Do you know what this is?

Meet the coontie.# This little shrub is a cycad, which actually## means it was hanging out with dinosaurs long# before roses and orchids were even a thing.## And I'm talking about 325 million years ago.# Isn't that crazy?

It's actually really tough.## It's low maintenance.

It's pollinator friendly.# And bonus, it's a native to Florida.

Pretty cool,#right?

Today, we'll be diving into the# world of native plants, why they matter,## and how they can save you money, time,# and I think possibly your sanity.

Plus,## I'll share my top 10 favorite easy to# grow plants for your Florida garden.

What if I told you that these quiet leafy# green things that we're surrounded by can## actually help solve some of Florida's biggest# environmental problems?

That is the beauty of## native plants.

They've grown here naturally# for hundreds and even thousands of years,## perfectly adapted to Florida's climate, our sandy# soil, and of course, our beautiful wildlife.## Florida isn't like the rest of the country when# it comes to gardening.

While most states take a## break through winter, Florida's gardening season# is just getting started.

Our warm and humid## climate and sandy soils create an environment# where summer can actually be too hot for many## crops and non-natives, and our best growing# seasons are often fall through spring.

This## upside down schedule means gardeners have to think# a little differently.

But the real magic happens## when we lean into what naturally thrives here,# native plants.

These are the true Floridians.

And they come with many perks.

Number one, water#conservation and low maintenance.

Thanks to their deep roots and natural resilience,# native plants don't need extra watering,## fertilizers, or chemicals.

This does wonders# for our water bill and reduces the need for## upkeep.

Their roots can actually grow 16# ft deep in the ground.

Pretty cool, right?

Number two, improve soil health.

Florida# sandy soils are often low in nutrients## and organic matter, but native plants have# adapted to grow in them with little to no## fertilizer.

That means healthier soil and# fewer chemicals entering our environment.

Number three, support local wildlife.

My favorite# one by far.

Native plants provide essential food## and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other# wildlife, especially my bees.

Many insects depend## on specific native species to survive, making# them a critical part of our local food web.## And it's a beautiful thing to see how# native encourages behavior of wildlife## in our area.

They come, they fly, they play,# they eat.

It just puts a smile on your face.

Number four, fights climate change.

Shifting seasons are disrupting# plants and animal life cycle.## Native plants help stabilize ecosystems by# blooming in sync with local wildlife needs## and supporting pollinators and migratory# birds even when the climate changes.

Number five, saves money over time.

Most native# plants are perennials just like this scarlet#hibiscus.

They come back year after year.

That# means fewer trips to nurseries, less replanting,## and long-term savings for gardeners who want# beauty and resilience.

Now, Florida has over## 4,700 native plants.

But don't worry, I've narrowed# it down to my top 10 favorites.

I've included the## plant hardiness zones to determine which plants# thrive in your region.

These zones are based on## average minimum temperatures.

Here in Florida,# they range from zone 8b all the way to zone 11b.## Zone 8b found mostly in North Florida sees the# coolest winters, while zone 11b, down here in## South Florida, stays warm year round.

So keep that# in mind.

All right, let's get going.

The climbing#aster.

I think of vines as very romantic.

It reminds#me of sort of this like pleasant feel when I see# vines grow.

This vine is a Florida native.

It's# a beautiful vine to have in your garden.

It has## these very soft lavender flowers that are very# popular within the pollinator world.

I do find## some challenges with it and one of the challenges# which I just discovered is the fact that iguanas## also love it as much as we love it.

It's a great# vine to have if you have space that goes up.

It## loves to climb trees and trellises and walls.

It's# a beautiful addition to any garden in Florida.

# If you're looking for some plant here in Florida# that's really low to the ground and provides a## pop of color on a yearly basis, think about the# stokes' aster.

The stokes' aster is a beautiful## perennial that does really well in sandy soils# and actually muck environment just like this#one.

I haven't seen any challenges with this# particular plant, but I do think that it's## actually a slow growing plant.

It doesn't multiply# often, but when you see the color of the flower,# I think that's what caught my attention.

It's# a beautiful addition if you want something## low in the ground to create a little pop of color# throughout the year.

When you think about Florida,## we have to consider hurricanes and the amount# of water we kind of receive throughout the year.## So the combination of this climbing aster with# this strokes' aster down here creates a really## beautiful scene.

Especially when you think about# what do I put when I have so much water, like here.## This combination does really well in your garden.# I've noticed that with the amount of water that I## receive in my garden, they seem to do really well.# They're not complaining and they still showcase## They're not complaining and they still showcase#their beautiful flowers.

I planted this earlier.#This is the Coreopsis.

It's actually Florida's state wildflower.

It reminds me of the sun.

This is an# annual which actually means it'll die back down,## but throughout the year, it will surprise you# and it'll spring back up.

And it springs back## up in very unique places.

And that's why it's# so versatile.

It loves wet soil, dry soil,## too much sun, not enough sun.

It's a beautiful# flower to have and the pollinators love them.## This is the corkystem passion flower and by far# it's one of my favorite vines to grow in companion## with my veggie plots.

