Common Names And Identification Traits Of 142 South Florida Landscape Plants

Front 1

blue sage

Back 1

Sub-shrub with opposite, puckered leaves; corollas actinomorphic, blue-violet in bracteate spikes

Front 2

caricature plant

Back 2

Shrub with opposite multi-colored leaves

Front 3

Mexican honeysuckle, mohintle

Back 3

Sub-shrub with opposite leaves, corollas tubular, bilabiate, bright orange-red

Front 4

firespike

Back 4

Shrub with opposite, acuminate leaves; scarlet flowers in vertical spikes

Front 5

golden shrimp plant, yellow shrimp plant, lollipop plant

Back 5

Sub-shrub with opposite, puckered leaves; yellow showy bracts around flowers

Front 6

Persian shield

Back 6

Sub-shrub with opposite, purple leaves

Front 7

cockscomb

Back 7

Herb with showy red cylindric, spikelike inflorescence

Front 8

custard apple

Back 8

Tree with large bumpy edible fruit

Front 9

mast tree

Back 9

Columnar tree with dangling branches and elongate leaves

Front 10

desert rose

Back 10

Succulent shrub with reddish or pinkish flowers

Front 11

yellow allamanda

Back 11

Vine or lax shrub with large yellow flowers

Front 12

purple allamanda

Back 12

Vine with large pinkish or purple flowers

Front 13

giant milkweed

Back 13

Shrub with pubescent leaves, purple or light purple flowers and copious white latex when leaves broken

Front 14

Natal plum

Back 14

Shrub with forked thorns, milky latex, star-shaped white flowers

Front 15

Madagascar rubbervine

Back 15

Vine with opposite, leathery leaves, flower violet

Front 16

kopsia

Back 16

Tree with succulent, whorled, shiny leaves, bright red fruits

Front 17

wild allamanda

Back 17

Vine with twining stems and rounded leaf tips, flowers golden yellow

Front 18

birdnest anthurium

Back 18

Terrestrial aroid with erect leaves to 5 feet tall

Front 19

pothos, scindapsus

Back 19

Vine with cordate, variable-size, somewhat fleshy leaves, usually yellow and green variegated

Front 20

syngonium, arrowhead vine

Back 20

Vine with arrow-shaped, generally divided, somewhat fleshy leaves

Front 21

ZZ plant

Back 21

Succulent herb upright from ground, leaves pinnate, leathery, shiny leaflets

Front 22

arboricola

Back 22

Shrub with palmately compound leaves, often variegated

Front 23

paurotis palm

Back 23

Clustering palm with very round palmate fronds and persistent leaf bases and fiber, fronds divided to no more than 1/2, split at tips, spiny petioles, often growing near water

Front 24

Christmas palm

Back 24

Small, tidy palm, with gray trunk, usually to 15 feet tall, with arching pinnate fronds and short green crownshaft; leaflets upright forming a V, pointed at the tips

Front 25

Alexandra palm

Back 25

Large palm usually to 40 feet tall, with pinnate fronds silver-gray below, tending to twist so some leaflets vertical, non-waxy light green crownshaft and ringed trunk swollen at base

Front 26

Bismarck palm

Back 26

Massive crowned, blue-green fan palm, the fronds stiff; no crownshaft

Front 27

fishtail palm

Back 27

Clustering, bipinnate palm, the secondary leaflets asymmetric, wedge-shaped

Front 28

cat palm

Back 28

Almost trunkless palm with pinnate fronds, to only 5 feet tall

Front 29

silver thatch palm

Back 29

Small palm usually to 20 feet tall, with layers of fiber around trunk, leaf stem bases not divided, with stiff palmate fronds which are deeply divided, silvery below

Front 30

coconut

Back 30

Large palm with no crownshaft, the trunk often curving, pinnate often yellowish-green fronds; distinctive fruits nearly 1 foot long

Front 31

Bailey palm

Back 31

Very large costapalmate palm with rigid, regular fronds

Front 32

sealing wax palm

Back 32

Slender pinnate palm with red crownshaft and leaf stems

Front 33

princess palm, hurricane palm

Back 33

Large palm usually to 30 feet tall, with pinnate fronds not silver-gray below, tending to twist so some leaflets vertical, typically with long dangling reins, crownshaft with waxy scales

Front 34

triangle palm

Back 34

Stocky palm with three-planed arrangement of fronds, no crownshaft

Front 35

areca palm

Back 35

Clustering palm with with pinnate erect, arching, often golden fronds, grayish-green crownshaft

