Featured Native Plants

Published on March 15, 2026

Add color to your garden with featured native plants that thrive in our local environment! Resident Sarah Noppen shares that "creating a garden space that is inviting to native wildlife has been such a thrill, especially as the diversity and number of birds and butterflies continues to grow."

In her own landscape, Sarah highlights the beauty of a classic pine rockland. You can recreate this look by pairing the majestic canopy of South Florida slash pines with the rugged, structural texture of saw palmettos. For a stunning burst of golden color, add the narrowleaf yellowtops, which serve as a natural magnet for local pollinators.

To round out the landscape, Sarah recommends two smaller natives perfect for our Village: Pineland lantana, a low-maintenance ground cover with year-round yellow blooms, and pine rockland twinflower, which offers blue and purple flowers that host the common buckeye butterfly.

Noppen prefers native plants because “they require much less water once they are established, no additional soil additives, and less routine maintenance than many non-natives.”

Both pine rocklands prefer full sun, handle drought well once established, and thrive in our sandy limestone soil.

Rockland twinflower, which offers blue and purple flowers that host the Common Buckeye butterfly.

Noppen prefers native plants because “they require much less water once they are established, no additional soil additives, and less routine maintenance than many non-natives.”

Both pine rocklands prefer full sun, handle drought well once established, and thrive in our sandy limestone soil.