I do feel that growing this# next to my vegetables actually creates a symbolic## relationship between the vegetables and the# wildlife.

This specific vine is actually a host## vine for the Julia butterfly, the zebra longwing,# and also the gulf fritillary.

Right now, once we## look close, we're going to see how full it is of# butterflies and little small caterpillars.

While## the wildlife is actually enjoying this variety of# vine, your vegetable gardens are thriving.# Do you know, 'cause I didn't know, that Florida actually has# a native sweet basil?

This beautiful little small## basil here is actually one of our Florida natives.# And I was so excited to know that we actually had## a native that I drove three hours just to purchase# her.

She's actually a very aromatic sweet basil.## Sort of has the scent of a basil.

But unlike# your kitchen basil, this is not to make pesto.## It is non-edible and pollinators love it.

It# has a very beautiful delicate purple lavender## flower.

It stays low to the ground.

And what I# like best, it actually repels mosquitoes.

This is the firebush.

And I'll tell you a little# story about the firebush.

I was looking for# a plant that needed to eat up a lot of space.

And# that's the beauty of this bush.

It's a shrub.

It## gets pretty tall.

You can keep it short.

But the# best part to me is the flowers.

I don't know why,## but it reminds me of fireworks.

It's sort of an# explosion for wildlife to come and gather nectar## from the beautiful flowers and the oranges and# the reds.

And it's full of life.

In the morning,## the pollinators swarm around this area.

So, it's a# good plant to have if you need up to eat up space## and sort of have a showcase for wildlife.

This#is the wild coffee and by far I think it's an## underrated plant.

It's an evergreen shrub that# eats up a lot of space.

It stays green all year## long and the best part about it, it feeds the# wildlife.

Birds adore this shrub.

Throughout the## year, it creates these really beautiful berries# and the birds sit here and they sort of have a## lunch.

So, it's pretty unique to see.

This tree,#I think, doesn't get the attention it deserves.

This is the wild lime tree.

It has the scent of# these citrusy leaves that if you kind of crush it## in your hand and take a sniff, you can smell the# lemon.

It does not produce fruit.

It's not showy,## but it speaks volume to our ecosystems.

Number# one, it is a host tree for the giant swallowtail## butterfly caterpillar, and it's a beautiful# sight to see them sort of flutter through the## tree.

Number two, it is beloved among birds.

Right# now, I probably have around three nests, and it's## sort of small, relative small tree.

And I think# the thorniness comes into play when they think# about predators.

It's a great tree to have in your# space if you want the butterfly and also if you#love the birds.

Are you interested in removing# your grass?

Well, I'm going to highly recommend## the frogfruit.

It creates a carpet of flowers.# Sadly, a lot of people think of it as a weed,## but don't let it fool you.

If you look really# closely, it is surrounded by bees.

Here and there,## you will have butterflies sort of scoop down and# enjoy all the nectar this variety has.

It stays## really short.

And this one is a little taller# because I actually enjoy seeing the flowers.## But you actually can mow it and mow it even# shorter in your space.

So if you're looking for## a ground cover, if you're looking for a drought-# resistant plant that can cover a lot of flat area,# consider the frogfruit for your Florida garden.

Well, I do think the coontie is by far one of my# favorite species in my garden.

Number one, it was# hanging out with dinosaurs, which I think that's## pretty cool.

Number two, it's actually a host for# the rare Atala butterfly.

Once in a blue moon,## you'll see her sparkle through the sky, and# it's a beautiful sight to see.

Number three,## it does wonders for edges around your garden.# It does great when you want to create a contrast## between high and low.

It is a very slow growing# plant.

It kind of teaches us to have patience.## So find yourself a coontie, surround your# gardens with them and you'll thank me later.

Even though natives are low in maintenance,## they still need a little love at# the start.

When you plant them,## don't forget to water them for at least two# weeks so their roots can grow long and strong.

Since I've been doing this for around seven years,# I've had a lot of trial and error.

And I do have## to say that one of the things that I like to share# to beginner gardens is patience.

Be patient with## yourself.

I feel like sometimes we're hard on# ourselves.

The plants die.

We don't know why## they die.

But it's okay.

I like to say that if# it dies, just leaves more space for another one.## When I started this what I call still journey# and I'm still learning, I really enjoyed growing## vegetables.

That's sort of my backbone.

But# in between those years, I fell in love with## native plants in South Florida.

And the reason# why I did fall in love with that because I felt## like there was a symbolic relationship with# growing food and having natives side-by-side.# I do feel that when I have the natives there, my# vegetables do much better.

The pollinators enjoy## that they have to pollinate something.

So, I do# think that as a beginner, having both creates a## really good balance in your garden.

And by far, I# think native is my favorite now just because the## amount of wildlife it brings to your space.

And#if you're wondering where to find these plants,## stop by your local nursery, but make sure to ask# for native plants.

Most of the time they're not## always labeled.

You can also search for more# native plants by your zip code.

Check out the## links in the description below.

Remember, when# you plant native, you're not just gardening.

You're helping Florida thrive.

Stay rooted,# and I'll see you next time.

To keep building your#native plant garden, check out the video below.# Yes, click right here.

I see you.

Right here.