Front 36

bottlepalm

Back 36

Palm with bulbous trunk, pinnate fronds, with smooth, waxy crownshaft

Front 37

licuala palm

Back 37

Small palm with nearly circular undivided, pleated fronds

Front 38

Chinese fan palm

Back 38

Large palm usually to 50 feet tall, costapalmate fronds, ringed trunk, drooping leaf tips divided to about 2/3, each leaflet with a yellow nerve, petiole sometimes toothed

Front 39

Canary Island date palm

Back 39

Large palm with pinnate fronds, no crownshaft, stout trunk 2 feet or more in diameter covered with leaf bases or scars, no basal suckers, leaves stiffly arched, petiole short, the lower leaflets as large spines

Front 40

date palm

Back 40

Large palm with pinnate fronds, no crownshaft, stout trunk 1 to 2 feet in diameter forms geometric pattern with persistent leaf bases or ultimately leaf scars, usually basal suckers, petiole long, up to 1/3 length of leaf, with large spines

Front 41

Senegal date, reclinata palm

Back 41

Mid-sized strongly clustering palm usually to 30 feet tall, no crownshaft, pinnate fronds bright, shiny, spiny leaflets radiate at different angles

Front 42

pygmy date palm

Back 42

Small palm usually to 12 feet tall, pinnate fronds, no crownshaft, trunk no more than 1 foot in diameter; rough, spiny look; fronds finely cut, only to 4 feet long, lower leaflets are sharp spines, raised peg-like leaf bases

Front 43

solitaire palm, Alexander palm

Back 43

Mid-sized palm, usually to 20 feet tall, slender, arched, erect pinnate fronds do not taper to point but have blunt tips

Front 44

lady palm

Back 44

Small palm usually to 12 feet tall, palmate fronds deeply divided into 4-10 wide segments, long petiole

Front 45

sabal palm, cabbage palm

Back 45

Large palm usually to 50 feet tall, costapalmate fronds, petioles smooth, split at the base, gray-green fronds divided to about 1/2

Front 46

saw palmetto

Back 46

Small spreading palm usually to 8 feet tall, palmate frond, fiber-covered straight trunk, leaf margins saw-toothed

Front 47

queen palm

Back 47

Large palm, usually to 50 feet tall, pinnate fronds, no crownshaft, straight, gray, widely spaced rings, petiole to 6 feet long; leaflets in multiple ranks in radiating groups of 2 to 7

Front 48

Florida thatch palm

Back 48

Mid-sized palm with palmate fronds, leaf stem bases split where they sheath trunk, leaf segments with yellow ribs above

Front 49

Montgomery palm

Back 49

Large palm usually to 35 feet tall, pinnate fronds; leaflets 100 or more per frond, not pointed; crownshaft white

Front 50

Washingtonia palm

Back 50

Very large palm usually to 50 to 100 feet tall, costapalmate fronds, shaggy leaf bases; reddish-brown trunk; leaves rigid divided about 1/2 or more, with fiber among leaflets, petiole toothed

Front 51

foxtail palm

Back 51

Mid-sized palm usually to 30 feet tall, pinnate fronds, with crownshaft, trunk swollen at base; ringed with scars; crownshaft present; leaflets in several ranks looking like a foxtail

Front 52

giant Dutchman's pipe

Back 52

Vine with large bizarre flowers

Front 53

blanketflower

Back 53

Groundcover with flowers in heads with yellow tips and red and brown centers

Front 54

Mexican flamevine

Back 54

Vine with bright orange flowers in heads

Front 55

trumpet vine

Back 55

Vine with opposite, pinnately compound leaves, climbing by roots, flowers orangish or reddish

Front 56

bower vine

Back 56

Vine with opposite, pinnately compound leaves, flowers trumpet-shaped, white or pink, with red centers

Front 57

flamevine

Back 57

Vine with tendrils and opposite, pinnately compound leaves, entire; bright orange flowers with reflexed lobes

Front 58

cape honeysuckle

Back 58

Vine with no tendrils, with opposite, pinnately compound leaves, leaflets entire; flowers bilabiate, bright orange-red, invasive

Front 59

white geiger, Texas wild olive

Back 59

Small tree with white, funnel-shaped white flowers

Front 60

butterfly sage, Curacao bush

Back 60

Shrub with alternate, dentate, rough leaves; corolla delicate, whitish, campanulate; berries red

Front 61

pineapple

Back 61

Groundcover with strap-shaped toothed leaves emerge from ground, scaly football shaped fruit born above leaves

Front 62

guzmania

Back 62

Groundcover with strap-shaped leaves very long, glossy, emerge from ground

Front 63

sandankwa viburnum

Back 63

Shrub with opposite leaves with deeply indented veins and odor of bacon when crushed

