![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/800px-Highbush_blueberries.jpg\")
Western Carolina has ample natural beauty. Its mountains, high elevation, and variety of plant life set it apart from the rest of the Carolinas, so it’s essential that you know how to care for your yard in this unique climate. Adding turf grass, plants, and various other features to your property can be daunting at […]
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Western Carolina has ample natural beauty. Its mountains, high elevation, and variety of plant life set it apart from the rest of the Carolinas, so it’s essential that you know how to care for your yard in this unique climate.
Adding turf grass, plants, and various other features to your property can be daunting at first. But don’t worry; there are plenty of tips and tricks to not only make your Western Carolina landscape beautiful but also easier to care for.
\n\n\n\nHere are 11 low-maintenance landscaping ideas for Western Carolina.
\n\n\n\nIn this article:
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Ryjial Christianson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nThere are a lot of native plants in Western Carolina that do well in the local climate and soil. This makes them easier to care for. In addition, native plants provide important habitat and food sources for wildlife, making them an eco-friendly choice for landscaping.
\n\n\n\nBecause the variety of Western Carolina’s natives is so vast, make sure that you research which plants are best suited to your needs and preferences. Consider factors like sunlight needs, maintenance needs, potential hazards, and so forth.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of native plants:
\n\n\n\nSome plants native to Western Carolina:
\n\n\n\nIf you’d rather plant a tree, consider:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The price of your plants depends on their type and size. A new flower bed costs $1,000 to $3,000, and a new shrub costs $25 to $60 per plant, although large shrubs can cost up to $350. Tree prices typically range between $150 and $1,850 per tree but can cost as much as $3,335.
\n\n\n\nWildflowers grow in poor soil without any surplus irrigation or fertilizer. Just think about how much work you can save by letting these plants do their own thing and thrive. Plus, reducing your chemical usage is good for wildlife and the environment.
\n\n\n\nA wildflower meadow can grow within 2 to 3 years. It can also attract pollinators and birds to your yard.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of wildflowers:
\n\n\n\nExamples of wildflowers:
\n\n\n\nCost: Wildflower seed mixes (mixes of wildflowers and healthy native grasses) cost $60 to $80 per 1,000 square feet. Their professional installation runs $750 to $2,500 for a typical quarter-acre lawn, depending on the preparation needed.
\n\n\n\nFresh herbs enhance food flavor and often have various health benefits, and many of them are a good fit for your Western Carolina garden. And although most herbs aren’t native to Western Carolina, they’re popular; the largest herb festival in the U.S. is actually held in Asheville.
\n\n\n\nHerbs are often native to Mediterranean regions, so they may be able to resist heat and drought. However, make sure that you check the plant’s cold hardiness to be sure it also withstands cold weather.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of herbs:
\n\n\n\nExamples of cold-hardy herbs:
\n\n\n\nCost: Most small potted herbs cost $3 to $15 per plant. If you want to grow herbs from seed, a packet of seeds costs $1 to $3, and a herb garden starter kit ranges from $20 to $45.
\n\n\n\n![\"Turk’s-cap](\"http://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Turks-cap-Lily.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Shenandoah National Park / Flickr / Public Domain
\n\n\n\nIf you don’t want to replace your flowers every year, consider perennials. These plants come back year after year, making them a great investment for any garden. With proper care, they can provide beautiful blooms for many seasons to come.
\n\n\n\nTrue, annuals typically have more vibrant, longer-lasting blossoms, so the best thing to do is to mix perennials and annuals in your garden. Be sure to research various plants and their characteristics to better understand which ones are right for you.
\n\n\n\nBenefits of perennial plants:
\n\n\n\nExamples of perennial plants for Western North Carolina:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The cost varies based on the type and size. To give you some approximate figures, plants usually cost $2.50 to $60 per plant, if you plant them yourself, but some plants can cost up to $100. Shrubs typically cost between $25 and $60 per shrub. Large shrubs may cost up to $350. Trees usually cost between $150 and $1,850 per tree, but some trees can cost up to $3,335.
\n\n\n\nJust because most trees and plants go to sleep during the winter doesn’t mean all of yours have to. You can keep your yard vibrant during the colder months by planting evergreens and “winter interest” plants.
\n\n\n\nEvergreen trees’ and “winter interest” plants’ lasting foliage isn’t their only advantage. They have numerous other benefits as well, which makes them a great option for your low-maintenance Western Carolina yard. There are various evergreen and “winter interest” plants out there, so make sure you look into which ones can work for you for your local climate.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of evergreens and “winter interest” plants:
\n\n\n\nIn addition, evergreens also have the following advantages:
\n\n\n\nExamples of “winter interest” plants:
\n\n\n\nEvergreen trees that thrive in Western Carolina:
\n\n\n\nCost: Prices range from $20 to $3,335, depending on the plant’s size, species, and maturity. Small flowering winter interest plants range from $20 to $35; a new shrub costs $25 to $60 per shrub (although large shrubs can cost up to $350); and small trees range from $100 to $600. Larger trees usually cost between $150 and $1,850 per tree, but some can cost up to $3,335 per tree.
\n\n\n\nTaking care of your turf can be a lot of work. If you want an easy-care alternative that gives the same dense, green appeal, why not try ground covers instead? Ground covers are low-growing plants that spread quickly and cover large areas of ground, reducing the need for mowing, overseeding and watering.
\n\n\n\nAs with any other plant, make sure that the ground cover you choose fits your needs and preferences. You should make sure it matches your hardiness zone, and that you know all about its characteristics, such as shade tolerance and potential hazards.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of ground covers:
\n\n\n\nExamples of ground covers include:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: On average, the cost of ground covers ranges from $10 to $25 per square foot without installation.
\n\n\n\n![\"Tall](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/3863142192_bea9f90f09_o-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Matt Lavin / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nWhile you can use ground covers to give your lawn a similar appeal, they can’t quite replace the natural look and feel of grass. But not all grass types are the same.
\n\n\n\nLow-maintenance grass types can help you save time and money on watering, mowing, and other lawn care. So make sure you do your research to find the one that’s right for you. You can start by checking out our recommended grass types for Asheville.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of a low-maintenance grass type:
\n\n\n\nExamples of low-maintenance grass types:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Professional grass removal typically costs $1.50 per square foot. Professional lawn seeding typically costs between $0.10 and $0.19 per square foot.
\n\n\n\nIf you want to keep your plants healthy with minimal effort, you should try mulching. Mulching is an easy and cost-effective way to retain moisture in your plants and protect them from damaging temperatures. It also prevents weeds and improves soil quality.
\n\n\n\nYou can pick between organic and inorganic mulch. As the name suggests, organic mulch is made from natural materials. It decomposes over time and releases nutrients into the soil. On the other hand, inorganic mulch doesn’t provide nutrients for your soil, but you don’t need to worry about it decomposing and replacing it as often as organic mulch.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of mulch:
\n\n\n\nOrganic mulch needs to be regularly replaced, but it has other advantages:
\n\n\n\nExamples of organic mulch:
\n\n\n\nExamples of inorganic mulch:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Mulching typically costs around $85 per cubic yard. A cubic yard will cover about 100 square feet at three inches deep.
\n\n\n\nIsn’t it a shame for rainwater to go to waste? We think so. If you agree, consider building a rain garden. Rain gardens are essentially basin-formed gardens designed to collect and absorb rainwater, allowing it to filter into the ground instead of running off into storm drains and contributing to water pollution.
\n\n\n\nCaptured rainwater can be used to irrigate your garden or even reduce the amount of runoff that enters local waterways. Plus, rain gardens can be beautiful additions to your landscape, providing habitat for wildlife and reducing erosion.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of rain gardens:
\n\n\n\nWhat you can put in your rain garden:
\n\n\n\nCost: Installing a rain garden yourself costs between $3 to $5 per square foot, depending on the type of plants and materials you use. A typical rain garden is 150 to 400 square feet, so expect to pay between $450 and $2,000. Professional installation ranges from $10 and $15 per square foot.
\n\n\n\n![\"plants](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Xeriscaping-garden.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jeremy Levine / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nXeriscaping is another landscaping technique that’s used to save water. Not only can it create a low-maintenance and sustainable garden, but it can also reduce water bills and help conserve natural resources.
\n\n\n\nIf xeriscaping your entire yard feels overwhelming, you can start little by little. You can then gradually convert more areas of your yard to xeriscaping, such as by replacing thirsty plants with drought-resistant ones or installing a drip irrigation system.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of xeriscaping:
\n\n\n\nWays you can start xeriscaping:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: There are various xeriscaping methods, which vary in cost. On average, xeriscaping may cost between $5 and $20 per square foot.
\n\n\n\nIf you want a beautiful landscape, it’s going to be hard to create one without greenery. But on the other hand, that doesn’t mean there’s no room for functional hardscapes, too. To reduce some of your lawn and garden maintenance tasks and make your outdoor space easier to take care of, hardscapes are a great idea.
\n\n\n\nMoreover, hardscaping features can also add value to your home with their aesthetic appeal, and give you a practical place to spend time with loved ones.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of hardscapes:
\n\n\n\nExamples of hardscapes:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: There are various hardscaping projects, so it depends on which ones you choose. But you can expect to pay $2,200 to $6,500 for a patio; $3,900 to $10,500 for a deck; $2,100 to $6,000 for a pergola; $1,100 to $7,500 for a water feature; $250 to $2,200 for a fire pit; $60 to $170 per ton for river rocks; and between $3 and $30 per square foot for stone pavers, depending on the type of stone.
\n\n\n\nThe thought of maintaining a beautiful outdoor space can be intimidating. However, you can create an aesthetic outdoor space that’s easier to care for than you’d think.
\n\n\n\nStart by getting some native wildflowers or evergreens and then continue adding low-maintenance features to your landscape over time. When picking plants, make sure you learn about their needs and see which ones are a good fit. Don’t forget to research their important characteristics, such as their shade tolerance, potential hazards, and so forth.
\n\n\n\nAs you already know, no lawn can be completely maintenance-free. If you want help checking off your to-do list tasks, call a lawn care pro in your area.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Joe Wolf / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
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\n","content":"\nWhite sand beaches are the heart and soul of the Gulf Coast Capital. Your weekends are best spent surfing snorkeling, kayaking, or fishing, not maintaining your South Texas lawn. Whether you prefer the kid-friendly calm waters at McGee Beach or the breaking waves at Bob Hall Pier, there are low-maintenance landscaping ideas that will cut down on your outdoor tasks so you can feel the sand between your toes.
\n\n\n\nSwitching to low-maintenance landscaping means spending less time and effort watering, weeding, mowing, and removing pests. In subtropical areas like Corpus Christi, where summer temperatures can soar to well over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, energy and water conservation is important.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\n8 Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Corpus Christi
\n\n\n\nFAQ About Low-Maintenance Landscaping in Corpus Christi
\n\n\n\n![\"Pink](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/rsz_5039631314_ddce7f9f0e_c.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Peter O’Connor aka anemoneprojectors / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nLiving near the ocean has its perks, including long walks on the beach and salty breezes. It also means local Corpus Christi water sources test high for salinity. The bright flowers you see while walking through your local store are annuals and are not always salt-tolerant. These inexpensive flowers look great, for now, and last one growing season before dying in late fall, even in Texas.
\n\n\n\nIf bright blooms are your thing, consider switching out your annuals for salt and drought-tolerant perennials. Perennials have a shorter, more defined blooming season than annuals, but they survive the cold winters and re-bloom every year. Perennials are more expensive upfront. However, they tolerate extreme weather and come in many varieties, such as deer-resistant, shade-loving, and salt-tolerant types for your Corpus Christi yard.
