Bumble bees, like this one, are regular visitors to wild hydrangea. Photo by Donna Legare.
North Florida and South Georgia have a wealth of native shrubs. Many are quite common and well known, such as American beautyberry. Others occur throughout our area but are relatively unknown in the gardening community. Of the native shrubs that are available in the nursery trade, a few are especially interesting and deserve use in our landscapes. Some have beautiful blossoms, some offer nectar or pollen to native pollinators, some have excellent fall color, and some provide berries for birds.
Wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is a lesser-known relative of oakleaf hydrangea. My six-foot tall, bushy plant has produced almost 60 white, flat flower clusters from three to six inches across in June. Bumblebees race all over the flowers, back and forth, presumably collecting pollen on their legs. The flowers also attract many smaller pollinators – bees and weevils (a type of beetle). Wild hydrangea is deciduous. Plant in light shade in moist to average, rich soil.
Virginia sweetspire ‘Little Henry’ is quite showy in springtime and has good fall color.
Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) is another six-foot tall, deciduous shrub. In the nursery trade special varieties are sold that grow shorter and more compact than their wild cousins. ‘Henry’s Garnet’ grows to six feet and ‘Little Henry’ can reach four feet. Both have three-to-four-inch white flower spikes in spring. They are slightly fragrant and a favorite of many native pollinators, including butterflies. Fall is the second season of interest with beautiful maroon leaf color. The branches have a graceful arching habit. Plant in light shade in wet (rain gardens) to average rich soil.
This southeastern blueberry bee is the primary pollinator of blueberry plants in our region. Photo by Blair Sampson.
We are fortunate to have six species of native blueberries in our region. Two need very well drained sandy soil, usually south of Tallahassee. One becomes a 25-foot tree. For average soils, I love the shrub species called highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum). The plant just outside our home office window is six feet tall but may grow to eight. In April, southeastern blueberry bees pollinate the small white flowers; we can easily observe them from our window. The blueberries ripen in June, and we are happy to share them with the cardinals. They perch in the shrub, plucking off the berry and spitting out the peel. The open form of this graceful shrub makes for great bird and bumblebee viewing. It will grow in a wide variety of soils, from very dry to very wet. Give it full sun to light shade. Quite often this deciduous shrub has beautiful red fall color.
Florida anise, ideal for shady gardens, is an evergreen shrub sporting showy maroon flowers every spring.
Florida anise (Illicium floridanum) is an evergreen shrub growing to twelve feet. The dark red, two-inch-wide flowers are rather unique among native shrubs of our region, with multiple (20) petals. The leaves are dark green and reminiscent of the appearance of North Carolina rhododendron foliage. In your yard, use it as part of an evergreen border for privacy or as a featured specimen. It is most happy in shade with moist (not wet) rich soil. During droughts this is the main plant in our yard that may need extra watering.
If you live near the Gulf coast, or even if you do not, Simpson’s stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) may be the most unique plant for you. As the botanical name suggests the blossoms are very fragrant. The evergreen leaves contrast beautifully with the fresh, new leaves which can range in color from chartreuse to deep wine. When crushed, the leaves give off a spicy-citrusy scent like nutmeg. Planted in full sun, the plants will grow densely making a great hedge. Despite its natural limited occurrence in Florida, from St. John’s County to the Keys, it does well in North Florida landscapes. The dainty but showy white flowers attract bees and butterflies. Orange to red berries ripen in late summer. Plant it in full sun to light shade. Soils can be coastal sand or average inland soil. Once established it will be very drought tolerant.
These are just five of the many interesting native shrubs underused in our landscapes. Their presence in your yard helps to build a healthier ecosystem for wildlife, from bees and butterflies to lizards to songbirds. The late Tallahassee botanist Dr. Robert Godfrey wrote in his 1988 tree and shrub book, “as is the case with so many plants, their deciduousness mitigates against their more frequent use.” Embrace this wonderful aspect of seasonal change; use these unique native plants in your yard!