Front 64

white mangrove

Back 64

Tree along saline estuaries with opposite, leathery, oval, leaves, grayish green on both sides; a small pair of glands occurs at the top of the petiole

Front 65

Rangoon creeper

Back 65

Vine with opposite leaves; long tubular corollas white changing to red

Front 66

tropical almond

Back 66

Tree with large obovate leaves, to 1 foot long, clustered at branch tips, fruits large, flattened

Front 67

Italian cypress

Back 67

Tree with narrowly conical habit; needles scale-like

Front 68

arborvitae

Back 68

Tree, dense, columnar or globular, with opposite, paired needles on flat, fan-like branches

Front 69

queen sago

Back 69

Large cycad to 15 feet tall

Front 70

papyrus

Back 70

Reed-like herb, usually to 8 feet tall in shallow water topped with an umbellate inflorescence

Front 71

holly fern

Back 71

Groundcover fern with sickle-shaped leaflets

Front 72

black sapote

Back 72

Tree with elliptic, glossy, alternate leaves, large edible fruit

Front 73

horsetail

Back 73

Hollow green straw-like stems emerging from ground often in wet areas

Front 74

Virginia willow

Back 74

Shrub with alternate, minutely serrate leaves and arching branches

Front 75

candelabra cactus

Back 75

Succulent upright shrub with paired stipular thorns; stems often 3-sided, milky sap

Front 76

crown of thorns

Back 76

Sub-shrub with thorns and bright red bracteate flowers

Front 77

coral plant

Back 77

Sub-shrub with thorns and bright red bracteate flowers

Front 78

woman's tongue

Back 78

Tree with bipinnate leaves, white powderpuff flowers, and flat brown pods

Front 79

perennial peanut

Back 79

Creeping groundcover with pinnate leaves and yellow flowers

Front 80

bridalveil tree

Back 80

Trunk with peeling bark; leaves bipinnate, delicate; flowers yellow

Front 81

butterfly pea

Back 81

Vine with bright purple flowers with a large banner at the bottom

Front 82

royal poinciana

Back 82

Tree with bipinnate leaves and brilliant reddish flowers

Front 83

horseflesh mahogany

Back 83

Tree with bipinnate leaves; flowers in whitish globular clusters; fruit oblong, 4-6 inches long

Front 84

Jerusalem thorn

Back 84

Tree, slender, almost leafless; leaves pinnate; flowers yellow

Front 85

copperpod

Back 85

Tree with bipinnate leaves; flowers yellow to yellow-orange; fruit winged

Front 86

pongam

Back 86

Tree with odd-pinnate leaves, papilionaceous flowers white or pink

Front 87

jade vine

Back 87

Woody vine with dangling bright green curved flowers

Front 88

southern red cedar

Back 88

Conical tree with opposite needlelike leaves; cones < 1/4 inch diam.

Front 89

red sage, tropical sage, blood sage, Texas sage

Back 89

Herb with square stems and opposite leaves, flowers with tubular bilabiate corollas

Front 90

Havana skullcap

Back 90

Delicate upright groundcover with violet bilabiate corollas

Front 91

African lily

Back 91

Groundcover with long leaves to 2 feet; flower tubular, violet

Front 92

cast iron plant

Back 92

Herbaceous groundcover with broad, strap-shaped leaves from ground, tough, somewhat plicate

Front 93

ponytail palm

Back 93

Shrub with swollen woody base, succulent, linear, recurved leaves

Front 94

white crinum, St. John's lily

Back 94

Large lily groundcover with very large basal leaves to 6 feet long, very large white fragrant flowers

Front 95

blueberry flax

Back 95

Herbaceous grass-like groundcover with variegated arching basal leaves; flowers violet

Front 96

rain lily

Back 96

Groundcover, small bulbous grass-like lily, often with pinkish flowers, sometimes white; can grow on the edge of lawns

Front 97

mondo grass

Back 97

Grasslike groundcover with dark, shiny leaves up to 1/4 inch wide

Front 98

southern magnolia

Back 98

Large tree with undersides of leaves brown, flowers large, white, fragrant

Front 99

Amazonvine

Back 99

Vine with opposite leaves; bright golden flowers with five petals

Front 100

Bangor nut

Back 100

Tree with red and white flowers; red fruit look like canastas

Front 101

purple glorytree

Back 101

Shrub, opposite leaves with prominent, parallel veins, bright blue flowers

Front 102

neem

Back 102

Tree with pinnately compound leaves, the leaflets serrate, flowers white, source of insecticide

Front 103

chinaberry

Back 103

Tree with bipinnate leaves, serrate margined leaflets, yellow-green fruits

Front 104

creeping fig

Back 104

Vine with ovate-cordate leaves, nearly sessile; clings to walls; sometimes variegated