\n\n\n\nIf you are ready for landscaping beauty on repeat, check out some of the best salt-tolerant perennials for Corpus Christi:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of perennials:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The average cost of a perennial plant varies depending on the size and type of plant, purchase location, and whether you are having a professional handle your landscaping. If you head to your local store to purchase your own perennials, you can expect to spend between $10 to $100 per plant.
\n\n\n\n![\"a](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Blue_Mistflower_Conoclinium_coelestinum.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Linda M Morgan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nNative Texas plants promote a healthy ecosystem and thrive in the South Texas heat and humidity while remaining cold-hardy enough to survive a surprise winter snow. They are the most low-maintenance plants you can include in your landscaping project. Native plants are hands-off and resistant to local insects and diseases.
\n\n\n\nThere are many Corpus Christi native plants to choose from, including:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of native plants:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Like perennials, native plant prices vary widely based on many factors, including type, size, and location. On average, you can expect to spend between $15 to $50 per shrub, $5 to $50 per vine, and $200 to $1,500 per tree.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/8470969805_38047bb4d6_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Tom Britt / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nMulch locks in soil moisture, reduces weeds, and protects your plants’ roots from heat. It is a loose material typically made of organic matter like compost, tree bark, and wood chips. Mulching is an inexpensive DIY job that increases the aesthetic appeal of your outdoor space.
\n\n\n\nOrganic mulch is the best option for your South Texas landscape. It adds beneficial nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, but you will need to add a fresh layer annually. Inorganic mulches like gravel, river rock, and landscape glass are low-maintenance and durable, but the hard pieces ricochet off windows and siding during a hurricane.
\n\n\n\nOrganic mulch for your Corpus Christi landscape:
\n\n\n\nMulch to avoid:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of mulch:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: According to Lowes and Home Depot, wood mulch costs between $3 to $5 per 2-cubic-foot bag. If your landscaping project requires a lot of mulch, you can often purchase it in bulk to save money.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/8145471727_f0843aa441_c-2.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nYou don’t have to live in Hill Country to experience hot Texas summers. No matter where you live in Texas, weekly lawn maintenance is a daunting task, and there are a million other things you would rather do. The fewer plants in your landscape design, the less time you will spend maintaining your lawn and Texas natives.
\n\n\n\nConsider hardscaping your backyard to add sustainable visual interest while eliminating the need for weekly maintenance. While some hardscaping ideas like loose rocks and landscape glass are best left to the inland cities of Central Texas like Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, there are still many hurricane-safe hardscaping options for your beach-city landscape.
\n\n\n\nHurricane–safe hardscapes include:
\n\n\n\nHardscapes to avoid:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of hardscapes:
\n\n\n\nHardscapes don’t require maintenance at all except for an annual cleaning. They are a set-it-and-forget-it choice for garden design and don’t require watering, pruning, or mowing. Hardscapes are an expensive upfront investment, but they increase home value and curb appeal, saving you time and money in the long run.
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Be prepared to spend around $7,500 for a new deck, $4,000 for a patio, and $3,000 for a flagstone walkway.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Xeriscape_garden_2014_-_2.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James Steakley / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nIn the U.S., landscape irrigation makes up nearly one-third of all residential water usage. Like hardscaping, xeriscaping focuses on low-maintenance landscaping with an emphasis on water conservation. This practice involves creating a beautiful home landscape that requires no watering outside of regular rainfall.
\n\n\n\nCorpus Christi native plants are a great water-wise option for xeriscaping your yard and giving your irrigation system a break. They are naturally salt-tolerant, drought resistant, and adapted to harsh Texas summers. Besides native plants, some basic steps for xeriscaping your yard include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of xeriscaping:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Professional xeriscaping costs between $5 to $20 per square foot, depending on many factors like plant selection and the size of your yard. While upfront costs may seem high, you will save around $0.36 per square foot annually on water and maintenance costs.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/800px-Trachelospermum_asiaticum_kz3.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nLow-maintenance groundcover makes a great alternative to traditional warm-season turfgrass. These plants grow a few inches tall and spread quickly to fill horizontal space. Groundcovers fill areas of your lawn to mimic “grass,” while their low-maintenance needs mean less work for you.
\n\n\n\nMost species still require water and the occasional fertilizer, but selecting a native Texas groundcover will ensure your new “grass” is hardy, drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, and best of all, low-maintenance.
\n\n\n\nCheck out these popular Corpus Christi groundcovers:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of groundcovers:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: According to Corpus Christi landscaping experts, Moon Valley Nurseries, groundcover plants cost around $5 to $50 each, depending on size.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/artificial-turf-g91d792f7e_1280-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay
\n\n\n\nThe grass is always greener when the grass is artificial turf. The Brady Bunch helped put synthetic grass on the map, and its popularity has waxed and waned over the years. Synthetic grass is eco-friendly, comes in a variety of colors and styles, and is essentially an outdoor carpet.
\n\n\n\nArtificial grass is virtually maintenance free, and thanks to technological advancements, it is hard to tell fake grass from real grass in most cases. Unfortunately, it is expensive to install and there is some debate that it renders your soil unusable in the future.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of artificial grass:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Professional artificial grass installation costs between $5 to $20 per square foot.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/moss-rose-purslane-g1d08f2e8c_1280-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay
\n\n\n\nDrought-resistant succulents like cacti and agaves may seem better suited to the dry inland cities of Central Texas. However, Corpus Christi’s unique USDA zones, 9a, 9b, and 10a, are well-suited for salt-tolerant succulent varieties.
\n\n\n\nSucculents love arid climates, and some varieties are highly salt tolerant and thrive in coastal regions with polluted or acidic soils thanks to thick leaves or trunks. They prefer to be left alone and work well for xeriscaping a landscape for water conservation. Succulents come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are incredibly low-maintenance.
\n\n\n\nSucculents need:
\n\n\n\nPopular salt-tolerant succulent varieties for Corpus Christi include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of succulents:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The price depends on the size and type of succulent and ranges from $10 to $75 per plant.
\n\n\n\nExperts know little about the salinity tolerance of most Texas native wildflowers. Most are hardy, heat and drought-tolerant, and low-maintenance once established. If you want to include wildflowers in your Corpus Christi landscape, check out these salt-tolerant varieties that may or may not be native:
• Common Cordgrass (Sporobolus anglicus)
• Eelgrasses (Zostera spp.)
• Marsh Samphire (Salicornia europaea)
• Sea Aster (Tripolium pannonicum)
Succulents thrive in the Corpus Christi area. Typically, water your succulent plants once per week when it has not rained.
There are many types of artificial turf, including pet-friendly turf, that are specially designed for your furry family members to be stain and odor resistant and easy to clean.
Hurricane season creates the best surf, but it also wreaks havoc on your Corpus Christi landscape. Check out our list of the best hurricane-resistant landscaping ideas to combine with your low-maintenance landscape, so you can reclaim your weekends and spend more time at the beach.
\n\n\n\nBetter yet, stop wasting your time on lawn maintenance. Consider letting Wikilawn hook you up with a local landscaping company that can handle all of your lawn care needs so you can get back to the beaches of the Gulf Coast Capital.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Butterfly Milkweed / Joshua Mayer / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n","title":"8 Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Corpus Christi, TX","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.4943960149439601,"src":"/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/1789c/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/107df/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.jpg 320w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/293e9/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.jpg 500w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/f2cbb/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.jpg 800w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/1789c/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.jpg 960w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/c26c2/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/1dd6e/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/67b76/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.webp 320w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/8df11/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.webp 500w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/98a65/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.webp 800w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/1dd6e/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.webp 960w,\n/static/8ea63ecc208af3cac153704c12bfff1f/3cc96/22667699043_850a3344d7_k-2.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"8 Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Corpus Christi, TX | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Spend more time at the beach with these low-maintenance landscaping ideas for Corpus Christi, including the estimated cost of each."}}},{"node":{"id":"c0505ba7-6cf4-5229-a1c2-0fc57249861f","slug":"best-grass-types-tallahassee","path":"/lawn-care/fl/tallahassee/best-grass-types-tallahassee/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, Kimberly Magerl enjoys growing fruits and vegetables in her garden. When she isn't gardening, Kimberly enjoys trying new recipes and cooking with her home-grown herbs.","name":"Kimberly Magerl","id":"bdf803c6-4d01-5c0e-88b1-1ea590340a8a","path":"/author/kimberly-magerl/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/45ebe89479badde7ee7cb5108a96462c?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"57f1b1d9-6347-5707-b4b6-65e6dd1b393d","name":"Florida","count":46,"path":"/category/lawn-care/fl/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"b2c4f6ff-0472-5f66-b3a2-f18459ce21c7","name":"Tallahassee","count":3,"path":"/category/lawn-care/fl/tallahassee/"}],"date":"April 12th, 2023","excerpt":"Affectionately known to the locals as Tally, Tallahassee is home to over 89 miles of hiking, walking, and biking trails. The city sits in the northern Panhandle, 22 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and its sugary beaches. It has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot, dry springs. The best grass types […]
\n","content":"\nAffectionately known to the locals as Tally, Tallahassee is home to over 89 miles of hiking, walking, and biking trails. The city sits in the northern Panhandle, 22 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and its sugary beaches. It has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot, dry springs. The best grass types for Tallahassee thrive in the city’s hot summers and sandy, infertile soils. If you are installing a new lawn or looking to spruce up your yard, consider one of these options for your Tallahassee landscape.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses prefer growing temperatures between 80 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. These varieties go dormant, turning brown, when soil temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. With an annual average winter temperature of 69 degrees Fahrenheit, it is no surprise that Tallahassee benefits from warm-season grass varieties.
\n\n\n\nGrass types are classified into one of two categories:
\n\n\n\nThe following warm-season grass types grow well in Tallahassee’s climatic and soil conditions:
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Centipede_Grass-1-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James Becwar / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 1.0
\n\n\n\nCentipedegrass has a tight growing pattern with fine leaf blades. It is slow-growing and a popular, low-maintenance option for Tallahassee lawns. Cultivars require little mowing, fertilization, or water to remain green. Centipedegrass handles shade but prefers full sun like most warm-season grass varieties.
\n\n\n\nIt is a smooth, flat-bladed grass that likes to be left alone. It does not handle heavy traffic, cold, or herbicides well and is prone to pests and disease when improperly maintained or over watered. Centipedegrass has a dull light green color, making it a less visually appealing choice for some homeowners.
\n\n\n\nClassification: Warm-season grass
\n\n\n\nSpreads by: Stolons
\n\n\n\nShade tolerance: Moderate — at least six hours of full sun per day
\n\n\n\nDrought resistance: Low to moderate
\n\n\n\nFoot traffic tolerance: Low
\n\n\n\nMaintenance needs: Low mowing frequency
\n\n\n\nMowing height: 1.5-2 inches
\n\n\n\nPotential for disease: Moderate; prone to centipedegrass decline and iron chlorosis
\n\n\n\nPotential for pests: Moderate; prone to ground pearls, grubs, mole crickets, sod webworms, and lawn caterpillars
\n\n\n\nSoil pH: 5-6
\n\n\n\nSoil type: Acidic, infertile, at least moderately good drainage (very dense, clay soils produce poor results)
\n\n\n\nOther notes: Low maintenance once established; greenish-yellow color (like a green apple) during the growing season; low fertilizer and mowing requirements; not a salt-tolerant grass
\n\n\n\n![\"closeup](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/St-Augustine-Grass-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nSt. Augustinegrass is the most popular turfgrass in Florida. A native to warm coastal regions, this cultivar has thick leaf blades and deep roots, making it shade and drought-tolerant. However, keep in mind that this warm-season turfgrass can struggle with the Tallahassee rain, especially in shaded yards. St. Augustinegrass is prone to fungus, like gray leaf spot, if it does not dry out in between watering sessions.
