United States regional guide · FL
Permaculture in Florida
Florida shifts from warm-temperate north to nearly tropical south, with sandy soils, intense rain, hurricanes, and a pronounced dry season in much of the peninsula. Heat, salt, drainage, and cold pockets divide the state into distinct planting regions.
USDA span
8b–11b
Census region
South
Climate starting point
USDA hardiness zones in Florida
Florida includes USDA zones 8b–11b. Hardiness zones describe typical annual extreme minimum temperatures; within-state elevation, wind, water, soil, and urban heat can change what succeeds on a particular site.
Regional plant starting points
Plants to explore for a Florida design
These plants are useful starting points for researching a design in Florida. Confirm each choice against your exact zone, site conditions, local ecology, and management goals.
Sweet Orange
Citrus × sinensis
- Layer
- Canopy
- Type
- Evergreen Tree
Grapefruit
Citrus x paradisi
- Layer
- Canopy
- Type
- Evergreen Tree
Avocado
Persea americana
- Layer
- Canopy
- Type
- Evergreen Tree
Guava
Psidium guajava
- Layer
- Sub-Canopy
- Type
- Evergreen Tree
Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica
- Layer
- Sub-Canopy
- Type
- Evergreen Tree
Saw Palmetto
Serenoa repens
- Layer
- Shrub
- Type
- Evergreen Tree