Front 105

banana, plantain

Back 105

Herbaceous, tree-like, broad leaves, to 24 inches wide; edible

Front 106

bottlebrush

Back 106

Small tree with alternate, elongate, tomentulose leaves; red cylindric flower spikes

Front 107

jaboticaba

Back 107

Small tree with opposite, leathery leaves; flowers and edible fruits on branches and trunk

Front 108

allspice

Back 108

Tree with opposite, oblong, fragrant leaves; flowers white

Front 109

guava

Back 109

Small tree with opposite, ovate leaves with corrugated veins; light, flaky bark; flowers white

Front 110

Philippine ground orchid

Back 110

Groundcover to about 18 inches tall, leaves plicate, purple flowers

Front 111

carambola

Back 111

Tree with pinnately compound leaves, the leaflets entire, fruit star-shaped

Front 112

red passionflower

Back 112

Vine with bright red flowers with corona of projections coming from corolla cup

Front 113

lemongrass

Back 113

Fragrant tall bunch grass

Front 114

bermudagrass

Back 114

Fine, often minutely hairy turfgrass, leaves folded in bud; digitate inflorescence with generally 3-4 branches (modified racemes)

Front 115

centipedegrass

Back 115

Stoloniferous turfgrass; leaves < 7 mm wide

Front 116

muhly grass

Back 116

Bunch grass with pinkish panicles

Front 117

bahiagrass

Back 117

"Coarse turfgrass with thick stolons (""rhizomes"") > 5 mm thick"

Front 118

seashore paspalum

Back 118

Fine, rhizomatous turfgrass, leaves glabrous and slightly waxy; inflorescence forked (2 modified racemes)

Front 119

fountaingrass

Back 119

Bunch grass with foxtail-like inflorescences; can be weedy

Front 120

St. Augustinegrass

Back 120

Coarse, stoloniferous turfgrass with wide leaves > 7 mm wide; inflorescence spikelike with corky, disarticulating rachis

Front 121

Fakahatcheegrass

Back 121

Bunch grass with glabrous leaves; inflorescence a corky rachis bearing male flowers at the top

Front 122

seaoats

Back 122

Tall clumping beach grass with large, tan flattened spikelets

Front 123

Japanese zoysiagrass

Back 123

Fine, rhizomatous turfgrass; leaves pointed, rolled in bud; inflorescence spikelike

Front 124

coral vine

Back 124

Vine with bright pink flowers

Front 125

wart fern

Back 125

Groundcover fern with prominent round spore-case clusters

Front 126

staghorn fern

Back 126

Very large epiphytic fern with a basal cup of papery, brown roundish fronds and arching or hanging forked green fronds

Front 127

silk oak

Back 127

Tree with pinnately deeply lobed leaves and orange flowers in a one-sided cluster

Front 128

jujube

Back 128

Small tree with red berries

Front 129

fern tree

Back 129

Tree with distinctive frondlike pinnate leaves with a winged rachis; leaflets notched at apex

Front 130

tulipwood

Back 130

Tall tree with even pinnate leaves; paired fruit red on the outside; single seed is black

Front 131

goldenraintree

Back 131

Tree with pinnate leaves, the leaflets serrate, yellow flowers and showy reddish 3-parted fruits

Front 132

lychee

Back 132

Tree with narrow, elliptic leaves; edible small fruit bumpy

Front 133

Spanish lime

Back 133

Tree with alternate, even pinnate leaves with four leaflets and a winged rachis; fruit green

Front 134

angel's trumpets

Back 134

Shrub, large trumpet-shaped corollas hang down

Front 135

traveler's tree

Back 135

Large herb to 30 feet tall, large broad leaves emerging in flattened array from stem, with overlapping sheaths

Front 136

sweet almond bush, lemon verbena

Back 136

Shrub with whorled leaves, fragrant, glandular-dotted below; flowers small, white or lavender

Front 137

golden dewdrop

Back 137

Shrub with opposite leaves, sometimes thorny; flowers purple with whitish centers

Front 138

Chinese hat plant

Back 138

Sprawling shrub with unusual red or orange conical calix from which emerges long tubular corolla

Front 139

blue porterweed

Back 139

Sub-shrub about 3 feet tall; light violet corollas on spikes

Front 140

red porterweed

Back 140

Shrub to 6 feet tall; salmon red flowers

Front 141

cardboard palm

Back 141

Cycad to about 3 feet tall with broad leaflets, reddish furry looking when young

Front 142

verawood

Back 142

Tree with even pinnate leaves; butter yellow flowers