\n\n\n\nThe quick-growing turfgrass has a dense appearance, coarse texture, and blue-green color. It is easy to establish and moderately salt tolerant, but, like centipedegrass, it does not stand up well to herbicides or heavy traffic.
\n\n\n\nClassification: Warm-season grass
\n\n\n\nSpreads by: Stolons
\n\n\n\nShade tolerance: Moderate shade tolerance, among the highest of any warm-season grass; some cultivars are more shade tolerant than others
\n\n\n\nDrought resistance: Moderate
\n\n\n\nFoot traffic tolerance: Moderate
\n\n\n\nMaintenance needs: Moderate to high mowing frequency
\n\n\n\nMowing height: 2.5-4 inches (mow dwarf varieties from 2.5-3 inches; standard cultivars from 3-4 inches; mow tall in shade)
\n\n\n\nPotential for disease: Moderate to high; prone to gray leaf spot, large patch, and take-all root rot
\n\n\n\nPotential for pests: High; prone to chinch bugs, cutworms, mole crickets, grass loopers, army worms, web worms, and grubs
\n\n\n\nSoil pH: 6-7.5
\n\n\n\nSoil type: Tolerates many soil types; prefers moderately fertile and moist (not waterlogged) soils; not a highly drought-tolerant grass; doesn’t tolerate soil compaction
\n\n\n\nOther notes: Native to coastal areas across the world and prefers moist soils and mild winters; will thrive in more inland areas provided growing conditions are met; good salt tolerance; will go dormant during winter in all but the southernmost regions
\n\n\n\n![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/rsz_starr_070906-8518_zoysia_sp.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Forest & Kim Starr / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nIf warm-season grass varieties had a Jack or Jill of all trades, Zoysiagrass would be it. It withstands anything Floridians and Mother Nature throw at it. Zoysiagrass tolerates low mow heights, heavy traffic, shade, drought, and even lower-than-average temperatures. Like centipedegrass, this warm-season variety has low fertilization requirements and grows densely, blocking out weeds with its thick leaf blades.
\n\n\n\nZoysiagrass is an attractive turfgrass with a dense appearance and a dark green color. New cultivars have increased disease and pest resistance. Zoysia matrella and Zoysia japonica are two popular pest-resistant cultivars in Tallahassee that grow slowly.
\n\n\n\nClassification: Warm-season grass
\n\n\n\nSpreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
\n\n\n\nShade tolerance: Tolerates light to moderate shade
\n\n\n\nDrought resistance: High
\n\n\n\nFoot traffic tolerance: High
\n\n\n\nMaintenance needs: Low to moderate nitrogen requirement; moderate mowing frequency
\n\n\n\nMowing height: 1-2.5 inches
\n\n\n\nPotential for disease: Low; large patch, root decline, spring dead spot, rust, curvularia, and leaf spot can occur
\n\n\n\nPotential for pests: Low; most common pests are mites, grubs, mole crickets, hunting billbugs, army worms, chinch bugs, and sod webworms
\n\n\n\nSoil pH: 6-6.5
\n\n\n\nSoil type: Well-draining, some cultivars more tolerant of a wide range of soils than others
\n\n\n\nOther notes: Moderately salt tolerant; cut with sharp mower blade; mow taller if grass is in partial shade
\n\n\n\n![\"close](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/bahia-grass-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nBahiagrass is a utilitarian warm-season variety that thrives in the sandy, well-drained Tallahassee soils. It is a low-maintenance cultivar that likes to be left alone. Bahiagrass requires minimal water and fertilizer. It is less dense than other varieties and not known for being an aesthetically pleasing, decorative turfgrass. However, its deep root system persists in infertile soils, making it a splendid choice for pastures, farms, and homes without irrigation systems.
\n\n\n\nBahiagrass grows quickly in full sun. It does not stand up well to heavy traffic. It has a light green color, coarse texture, and open growth pattern that forms a sparse lawn easily overtaken by weeds. Homeowners with bahiagrass lawns need to pay close attention to their annual weed maintenance plan.
\n\n\n\nClassification: Warm-season grass
\n\n\n\nSpreads by: Rhizomes
\n\n\n\nShade tolerance: Low — needs full sun
\n\n\n\nDrought resistance: High
\n\n\n\nFoot traffic tolerance: Low
\n\n\n\nMaintenance needs: Growth rate is moderate to high, so plan to mow often during the growing season
\n\n\n\nMowing height: 3-4 inches
\n\n\n\nPotential for disease: Low; susceptible to dollar spot
\n\n\n\nPotential for pests: Low; mole crickets are sometimes a problem
\n\n\n\nSoil pH: 5.5-6.5
\n\n\n\nSoil type: Tolerates most soils, does well in sandy loam
\n\n\n\nOther notes: Bahiagrass is grown in the Gulf Coast and Southeastern U.S; does best in acidic soils — not the best grass if your soils are naturally alkaline; doesn’t tolerate saltwater well
\n\n\n\n![\"closeup](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bermudagrass-2.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Bidgee / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nBermudagrass is a southern favorite and another common Florida grass that grows aggressively in full sun. Unlike other warm-season varieties, bermudagrass recovers quickly from damage and stands up to heavy foot traffic, making it a popular choice for golf courses, athletic fields, and home lawns. This hardy turfgrass ranges from coarse to fine-textured and is salt and drought-tolerant.
\n\n\n\nTallahassee is home to common and hybrid varieties. Common bermudagrass has a light green color and coarse texture, while hybrid cultivars have a finer texture and dark green appearance. Hybrid varieties require more maintenance than common bermudagrass, but they are dense like Zoysiagrass forming a carpet-like layer.
\n\n\n\nClassification: Warm-season grass
\n\n\n\nSpreads by: Stolons and rhizomes
\n\n\n\nShade tolerance: Poor — needs full sun
\n\n\n\nDrought resistance: High
\n\n\n\nFoot traffic tolerance: High
\n\n\n\nMaintenance needs: Needs frequent mowing due to fast growth rate; develops thatch easily; needs regular fertilization
\n\n\n\nMowing height: 1-2 inches
\n\n\n\nPotential for disease: Good resistance to disease; prone to spring dead spot, dollar spot, leaf spot, large patch, and sheath spot
\n\n\n\nPotential for pests: Low resistance; prone to white grubs, hunting billbugs, mole crickets, army worms, and sod webworms
\n\n\n\nSoil pH: 6-6.5
\n\n\n\nSoil type: Tolerates most soil types
\n\n\n\nOther notes: Bermuda spreads aggressively via its stolons (above-ground stems) and rhizomes (below-ground stems) and can out-compete many weeds. The downside is that it also can be a nuisance and is sometimes considered invasive. You’ll often find it has tunneled underground into flower beds and spread into neighboring lawns.
\n\n\n\nNo. Sinkholes form through a combination of many factors affecting the water table, including construction, blasting, heavy loading, drought, increased rainfall, groundwater pumping, and more. Routine residential watering does not sufficiently impact the water table enough to cause sinkholes.
You should plant your grass seed in April through July. This gives the seed a full growing season before the cooler winter temperatures set in.
St. Augustinegrass is the most shade-friendly grass type for Tallahassee.
Warm-season grass varieties thrive in Tallahassee. They are suited to Florida’s Big Bend and Panhandle region and unique USDA Zone, 8b. Be sure to choose a turfgrass variety that works well for your lifestyle and your yard’s unique microclimate.
\n\n\n\nTallahassee residents are blessed by warm weather most of the year. There are numerous landscaping options available. If you are looking to spruce up your home landscape or make it more wind-resistant, check out our spring lawn care tips and hurricane-resistant landscaping ideas to create your Florida fortress of solitude for maximum relaxation.
\n\n\n\nBeat the heat and conquer Tally’s humid climate. Contact a lawn care pro in your area today to help you maintain a healthy lawn.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Tallahassee FL Gaither House02 / Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n","title":"5 Best Grass Types for Tallahassee, FL","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/1789c/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.jpg","srcSet":"/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/107df/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.jpg 320w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/293e9/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.jpg 500w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/f2cbb/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.jpg 800w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/1789c/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.jpg 960w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/c26c2/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/1dd6e/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/67b76/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.webp 320w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/8df11/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.webp 500w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/98a65/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.webp 800w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/1dd6e/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.webp 960w,\n/static/3a8b5ce53e14ad98521410c4a6e47295/3cc96/Tallahassee-FL-Gaither-House.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"5 Best Grass Types for Tallahassee, FL | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Warm-season grasses are the best choice for Tallahassee, and these five species are great options."}}},{"node":{"id":"6a28c13b-239f-5a64-b745-5f8748caf8ba","slug":"best-native-plants-arkansas","path":"/lawn-care/ar/best-native-plants-arkansas/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, Kimberly Magerl enjoys growing fruits and vegetables in her garden. When she isn't gardening, Kimberly enjoys trying new recipes and cooking with her home-grown herbs.","name":"Kimberly Magerl","id":"bdf803c6-4d01-5c0e-88b1-1ea590340a8a","path":"/author/kimberly-magerl/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/45ebe89479badde7ee7cb5108a96462c?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"31b8d887-3e55-503a-9ba9-8fac7d950ccf","name":"Arkansas","count":6,"path":"/category/lawn-care/ar/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"}],"date":"May 9th, 2023","excerpt":"Arkansas offers mountainous trails, serene lakes, running rivers, and fertile valleys. Located south of Missouri with the Mississippi River running the length of its western border, the Natural State is home to seven national parks. The diverse state has all the natural charm you could ever dream of. Invite some local nature into your landscape […]
\n","content":"\nArkansas offers mountainous trails, serene lakes, running rivers, and fertile valleys. Located south of Missouri with the Mississippi River running the length of its western border, the Natural State is home to seven national parks. The diverse state has all the natural charm you could ever dream of. Invite some local nature into your landscape by filling your yard with some of the best native plants for Arkansas.
\n\n\n\nNative plants offer many landscaping benefits, including:
\n\n\n\nNative plants help promote a healthier Arkansas ecosystem. Check out these 20 native plants to help you plan your natural landscape.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\n![\"Purple](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/American-Beautyberry-Callicarpa-Americana.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nAmerican beautyberry is a large deciduous shrub that works well in woodland gardens, natural areas, and as an understory shrub in dappled shade. Mature branches arch toward the ground, growing denser with additional sunlight. A member of the mint family, this shrub produces bright purple fruits that attract birds and other wildlife.
\n\n\n\nBeautyberry has small lavender flowers and fuzzy, light green leaves. The shrub blooms from spring to summer before maturing to fruits in September. Beautyberry is drought tolerant and adapts well to most soils but prefers well-drained, rich, organic soil. It grows well throughout Arkansas but is found less frequently in the upper Ozark counties.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 7-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 3-8 feet tall and 4-8 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers well-drained, nutrient-rich soil but tolerates acidic, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; prefers a regular watering schedule and moist roots
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; cooked fruit can be made into jelly
\n\n\n\nArkansas beardtongue is an herbaceous perennial with showy white or pink tubular flowers that bloom in the spring. Reaching heights up to 2 feet, slender stems ascend with paired dark green oblong leaves. The herbaceous flower grows well in the mountainous Interior Highland and Ozark regions encompassing northwest Arkansas and throughout most of Arkansas, except the Delta and coastal plains regions.
