) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Salt heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Stays soggy in Miami-Dade County: 93 rated natives

30 wildflowers and herbs, 30 grasses and sedges, 18 trees, 8 shrubs, 4 low woody plants, 3 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Groundnut (Apios americana) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  2. Stiff marsh bedstraw (Galium tinctorium) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  3. Canada germander (Teucrium canadense) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  4. Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  5. Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  6. Pine barren goldenrod (Solidago fistulosa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  7. Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Climbing hempvine (Mikania scandens) vines
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Natives Miami-Dade County has that most of Florida does not

208 natives here are on file in no more than 3 of Florida's 67 counties. A few of them:

Where to start in Miami-Dade County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Miami-Dade County gives you the most rated choice (165 plants), and Bayhops (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 81 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 950 unrated natives too.