\n\n\n\nLike most beardtongues, Arkansas beardtongue grows best in full sun and prefers well-drained soils. Plant this attractive herb in garden beds to form flowering colonies. The Arkansas native is especially beneficial to local bees and pollinators.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 3-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 2 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers well-drained, moist to dry loamy soils; tolerates well-drained clay soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; water 1 inch per week in the summer
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; poisonous to animals, including horses and poultry, in large quantities
\n\n\n\n![\"Azalea](\"https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/azaleas-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pxhere
\n\n\n\nAzaleas are the most common landscape shrub in Arkansas, leading some to consider it the state shrub. They are a family of flowering shrubs with several deciduous species native to Arkansas. Vibrant spring blooms attract pollinating insects, while the dried stalks provide shelter for songbirds in the winter.
\n\n\n\nAzaleas prefer dappled shade and thrive in the well-drained, rich, moisture-retaining soils found in the southern two-thirds of the state. Plant these beautiful blooms as part of mass plantings, woodland gardens, mixed borders, and pollinator gardens. The three most common azaleas native to Arkansas include:
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 6-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 4-12 feet tall and wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers well-drained, rich, humusy, acidic, moisture-retentive soils
\n\n\n\nWater needs: About 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic; poisonous to humans and animals
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/brown-eyed-susan-23441281362806Ay7C.jpg\")
Photo Credit : PublicDomainPictures
\n\n\n\nBrown-eyed Susan is the only naturally occurring species of Rudbeckia in Arkansas, growing across the Ozark, Valley, and Ouachita Mountain regions. Like its cousin, black-eyed Susan, it is recognizable for its bright gold petals and dark brown centers. The herbaceous wildflower is deer-resistant and taller, with a more sparse growth habit than its cousin. It makes a great addition to naturalized home landscapes and rain gardens.
\n\n\n\nTransplanted flowers or sewn seeds grow well in garden beds and containers. Brown-eyed Susan flowers grow atop clumping, three-lobed leaves. They love full sun and well-drained, moist soil. The sunny blooms are important to Arkansas butterfly conservation efforts, attracting birds and local pollinators.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 4-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: 3-5 feet tall and 1.5-2.5 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Biennial or short-lived perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers well-drained, moist to wet, rich soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; some humans have an allergy to daisies
\n\n\n\n![\"White](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Bluestar-Amsonia-tabernaemontana.jpg\")
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nBluestar, also known as Hubricht’s bluestar and threadleaf bluestar, is native to central Arkansas and grows naturally in the Ouachita Mountain range. It is a clumping, herbaceous perennial with small lavender, star-shaped flowers that bloom in spring amongst grass-like leaves.
\n\n\n\nThe low-maintenance ornamental plant is popular in home landscapes thanks to its narrow, bright green foliage that lasts through summer and turns golden yellow in the fall. Bluestar makes a great addition to rock gardens, woodland areas, and mass flower bed plantings. It is an attractive pollinator plant and deer-resistant.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 5-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: 2-3 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers well-drained average to medium-weight soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: About 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; milky sap irritates humans and animals
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Butterfly-Weed.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James St. John / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nButterfly weed is a native species of milkweed and is extremely important to healthy Arkansas landscapes. It is an attractive flowering plant and a nectar source for bees and pollinators and a host plant for caterpillars, including the Monarch butterfly and Unexpected Tiger moth. There are around 14 native species of milkweed that grow throughout Arkansas and all are part of the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership.
\n\n\n\nButterfly weed produces bright orange or yellow flowers from summer to fall. The attractive plant is hardy and loves full sun. It tolerates most soils but prefers sandy well-draining soil and is moderately drought-tolerant.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 3-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-4 feet tall and less than 1 foot wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial though some species are annuals
\n\n\n\nFoliage: N/A
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers dry, sandy soil or gravel
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Semi drought-tolerant; prefers to dry out between waterings
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; milky sap irritates humans and animals
\n\n\n\n![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/32128063046_31c9eb4bef_c-1-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: DougMcGrady / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nEarly buttercup is an herbaceous winter perennial growing statewide throughout Arkansas. Glossy yellow flowers bloom in early March among three-lobed leaves. It is one of 17 species of buttercup growing throughout the Natural State. The flowering herb adapts to a range of soils and habitats, including shady woods, sunny grasslands, and home lawns.
\n\n\n\nEarly buttercup makes a great green addition to your winter landscape. It grows well in garden beds and pollinator gardens. However, be mindful of planting in shaded areas where rapid self-seeding and colonization occur. The glossy blooms attract numerous pollinators, game birds, and small mammals.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 5-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 6-12 inches tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: N/A
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun, partial shade, shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers rich, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; one inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; minor skin irritation lasting minutes if touched; low toxicity if ingested
\n\n\n\n![\"Pink](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Eastern-Redbud-Cercis-canadensis-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nEastern redbud is a small deciduous tree with a dense canopy growing statewide. It produces small clusters of showy pink flowers over its bare branches in spring. Blooms last for two to three weeks before giving way to heart-shaped dark green leaves that turn golden in the fall.
\n\n\n\nEastern redbud works well as shrub borders and fringe trees. Those low-maintenance cultivars require little pruning and attract many birds and pollinators. They have a short trunk and rounded crown of spreading branches. Unfortunately, these beautiful trees have a short lifespan of around 35-40 years.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 3-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 30 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: About 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic; poisonous to dogs and cats
\n\n\n\n![\"White](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maianthemum_racemosum_10782.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Walter Seigmund / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nLike traditional Solomon’s Seal, false Solomon’s seal is a member of the lily family. It occurs naturally in northwestern Arkansas and Crowley’s Ridge. It is an excellent shade plant with arching stems that produces large leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers in late spring followed by vibrant red berries in June.
\n\n\n\nFalse Solomon’s seal attracts birds and small mammals. Unlike its cousin variegated Solomon’s seal, this variety is not deer-resistant. Plant the herbaceous perennial alone, away from competition in a shaded garden area or on the north side of your Arkansas landscape. It spreads quickly, leading some gardeners to consider it an aggressive species.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 3-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: Arching stems reach up to 4 feet long
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers deep, moist, rich, acidic soils
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; edible
\n\n\n\n![\"red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Florida-Anise-Illicium-floridanum.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Ted Bodner / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 US
\n\n\n\nPurple anise, or the Florida anise tree, is actually an evergreen shrub with small star-shaped purple to red flowers. Its skinny branches droop to the ground, giving the shrub a rounded shape while its flowers bloom in spring with fruits following from late summer to fall. The fruits of the Florida anise tree give off a distinct licorice odor when crushed like its cousin star anise. The evergreen shrub grows throughout Arkansas and is most commonly found near streams, lakes, and ravines.
\n\n\n\nFlorida anise has a dense growth pattern, making it ideal for windbreaks and hedgerows. They grow well in partial shade but prefer full sun and respond well to pruning. They love rich soil and moisture but adapt to most conditions. The purple anise is winter hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit and its foliage is poisonous, making it resistant to insects and deer.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 8-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 10-15 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers rich, moist soil, clay, sand, or loam
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; 1 inch of rainfall or water per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic; foliage is poisonous to humans and animals
\n\n\n\n![\"green](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Southern-Lady-Fern-Athyrium-filix-femina.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nLady fern is a medium-sized fern growing throughout Arkansas, North America, and even Alaska and Canada. It loves shaded woods and swampy regions but adapts to most soils and climates. Lady fern has an attractive and delicate appearance, with short leaflets running the lengths of divided, wispy fronds.
\n\n\n\nLady fern is low-maintenance and extremely cold hardy, making it a great choice for northern Arkansas landscapes. It makes a great addition to shade gardens and natural landscapes with moist soil. The slow-growing perennial will go dormant during times of drought and is easily damaged by wind or animals.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb, fern
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 3-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 3 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers moist, humus-rich soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Semi drought-tolerant once established; prefers regular watering and evenly moist soil, never soggy
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; raw plant is poisonous to humans and animals in large quantities; cooked plant is used as a food source in some cultures
\n\n\n\nNet-leaf leather-flower is another member of the native Arkansas buttercup family. This herbaceous vine grows in north-central and southwestern Arkansas, preferring dry, sandy, or rocky soils. Mature specimens can produce multiple vines with bright green leaf pairs. Vines grow upright with supports like trellises or trees but will crawl across and over other plants, anchoring themselves to grow upright.
\n\n\n\nNet-leaf leather-flower produces unique, lavender, bell-shaped blooms in the spring that resemble upside-down cups. The attractive vine grows to 12 feet tall and makes a great addition to any Arkansas garden with partial shade and moist soil. Avoid tying the delicate branches. Instead, plant specimens near trellises, fences, arbors, large shrubs, or small trees.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Vine
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 6-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 12 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; grows well in any soil with average moisture and partial shade
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; water 1 inch per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; poisonous to humans and animals but rarely consumed
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/bloem-echinacea-purpurea-flora.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures
\n\n\n\nPurple coneflower is a member of the Arkansas Monarch’s conservation efforts and is important to Arkansas’ healthy ecosystem. The attractive flowering herb grows throughout the state except for the West Gulf Coastal and Mississippi Plains. Purple coneflower makes a great addition to rock gardens, flower beds, containers, and pollinator gardens.
\n\n\n\nThe wild herb produces showy blooms with slender, pinkish-purple petals around large, round orange-brown centers. Erect stems grow to heights of three feet among large, serrated bright green leaves. Purple coneflower tolerates mild drought conditions, heat, and a variety of soil conditions. It attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, and like bluestar and brown-eyed Susan, is deer-resistant.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 3-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 4 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, rich soil or sand
\n\n\n\nWater needs: 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; no safety hazards
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/8695231251_e54600299a_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: manuel m. v. / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Red buckeye, or scarlet buckeye, is a large shrub or small tree growing throughout Arkansas except for the Western Ozarks and the banks of the Mississippi River. In nature, it is an understory or mixed woodland tree that loves deep, well-drained soils and full sun.
\n\n\n\nTubular red flowers attract hummingbirds and pollinators in the spring, while attractive flaky bark adds visual interest. It has a rounded top and a broad growth pattern. The small tree is part of the Arkansas Monarch’s conservation efforts. Plant red buckeyes anywhere that is too small for a larger tree. When choosing an area for planting, keep in mind that these specimens produce poisonous seeds resembling reddish-brown acorns that drop to the ground in the fall.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub, tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 4-8
\n\n\n\nMature size: 10-40 feet tall; usually 20 feet tall in Arkansas
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers deep, acidic, well-drained sand, clay, loam, or limestone
\n\n\n\nWater needs: 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Moderate toxicity; seeds are poisonous to humans and animals, including horses and livestock; often used to make soap
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/800px-Glandularia_canadensis_1327432220.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Carl Lewis / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nRose vervain is another important pollinator for Arkansas, attracting local bees and butterflies. It is a creeping, low-growing herb that produces clusters of fragrant pink, five-petaled flowers. Rose vervain grows naturally throughout Arkansas except for the areas encompassing the Mississippi Plain.
\n\n\n\nThe perennial grows best in partial shade. It requires weekly watering during the dry summer months or it will lose its leaves. Plant rose vervain in borders, rock gardens, and containers. The showy herb also makes an attractive groundcover.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 5-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 10 inches tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial; sometimes annual during harsh winters in northern Arkansas
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers poor, acidic, sandy, rocky, moist, well-drained soils
\n\n\n\nWater needs: 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; no safety hazards
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/18497136828_00d9aff016_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: F. D. Richards / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nRoughleaf dogwood is a small tree or large shrub with a clumping growth habit. Growing statewide except for the Coastal Plain, this fragrant tree blooms creamy yellow flowers in clusters alongside hard, white fruit.
\n\n\n\nRoughleaf dogwood gets its name from its rough leaf surfaces. The tree adapts to most light conditions and soils but grows more densely in full sunlight. It makes a great addition to property barriers, natural areas, stream banks for erosion control, and sunny patio areas. It is one of five Arkansas dogwoods.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 4-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 20 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; calcareous, acidic, alkaline, limestone, sand, sand-loam, medium loam, clay loam, or clay
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; no safety hazards
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/3779976362_ac532eef04_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Katja Schluz / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nSummersweet is an attractive landscape shrub producing visual interest no matter the season. The deciduous perennial produces shiny green leaves in the spring, spiky pink or white flowers in the summer, yellow leaves in the fall, and delicate seed capsules that attract birds and small mammals in the winter.
\n\n\n\nSummersweet grows statewide. It has an open growth pattern and soft texture. The fragrant shrub prefers partial shade and makes a great addition to pollinator gardens, natural landscapes, and mixed borders.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 4-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 3-8 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers acidic, moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: 1 inch of water or rainfall per week; do not let the soil dry out completely
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; no safety hazards
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/36415538275_740f5f1f45_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Plant Image Library / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nSweetbay magnolia is a wide-growing semi-evergreen tree that reaches heights of 60 feet in Arkansas. The slow-growing tree has no natural pest or disease enemies and responds well to pruning after its active growing season before winter dormancy. It makes a great patio or specimen tree.
\n\n\n\nSweetbay magnolia produces white, lemon-scented flowers from summer through fall, and its vibrant red seeds attract songbirds and small mammals. The medium-sized tree has medium green, glossy leaves. In the southern half of Arkansas, sweetbay magnolia retains its leaves. However, in the colder cities of northern Arkansas, it will lose its leaves in the winter.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 5-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 40-50 feet tall and 15-25 feet wide; trunk up to 3 feet in diameter
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Semi-evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; rich, moist, acidic, sand, sand-loam, medium loam, clay loam, or clay
\n\n\n\nWater needs: 1 inch of water or rainfall per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic; no safety hazards
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/800px-Calycanthus_floridus.jpg\")
Photo Credit: GFDL&CC / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nSweetshrub, also known as Carolina allspice, is a large deciduous shrub. It has a rounded growth pattern with glossy, leathery, dark green leaves. Like sweetbay magnolia, specimens are very pest and disease-resistant.
\n\n\n\nThe fragrant shrub is tall with an open and upright growth habit. It produces fragrant maroon flowers in the spring, followed by dry fruit. Because of its pleasant strawberry-like fragrance, most homeowners plant sweetshrub near patios or entryways.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 4-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 6-9 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Rich, semi-moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: 1 inch of rainfall or water per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Low toxicity; seed pods are poisonous if consumed in large quantities
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/3269835134_006580b0b3_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Frank Mayfield / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nTall tickseed is a member of the aster or sunflower family and an important member of Arkansas’ butterfly conservation efforts. It grows naturally throughout most of Arkansas, with the exception of the Mississippi and West Gulf Coastal Plains. The herbaceous perennial blooms daisy-shaped, yellow flowers with brown-orange centers from spring to summer.
\n\n\n\nTickseed is drought tolerant and reseeds itself. Its bright blooms attract butterflies and native pollinators. Tall tickseed makes a great addition to flower beds, butterfly gardens, and naturalized areas as it is deer-resistant.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zone: 4-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-4 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: N/A
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Adaptable; prefers moist, well-drained chalk, soil, sand, loam, or clay
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Drought-tolerant; 1 inch of rainfall or water per week
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic, no safety hazards
\n\n\n\nYour yard has its own unique microclimate, and all native plants have specific needs. Not all native plants will grow well in your yard. Be sure to select plants suitable for the soil, sun exposure, and watering capabilities of your landscape.
\n\n\n\nArkansas sits in USDA Hardiness Zones 6a to 8a, indicating the coldest annual temperature is -10 to -5 degrees Fahrenheit in the northernmost portion of the state. The majority of the Natural State falls within zones 7a and 7b. Arkansas native plants are cold-hardy to the minimum temperature in the hardiness zones. Keep your zone in mind when selecting non-native plants for your landscape.
\n\n\n\nFall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs. Aim to plant native shrubs and trees in November. Wait until the last chance of frost in spring to plant native flowers and herbs. Plant your new spring landscape after April 15 in most of the state.
Arkansas’ diverse landscape is home to four dominant soil regions:
1. Regolith, sedimentary rock, gravel, and hard, stiff soils make up the Ozark Plateau region in northern Arkansas.
2. Well-drained, loose, rich, fertile clay soils make up the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain on the western one-third of the state.
3. Hard rock and impenetrable soils make up the Arkansas River Valley and Ouachita Mountain regions of central Arkansas.
4. Sand, silt, stiff clay, loess, and gravel make up the West Gulf Coastal Plain in the southern one-third of the Natural State.
The best way to identify your landscape’s soil type is to send a soil sample in for testing to your local University of Arkansas extension office.
Early morning or evening are the best times to water your native plants. Winds are calmer and temperatures are lower, so there is less risk of water loss from evaporation or scorching from the sun. Additionally, foliage needs time to dry before nightfall. Wet foliage can lead to disease and rot.
Chances are good you already have native plants in your yard or around your neighborhood. If you want to introduce more plants into your Arkansas landscape, be sure to source your plants ethically and never transplant them from the wild.
\n\n\n\nCheck out these resources to connect with local nurseries in your area:
\n\n\n\nFilling your yard with native plants is only one step in your landscaping design project. Be sure to maintain your new landscape by understanding your yard’s grass type and consider reducing your workload by introducing some low-maintenance landscaping ideas.
From the birthplace of Walmart to Little Rock and River Mountain, no matter where you live, you can turn over the hard work and lawn upkeep to a professional. Let WikiLawn connect you with a local landscaping pro in your area so you can spend more time exploring the great Natural State.
Main Image Credit: Redbud Tree / PublicDomainPictures
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\n","content":"\nYour lawn and landscape create the frame for your picture-perfect home. It’s the first thing people see when they drive up to your house, so you want the grass to be greener and neat and trim on your side of the fence. Fortunately, Atlanta’s climate makes it easy to grow a lush, green lawn. We get nearly 50 inches of rainfall a year, and our temperatures range between 34 and 90 degrees. The mercury rarely drops below freezing, so Atlanta lawns stay green longer than most. Here is your quickstart guide to lawn care in Atlanta.
\n\n\n\nThe fluctuating seasons puts Atlanta in a transitional zone, meaning both warm-season and cool-season grasses will thrive. We recommend a mixture of both. Choosing the right grass type is the first step toward a healthy, well-manicured lawn.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZHNuWfARMcUhgkWrY4Aw9eDm29nUm1hU7cp8NZWN--bm0UNgjuF-0WYWHWLaVRNvfAKhP8XqrSMW9eBR20qT5urgtEMFglHhmmbxgwqQv4_Qx_X_tqPyaAzeW4XF7tMFR7jLQUXZ\")
This warm-season grass stands up well to heavy foot traffic, drought and cold. It’s the most common type of grass for Atlanta lawns, sports fields, and golf courses. Bermudagrass will grow well when planted in sunny areas with high humidity but tends to wilt in the shade.
\n\n\n\nSince it grows quickly, you may have to mow your lawn twice a week during the summer. We recommend mowing this grass to a height of 1 to 1½ inches and giving it 1½ inches of water a week. You may also want to overseed it with tall fescue to add some green color during the winter when Bermudagrass goes dormant.
\n\n\n\nA cool-season grass, this one is a favorite for those of you who love walking barefoot on the lawn. This turf works well by itself or blended with other types such as Bermuda. It resists heat and drought but may need more watering than warm-season varieties.
\n\n\n\nIt does best when planted in shady areas where it will need little maintenance. It doesn’t grow very fast, so it only needs mowing every nine days at a height of 2 to 3 inches. It doesn’t bounce back as quickly as Bermudagrass, so it may need reseeding more often.
\n\n\n\nThis warm-season grass is another low maintenance sod. It doesn’t need much fertilizer and will tolerate some shade. It can stand up to heat, but not drought and may need frequent watering during dry periods. It will remain green all winter, but will not survive repeated frosts.
\n\n\n\nCentipedegrass grows slowly, so you can get away with mowing once every two weeks to a height on 1½ to 2 inches. You will have to dethatch your lawn in the fall before reseeding. Be careful about which grass types you use for overseeding. Ryegrass will compete with the existing turf, eventually killing the centipedegrass.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/yQ6euhlqlmS_0wDZLjr_dPtUITtJMUl3pTbmDGCDYp8M7hAVgG-9bOSaTL0heiE6ByOLiFFxUmnV4OUUUAXAq5HuiPMC5bYln0r-xfYKBXDPl2cAOVhVngoqnCZeY2Wi4DV1cy6G\")
This tough warm-season turf can stand up to heat and tolerate the cold. It doesn’t need much maintenance and handles pets and kids with ease. Although it’s drought-resistant, Zoysia needs more water during the summer than other warm-season grasses. Its fine texture also makes it perfect for running barefoot across the lawn.
\n\n\n\nZoysia will cover your yard with a dense carpet of grass. This quality means you’ll have to aerate and dethatch in the spring. Mow to a height of 1 to 1 ½ inches to keep it green and weed-free all summer.
\n\n\n\nNever cut more than one-third of the height of your grass. If your grass is too short, it is vulnerable to pests and lawn diseases. Most turfs need a weekly mow until late fall when the growth slows down or stops. Consider varying the pattern and direction each time you mow. Otherwise, your grass blades will lean in one direction, making your lawn look unbalanced. After mowing, leave the clippings behind. They will decompose and fertilize your lawn. If you hire a lawn service professional, make sure to remind this person.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/sPCP3-iv3M0DLJ1oXkzLccWVSA6S0VCdAAOsf0dCvpOTI1gf4eiHorPsx2nlKwrNbyYDpSJO7z_IiHHBLXOiINZNGEX9MaL1kL_nitlA6Tn15UNKwJiyhhgkQ6v96yUpf2x5tMQV\")
Dull mower blades will tear the grass instead of cutting it. As a result, your lawn will turn brown. With sharp mower blades, you only need to pass over your lawn once instead of several times to get the job done. Most hardware stores can sharpen them for you, or you can do it yourself in less than an hour. Just make sure you disconnect the spark plugs first.
\n\n\n\nYou can adjust the cutting height by raising or lowering the mower’s wheel. Look on the side of your lawnmower and find a knob or lever that adjusts the height for your grass type.
\n\n\n\nYour lawn will start to look tired and worn out after a summer of use. By raking up all debris and thatch and distributing seed, you can replenish some of those bare patches over the fall and winter. A thinning lawn is an invitation for weeds and pests. You can spread seed over the smaller areas by hand, or rent a seed spreader for the entire lawn.
\n\n\n\nThe heavy foot traffic over the summer has likely compacted your soil. Poking tiny holes in the lawn, or aerating, gives the grass a chance to take in more moisture and nutrients. It also raises the lawn’s resistance to diseases and pests. Do this in the fall, just before you add fertilizer. Fertilizing the lawn at the end of September will help it make it through the cold winter. Before deciding which fertilizer to use, find out what your lawn needs. You can get a home soil test kit at your local home improvement store. If you prefer, you can mail a sample the extension office at the University of Georgia, and they’ll test the soil for you and recommend a fertilizer.
\n\n\n\nIn spite of all the rain that blesses Atlanta, your lawn may need a little more moisture before it goes dormant over the winter. Keep your sprinkler ready until the first frost. A few good soakings will give the roots of the grass the strength it needs to make it through the winter. You also want to make sure the new seeds and fertilizer work their way into the soil. If you want to learn more about local watering restrictions, visit Wikilawn’s Atlanta city page.
You may have read somewhere that it’s not advisable to water your lawn every day or that you should only water it once a week. But does this apply to your lawn as well? Remember that your location plays a big part in determining the best time to water your lawn, and Florida has its […]
\n","content":"\nYou may have read somewhere that it’s not advisable to water your lawn every day or that you should only water it once a week. But does this apply to your lawn as well? Remember that your location plays a big part in determining the best time to water your lawn, and Florida has its own environmental conditions to consider.
\n\n\n\nSo instead of following general rules in taking care of your yard, it’s more logical to follow watering guidelines specifically geared to your own locale. Doing so will not only help you prevent molds and patching, but also can save you from having to deal with excessive water bills.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\nCreating a beautiful lawn is not a set-and-forget kind of thing. Even if you have native plants, that doesn’t mean they can thrive on their own. The ecosystem in your yard might be teeming with life, but it can either flourish or wither, depending on your lawn maintenance.
\n\n\n\nSome of the direct benefits your turfgrass gets with proper watering include:
\n\n\n\nOf course, we can’t leave out the fact that well-watered grass shows a more beautiful light green color compared to dry ones, which are usually grayish blue.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/rsz_33362501875_0d0e78d669_o.jpg\")
Photo Credit: UBC Micrometeorology / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nTiming is a very important factor to consider when watering your lawn. Regardless of your lawn size or the type of grass you have, you need to do this at the right time so as not to waste water and bring harm to your grass.
\n\n\n\nThe best time to water your lawn in Florida is during the early morning hours, preferably at dawn or around 5 a.m. – especially during summer. During this time, the temperature is cooler, which minimizes water loss. If you find it too early, you can adjust the watering a little later but not past 9 a.m.
\n\n\n\nSince the sun hasn’t been out for long, the water will not evaporate quickly, which gives the ground some time to absorb the water.
\n\n\n\nAfternoons are when the air temperature is at its hottest. Most people mistakenly think this is the best time to water because they usually relate the condition to themselves. Who wouldn’t want to refresh themselves with a cool drink in the afternoon or take a plunge in the pool when it’s hot? But the thing is, it’s not the same for plants.
\n\n\n\nEvaporation is at its peak during this time, which means the water gets burnt off fast, and the root zone will only get minimal water. Also, you’ll end up paying more for your water bills – including the water that has been wasted.
\n\n\n\nWhile it’s certain that evaporation is almost nil when the sun is not out in the sky, watering your lawn at night creates even greater drawbacks for your plants, depending on the weather conditions.
\n\n\n\nCooler temperatures mean the water will remain on the grass blades the entire night, encouraging the growth and proliferation of fungi. Diseases like leaf spots can easily infect your lawn, making it unattractive. Even during warm and dry seasons, where Florida nights are hot and humid, diseases can still spread on your lawn if you let water sit on the grass overnight.
\n\n\n\nThe next important factor to consider in taking care of your lawn is the amount of water your lawn needs, and this will largely depend on the time of year.
\n\n\n\nIn Florida, the climate is dry most of the time except for summer – when it’s quite hot and humid. June to October is usually the rainy season, and nature is a big help in keeping your lawn from drying up during this time.
\n\n\n\nThis wet season is just part of the state’s warm weather period, which actually runs between April to October. During this time, you should water your lawn every two days or two to three times per week.
\n\n\n\nFlorida’s cooler months, which fall between November to April, require that the lawn be watered only once a week. Doing so will not only help control the growth of fungus and weeds but also prepare your lawn for summertime. Instead of having a shallow root system, your grass will naturally develop deeper roots, which can help with its nourishment in summer.
\n\n\n\nNot all grasses have the same watering requirements, as some are drought-tolerant and require minimal watering, while others need more water, especially during dry spells. Here’s a table that shows how much water is needed for each specific grass type during each season in Florida (in inches per week):
\n\n\n\n| Grass Type | Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
| Bahiagrass | 1 – 1.5 | 1.5 – 2 | 1 – 1.5 | 0.5 – 1 |
| Bermudagrass | 1 – 1.5 | 1.5 – 2 | 1 – 1.5 | dormant |
| Carpetgrass | 1 – 1.5 | 1.5 – 2 | 1 – 1.5 | 0.5 – 1 |
| Centipedegrass | 0.5 – 1 | 1 – 1.5 | 0.5 – 1 | 0.5 – 1 |
| Seashore paspalum | 1 – 1.5 | 1.5 – 2 | 1 – 1.5 | 0.5 – 1 |
| St. Augustinegrass | 1 – 1.5 | 1.5 – 2 | 1 – 1.5 | dormant |
| Zoysiagrass | 0.5 – 1 | 1 – 1.5 | 0.5 – 1 | 0.5 – 1 |
Note: These are just general guidelines, and the actual water needs of your lawn may vary based on factors such as soil type, amount of sun exposure, and local weather conditions.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/24445181093_9f2de37aff_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Aqua Mechanical / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nHere are some watering tips to help you keep your Florida lawn beautiful and to ensure you’re putting your water to good use.
\n\n\n\nWhile you can always use your trusty garden hose for this task, it’s better to use a lawn sprinkler or have a lawn care professional install an irrigation system for your yard. Not only will it be more convenient for you, but it also could allow the sprinkler to automatically turn on in the wee hours of the morning.
\n\n\n\nA properly installed system could disperse enough water evenly so that you wouldn’t have to worry about puddles. If your county has licensed irrigation system installers, it’s always best to have them do the installation.
\n\n\n\nKnowing how long you should be watering your lawn is also crucial, as it will help ensure there’s enough moisture reserved in the soil before the next watering schedule.
\n\n\n\nIn general, you should set your sprinkler to water the area between 45 to 60 minutes so that the water is delivered deeply and evenly into the soil, which in turn helps encourage the development of a healthy root system. The goal is to deliver an inch of water which can be easily determined by using the tuna can test.
\n\n\n\nThe tuna can test is a simple way to determine how much water your lawn is receiving from your sprinkler system. To perform this test:
\n\n\n\nSo, if the average depth of water in the tuna cans is 1/4 inch after 20 minutes of watering, you’ll know that your sprinkler system is delivering 1/4 inch of water per 20 minutes.
\n\n\n\nOnce you know how much water your sprinkler system is delivering, you can adjust the watering time and frequency to ensure that your lawn is getting the right amount of water.
\n\n\n\nIt’s still important to visually inspect your landscape frequently to help you identify problem areas. If you notice a bluish-gray discoloration or footprints on a specific area of your lawn, you need to adjust your sprinkler setup as this area is in need of watering.
\n\n\n\nWater conservation is a critical matter in Florida, which is why the state has implemented watering restrictions to help conserve water resources. Here are the specific regulations by region:
\n\n\n\nIn North Florida, which includes cities such as Jacksonville and St. Augustine, you’ll need to follow water restrictions throughout the year.
\n\n\n\nIf your home address ends in an odd number, you can water your lawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays. But if your address ends in an even number, your watering days are Thursdays and Sundays. Just don’t water between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on any day.
\n\n\n\nIf you’re living in Central Florida, which includes Orlando and Tampa, you should be aware of these watering restrictions enforced year-round.
\n\n\n\nHomes with odd-numbered addresses can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while homes with even-numbered addresses can water on Thursdays and Sundays. Similar to North Florida, you shouldn’t water your lawn between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on any day.
\n\n\n\nDuring daylight saving time (the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November), you can water your lawn only once per week.
\n\n\n\nCompared to other regions, South Florida has the strictest restriction due to water scarcity.
\n\n\n\nAll homes, regardless of house number, can only water once per week on a designated day determined by the local water utility.
\n\n\n\nKeep in mind that these designated days may vary depending on your area, so it’s a good idea to check with your utility company to determine the specific day for your location. You also shouldn’t water your lawn between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on any day.
\n\n\n\nDIY or hand watering typically uses less water than sprinklers because it allows you to target specific areas and avoid overwatering. However, it can be more time-consuming and physically demanding compared to using a sprinkler system. The efficiency of hand watering also depends on the individual doing the watering and their watering techniques.
The better option would be to install sprinklers with a timer. You can set it to deliver a consistent amount of water for a specific duration, reducing water waste and promoting better soil absorption. Additionally, many modern sprinkler systems have features like rain sensors and smart controllers – allowing you to adjust the sprinkler’s watering schedule depending on the current weather condition, further reducing water usage.
Overall, a sprinkler system is a better option for watering your lawn compared to using a hose, as it offers the following benefits:
• Complies with regulations
• Helps you save time and effort
• You can program it to water at specific times and durations
• It can be equipped with moisture sensors to adjust the application and disperse enough water
However, using a hose can be a good option for small lawns or specific areas as long as you avoid overwatering or watering during the hottest times of the day.
To avoid wasting water (and even save water) when using a sprinkler to water your lawn, you can:
1. Water in the morning (before 10 a.m.) to help reduce water loss due to evaporation and give your grass enough time to dry before nightfall, which can reduce the risk of fungus and disease.
2. Adjust your sprinkler heads to water only the lawn, not the sidewalk, driveway, street, or other non-vegetated areas.
3. Use a timer so your sprinkler system will run for a shorter duration but more frequently. This way, the water has time to soak into the soil before running off.
4. Install a rain sensor, which can automatically turn off your sprinkler system when it’s raining or when the soil is already moist.
5. Check your sprinkler system for leaks, broken heads, or other issues that can waste water. Replace any damaged parts and adjust the settings if necessary.
Maintaining a healthy lawn in Florida can be a challenge for homeowners, especially during the hot and dry season. Apart from proper fertilization and mowing, watering during the best time of day, using the optimal amount of water, and following these lawn watering tips can help keep your lawn looking green and lush all year.
Avoid wasting water but don’t let the Florida heat turn your lawn into a brown, lifeless eyesore. Whether you’re living in St. Augustine, Pensacola, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, or anywhere in Florida, remember that taking the time to learn about your area’s specific guidelines can pay off in the long run.
So, what are you waiting for? Hire a lawn care pro today, and start giving your lawn the TLC it deserves.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Lawn Sprinkler Irrigation / Pixabay
\n","title":"When is the Best Time to Water Your Lawn in Florida?","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/1789c/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/107df/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.jpg 320w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/293e9/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.jpg 500w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/f2cbb/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.jpg 800w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/1789c/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.jpg 960w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/c26c2/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/1dd6e/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/67b76/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.webp 320w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/8df11/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.webp 500w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/98a65/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.webp 800w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/1dd6e/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.webp 960w,\n/static/4ba733c72025721846fae1189059193c/3cc96/heatwave-gb5348e647_1280-1.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"When is the Best Time to Water Your Lawn in Florida? | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Learn the best time to water your lawn in Florida to avoid common problems and keep your yard green and healthy year-round."}}},{"node":{"id":"3d9b1b54-1afd-5b8f-b87f-5c9f0087f10a","slug":"pflugerville-tx-homeowners-how-to-identify-and-eradicate-these-6-common-weeds","path":"/lawn-care/tx/pflugerville/pflugerville-tx-homeowners-how-to-identify-and-eradicate-these-6-common-weeds/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Emaley Baxter is an expert landscaper who loves writing in her free time. She enjoys research and exploring the great outdoors.","name":"Emaley Baxter","id":"c006aa66-4cfc-59dc-b3ce-5c07b0f83ff0","path":"/author/emaleybaxter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/889dbc1c9ea88d564723019ac6c9b47b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"0638df1c-d93c-5225-8843-460dd87eaa41","name":"Pflugerville","count":1,"path":"/category/lawn-care/tx/pflugerville/"},{"id":"0f9826dc-fc31-550e-9967-1b3bf51f2bdb","name":"Texas","count":72,"path":"/category/lawn-care/tx/"}],"date":"February 13th, 2019","excerpt":"Living in Pflugerville, Texas certainly has many benefits. Being a suburb of Austin offers Pflugerville residents big city amenities and attractions close to home while still enjoying the charm of a small Texas town. However, a problem that plagues both big city and small town alike are common landscape weeds. Homeowners often find that if […]
\n","content":"\nLiving in Pflugerville, Texas certainly has many benefits. Being a suburb of Austin offers Pflugerville residents big city amenities and attractions close to home while still enjoying the charm of a small Texas town. However, a problem that plagues both big city and small town alike are common landscape weeds. Homeowners often find that if a certain garden weed problem is not dealt with quickly and efficiently the once small issue becomes an all-out ordeal to correct.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common weeds that plague central Texas homeowners like those in Pflugerville and discuss ways to properly identify and eradicate the culprits before they cause more chaos to your home and landscape.
A Plant Out of Place.
Weeds are known by everyone but are not always easily recognized. Let’s start by defining what exactly is a garden weed. Simply put a weed is just any plant that is ‘out of place’. While this definition could include desirable plants that have overgrown their intended boundaries, most commonly it is used to cover any plant that…
What’s in a Name?
In Texas, there are two main types of weeds: broadleaf and grassy. Both of these can be difficult to treat as there are also subcategories: annual and perennial. The perennials are the most difficult to get rid of since they live the longest and keep returning year after year. Left unchecked, the annual varieties will continue to reproduce and spread across your property year after year as well. Additionally, there are often several common names for the same weed so photographic identification is most helpful.
![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dYH47_LhsxA6pRDosaZ0Yh8bfVmXsRRrqs77-meWU9H0NivpuN2ZywlPHIUd2ZzOhicYfnd-vt6Xh4VogxayJsZTJ3nQv3DyFjPlwqcupEGo6bn8ULJAMtAREkiYf3yLHETkjej1BuZTbWEA5g\")
It is in fact, a Texas wildflower, but grown in the wrong setting can be a troublesome weed. A winter annual that blooms in early spring, Henbit is very plentiful in Central Texas. Henbit’s leaves are rounded with notched edges. They grow every inch or so on a square stem. The stems are weak so the longer the weed grows, the less stable its foundation is. It has purple flowers that grow at the very top of the plant.
![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/odbWuyHSmDgLUwq4WpTvzVjhuOi-wM9SJuzIRXmesGIDacg1aLgUuTmXMJPcCgn-5OEBQMQBvhtKzRi5H9ESXPBeGDrPjS4UfgWdLobu5S4b_qIuOIBeZ9ujksNMjnfPxVlS3Lof5_VYp9vI1g\")
Iconic due to its seed-head, the dandelion is easily recognizable. Coming from the French name dent de lion (lion’s tooth), the flower has a unique look. Children and adults alike enjoy blowing the seeds, so they take root in a lot of lawns. The leaves grow close to the ground in a star-shaped pattern. In bloom, the flower is yellow. You will usually see them in spring to early summer. They are a biennial or perennial bloom.
![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/MBZtuJSNYr3d7wBmKh00vsMnrZOJWhplZ46IHz2xQYFgOQ_0hhjwnwVjs0du1-1B-bnm1SL4VWve9QVkOSLWB0LVEOCseIMHJGLqalsuWXAWITem1kfuUXqDBITLcB3L9xQBYf4si-0BTtjnkQ\")
Thistle has a rapid growth rate and it can get very tall. If you don’t deal with it, it will grow several feet high and about a foot wide, taking up a bit of space in your lawn. When it’s young, it resembles a dandelion except that it’s purplish in color and the leaves have long spines on them. They also have hairy, jagged edges. Butterflies and other insects love this woolly biennial or perennial and will often eat from it.
![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/BJgv1pl632m8SJD1h1HDcfwJ_YC5KOE36abJzx1DfemU3Toe6W2tZ2Qg_s5lUE4zQvtsOTJKFnQ5-HeDUHf8sse5lYtSdBgHgGNg4gSCk4nDK6B6Ro4J1x2vn3VtJ2pjrPG-hU5WYZM2lGZiSg\")
Chickweed is an annual broadleaf and it germinates in the fall. It grows during the winter, produces seed and dies by early summer. It’s actually an herb and is named as such because it is a favorite food of chickens. Chickweed grows to about 8 inches high and the plant can mat together to about 16 inches. The leaves have smooth edges and are no more than 1 inch long. They also always grow in pairs, directly opposite each other on the stem. The stem has hairs covering the entire length. The flowers are small, about 1/8 inch across, and white with five petals, giving them a star shape.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/DW_UJerhvBYNX83cmVS4LyZS9lIwwUl_mG8rlmy6q_dVNrsGrxozjWnGn70zXmVdkV3Jvf6eGItNHdh6JTyFNDPVzjNGInCQMxOxtaJiYcuI6jmhTo56GU3xYOQSc1LZW1q2_JkKe0HENTv6AA\")
Purslane tends to appear after the soil warms in late spring or early summer. It’s common in rich, fertile soil, often showing up in garden beds that have been freshly turned over. The succulent stems and leaves stay close to the ground. The tiny flowers at the stem tips quickly give way to seedpods. Purslane seeds can persist in soil for years, making them a perennial. It is heat and drought tolerant. The colors of round the stems are tinted red. The leaves are paddle-shaped, flat and alternately arranged.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wimV98YUYR9v7Nab3hVZkZAHlZqhI2h10VjL-z6aNwnZs0lNrvWIXNvWy_fKW3EXv23VgDBapYHQrbR7EC8h60QHjFZUz_V1ioqavC3oW0MOc1QjavZibCsurV6SQ9SvaqgHM7_6POmnNiCM4g\")
This grass will quickly take over in poor soils that have been left unattended too long. They have a branched base with stems usually displaying red coloration. The leaf blades are flat, and both leaves and sheaths are covered with soft hairs. Seedheads are open and drooping. It will grow rapidly from seed, maturing within 2 months to 2 ft. tall.
\n\n\n\nNow that we’ve identified a few of the most common weedy plants that grow in Pflugerville, Texas let’s talk about the wide option of eradication strategies available to homeowners.
There are many effective organic herbicides on the market and are widely available especially at the home improvement stores and nurseries around Pflugerville and Austin. Look for applications that allow you to control the distribution of the herbicide so that you do not unintentionally damage or kill your desirable plants that may be near the bunch of weeds.
\n\n\n\nFor stubborn weeds use a mixture of white vinegar and orange oil as an organic herbicide.
\n\n\n\n1. In a large bucket mix 1 gallon 10-20% white vinegar with 2 ounces of orange oil or cleanser containing d-limonene (available at garden centers and some large retailers) and 2 ounces of liquid dishwashing detergent. Stir well to combine.
2. Funnel the weed killer into a plastic spray bottle. Shake it well as you use it, as the orange oil will tend to separate. Drench all surfaces of the weed with the solution during the hottest part of a sunny day. The weed will show signs of distress or die completely within two to four days. Repeat after 2 days and reapply after rain.
3. For year-long protection, give perennial weeds, such as dandelions, a good shot of the mixture in the spring before they have the chance to set seeds. Pick seed heads off and destroy them as they appear throughout the growing season. Don’t add them to your compost heap. Spray perennials with the herbicide in the fall to fully utilize the weed’s life cycle and send the material to the stems and roots to aid in killing the plants.
4. Tightly stored in a glass jar, this weed killing mixture will last indefinitely.
\n\n\n\nAnother benefit of living in the suburb of a large city means that homeowners in Pflugerville have easy access to a wide selection of highly specialized and qualified lawn care specialists that can come to your site and directly assess the issues your lawn presents.
\n\n\n\nHave more questions about lawn care? Visit our WikiLawn Lawn Care of Pflugerville, TX page.
\n\n\n\nTop Photo: Flickr // Jamie Beveridge
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\n","content":"\nFrom the wetlands of the Everglades to the sunny beaches of Miami, the Sunshine State’s diverse landscapes offer a wealth of natural beauty. It’s home to 1,197 statute miles of coastline, 825 miles of pristine beaches, and a vast array of stunning native plants. Florida’s flora not only provides visual appeal but also supports a healthy and diverse ecosystem.
\n\n\n\nNative plants offer several advantages over non-native species, including:
\n\n\n\nWhether you’re looking to create a vibrant garden or enhance your property’s natural beauty, incorporating the best native plants for Florida is an excellent place to start.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\nFrom showy wildflowers and groundcovers to majestic trees and shrubs, these native plants will enhance your landscape while also supporting the state’s ecosystem:
\n\n\n\n![\"American](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/American-Beautyberry.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nCommonly found in Florida, this beautiful native shrub is an excellent choice for homeowners in Central and North Florida, as it is more tolerant of colder temperatures than other tropical plants in South Florida. In its natural habitat, American beautyberry grows in various areas, including hammocks, pine rocklands, and wetlands.
\n\n\n\nIt typically blooms from June to August, producing small pinkish-purple flowers that are attractive to bees and other pollinators. The plant then produces clusters of bright purple berries in the fall – a favorite food of many species of wildlife, including birds and small mammals.
\n\n\n\nThe best time to plant American beautyberry is in the fall or winter, as this allows the plant to establish a robust root system before the heat of summer arrives. Pruning can be done in the winter to promote healthy growth and a more attractive shape.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 6b-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 3-8 feet tall, 4-8 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full sun – requires at least four hours of direct sun exposure
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Grows well in most soil conditions but prefers fertile, organic loam soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low – around 1 inch of water per week, but it needs deep, slow watering during dry spells
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic, but its berries may cause discomfort like vomiting if ingested
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Beach-Sunflower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Bob Peterson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nBeach sunflower is a popular plant due to its hardiness and beautiful, sunny blooms. It thrives in sandy soil, making it an excellent choice for coastal gardens. This perennial plant can be found throughout the state, including the Panhandle.
\n\n\n\nWith green, slightly hairy leaves, beach sunflowers produce small, bright yellow flowers that bloom year-round in warm climates. With a daisy-like appearance and papery texture, the clusters of flowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. It also serves as a host for the larvae of the Gulf fritillary butterfly.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial plant does well in dry conditions but can benefit from regular watering to promote healthy growth and flowering. It’s relatively low-maintenance and requires little attention once established, making it an excellent choice for homeowners looking for a plant that requires minimal effort.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8b-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 2-4 feet tall, 2-4 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Semi-evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun, but can tolerate partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, acidic to alkaline, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit : PublicDomainPictures
\n\n\n\nAnother native plant that can thrive in gardens throughout the Sunshine State, the black-eyed Susan is commonly found in meadows, prairies, and along roadsides. This perennial wildflower is a hardy plant that’s easy to grow and care for. It doesn’t need a lot of water and can handle drought conditions, making it an excellent choice for Florida’s hot and humid climate.
\n\n\n\nBlack-eyed Susan is a larval host for the silvery checkerspot butterfly and serves as a habitat for lacewings and ladybugs. From late spring through fall, it produces golden yellow petals with dark brown or black centers that resemble an eye. These flowers are a favorite among pollinators like bees and butterflies.
\n\n\n\nReaching up to a few feet tall, black-eyed Susan can be a great addition to mixed borders or as a backdrop for smaller plants. Remember to deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage more blooms.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 2-4 feet
\n\n\n\nDuration: Short-lived perennial, annual, or biennial (depending on growing conditions)
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade – it requires at least six hours of sun exposure each day
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, fertile, acidic, loamy, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic to humans and pets, but may cause allergic skin reactions and asthma attacks
\n\n\n\n![\"Red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Blanketflower_-_Gaillardia_aristata_IMG_6098-.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Macdon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nNative to the southeastern United States, blanketflower is a colorful and easy-to-grow plant. This member of the Aster family is best suited for gardens in Central and South Florida, as it prefers warm temperatures and well-drained soil. But it can grow in North Florida with proper care and protection during colder months.
\n\n\n\nOften found along roadsides, as well as in fields and meadows, this plant blooms from spring to fall. Its leaves are lance-shaped and typically green or gray-green, while its flowers come in various colors, including red, orange, yellow, and pink. The flowers have a unique shape with a central disk surrounded by colorful petals, resembling a miniature sunflower.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial wildflower doesn’t require much watering once established, as it is drought-tolerant and can handle high temperatures. You can plant it in groups for a colorful mass effect. Plus, you may deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-3 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, dry, acidic, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic, but may cause skin irritation
\n\n\n\n![\"Many](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Blazing-Star-Liatris-spicata.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Drew Avery / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nNaturally found in prairies, savannas, and open woodlands, blazing star blooms in mid-summer to early fall. It produces tall spikes of vibrant pink or purple flowers that attract pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. This deciduous wildflower is a host plant for the rare Liatris butterfly, making it ideal for butterfly gardens.
\n\n\n\nTo add more appeal to your garden, plant blazing stars in groups for a dramatic effect. You may mix it with other wildflowers for a more natural look. It’s best suited for homes in Central and North Florida, although it also can thrive in South Florida with proper care. The best time to plant this wildflower is in the spring, after the last frost.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 2-4 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full sun – it grows well in areas that get six or more hours of sun exposure a day
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, moist, loamy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic, but it’s not recommended to ingest its leaves and flowers
\n\n\n\n![\"Orange](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Butterfly-Milkweed-Asclepias-tuberosa-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Joshua Mayer / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nButterfly milkweed is a beneficial plant for Florida homeowners looking to attract pollinators to their gardens. It is best suited for Central and South Florida properties, as it is native to the state and can thrive in the warm, humid climate.
\n\n\n\nCommonly planted in areas with well-drained soil, butterfly milkweed blooms in the summer months, typically from June to August, and attracts a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. It’s also a larval host plant for the monarch butterfly.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial plant’s leaves are long and narrow with a slightly hairy texture, and its flowers are bright orange and showy. Planting in the spring is the best time to give it a good start before the summer growing season. It can tolerate drought, but you may add mulch to help suppress weeds around its base and retain moisture.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-2 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic – every part of the plant is poisonous
\n\n\n\n![\"Yellow](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Carolina-Jessamine-Gelsemium-sempervirens.jpg\")
Photo Credit: KENPEI / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nNative to the southeastern United States, Carolina Jessamine is often found growing in forests, stream banks, and other natural areas. It’s particularly well-suited to the warm, humid climate of Central and South Florida.
\n\n\n\nWith glossy, dark-green leaves, this evergreen vine produces vibrant, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. It’s a larval host plant for several butterflies, including the Zarucco duskywing and the southern cloudywing.
\n\n\n\nIf you are planting Carolina Jessamine in your garden, it is best to do so in the fall or winter. It prefers well-drained soil and will benefit from regular watering during the growing season. You may prune it occasionally to control its size and shape.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Vine
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 6-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 10-20 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade – it can grow even with just 2-6 hours of direct sunlight a day
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, moist, loamy soil with high organic matter
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: All its parts are toxic if ingested, and its sap can cause allergic skin reactions in some people
\n\n\n\n![\"photo](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/coontie-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Leonora (Ellie) Enking / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nA slow-growing, evergreen plant, coontie is best for gardens in Central and South Florida. Its natural habitat is in sandy soils, coastal dunes, and pine rocklands, and it’s also found in the understory of hardwood hammocks.
\n\n\n\nThe Atala butterfly, an endangered species native to Florida, relies only on this plant as its larval host. In fact, this prehistoric “living fossil” has survived for more than 200 million years and remains the sole cycad species in the United States.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial shrub produces cones rather than flowers, with the female cone being bright orange and the male cone being brownish-green. The best time to plant coontie is in the fall or early winter. It’s drought-tolerant and requires minimal watering once established, making it an ideal choice for Florida’s sandy soils.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8a-11b
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-3 feet tall, 3-5 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade (two to six hours of sun per day)
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, moist, fertile, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic – all parts of the plant are poisonous
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Coral-Bean.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Everglades National Park / Flickr / CC0 1.0
\n\n\n\nNative to Florida, coral bean can be found in sandy soils, pine rocklands, and coastal hammocks throughout the state. Although, it’s best suited for gardens in Central and South Florida due to its preference for warmer temperatures and more humid environments.
\n\n\n\nFrom late spring to early summer, this deciduous plant produces bright red flowers. It’s an excellent choice for gardeners looking to attract pollinators, as it is a larval host to several species of butterflies and moths. The best time to plant coral bean is in the fall or winter. Doing so will allow the plant to establish a strong root system before the heat of summer arrives.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial shrub’s leaves are bright green and have a slightly rough texture, while its flowers are trumpet-shaped and grow in clusters. After the flowers fade, coral bean produces seed pods that contain bright red seeds. While these seeds may look beautiful, note that they are highly poisonous when ingested.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 6-12 feet tall, 3-6 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial (annual for regions with freezing winters)
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Dry, well-drained, acidic, clay, sandy, or loamy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic – its seeds are very poisonous to humans, especially to small children
\n\n\n\n![\"beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Lonicera_sempervirens_-_Coral_honeysuckle_02.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Zeynel Cebeci / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nA beautiful, easy-to-grow plant perfect for Florida gardens, coral honeysuckle thrives in a wide range of habitats, including woodland edges, sandy dunes, and along riverbanks. It’s commonly found throughout Florida, as well as in many other parts of the southeastern United States.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial vine blooms from spring to fall and produces tubular-shaped, coral-red flowers incredibly attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. Its foliage is deep green, and it remains evergreen throughout the year. It requires little maintenance and is generally resistant to pests and diseases.
\n\n\n\nCoral honeysuckle prefers moist soil but can tolerate drought once it’s established. You can train it to climb a trellis or fence or allow it to sprawl as a groundcover. It’s also a larval host plant for the spring azure butterfly, so it’s a great addition to butterfly gardens.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Vine
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 3-20 feet (depending on its supporting structure)
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Semi-evergreen to evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Grows well in partial shade but prefers full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers well-drained, rich, slightly acidic soil but tolerates most soil types
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Its berries are toxic to humans and pets but favored by birds
\n\n\n\n![\"Yellow](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Coreopsis_auriculata_Nana_3zz.jpg\")
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nCommonly found in meadows, prairies, and woodland edges, ear-leaved tickseed attracts pollinators with its nectar-rich flowers. It also serves as a larval host to various species of butterflies, including zebra longwing – Florida’s state butterfly.
\n\n\n\nWhile it’s native to Florida and many other southeastern states, ear-leaved tickseed is best for gardens in Central and North Florida, as it thrives in sandy soils and frequent summer rainfalls. This plant produces an abundance of bright yellow flowers that bloom from spring to summer – perfect for homeowners who want to add a burst of color to their gardens.
\n\n\n\nThe best time to plant ear-leaved tickseed is in the fall or spring – when the weather is cooler, and there is more moisture in the soil. Doing so will give the plant a better chance to establish its roots and grow strong before the hot summer months arrive.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4a-9b
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-2 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Dry, loamy, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/40561099854_c6581da4db_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: gailhampshire / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nFirebush is salt-tolerant – a welcome trait for gardens across peninsular Florida. Often found in open woodlands, disturbed areas, and along the edges of swamps and ponds, this perennial shrub has glossy and dark green leaves.
\n\n\n\nIt typically blooms from spring to fall, producing clusters of tubular, bright orange-red flowers that are irresistible to pollinators like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. After the flowers fade, firebush produces small red fruits – a favorite food of many bird species. It’s also a larval host plant for the common buckeye butterfly and the adult food source for the Pluto Sphinx moth.
\n\n\n\nFirebush is excellent for adorning patios, containers, or as borders. You should plant it in the spring or fall – before the heat of summer arrives. You also can use fertilizer to encourage healthy growth and more prolific blooming.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-3 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, fertile, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low – but it needs regular watering until fully established
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic, but may cause skin irritation
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Ted Bodner / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 US
\n\n\n\nAlso known as purple anise, Florida anise is a beautiful shrub native to Florida and other southeastern states. It’s sometimes called stinkbush because its leaves and twigs have a strong, musky odor that some people find unpleasant. It’s best suited for Central and North Florida gardens, as it can tolerate cooler temperatures. Although, it also can thrive in South Florida with proper care.
\n\n\n\nCommonly planted in shady areas and moist soils, such as swamps, riverbanks, and bogs, this evergreen plant blooms in early spring, producing clusters of dark red or maroon flowers attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. It’s also a larval host to the pipevine swallowtail butterfly. With glossy and leathery, dark green leaves, Florida anise produces small, woody capsules of fruit that split open to reveal shiny black seeds.
\n\n\n\nIt’s recommended to plant Florida anise when the soil is moist – in the fall or winter. Also, consider planting it with other shade-loving plants and incorporating it into a woodland garden design for a natural and wild look.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 10-15 feet tall, 6-10 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist, well-drained, fertile, clay, loamy, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low – while it’s drought-tolerant, you will need to water it weekly during long periods of dry spells
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"White](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Oakleaf-Hydrangea-Hydrangea-quercifolia.jpg\")
Photo Credit: normanack / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nCommonly found in woodland areas across the state, oakleaf hydrangea is well-suited to the humid climate and can thrive in a variety of Florida gardens. From late spring to early summer, it produces showy, cone-shaped flower clusters that are white or pinkish-white.
\n\n\n\nYou should plant it in the fall when there’s more consistent rainfall and the temperature is lower. This deciduous shrub will lose its striking oak-like leaves in the winter but will turn a beautiful reddish color before falling off.
\n\n\n\nConsider planting it alongside other native plants, such as coneflowers or black-eyed Susans. It will create a stunning display of color and texture that will last for years.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 5a-9b
\n\n\n\nMature size: 4-8 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Fertile, loamy, or sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic – every part of this plant is poisonous
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Pink-Pinxter-Azalea.jpg\")
Photo Credit: EoRdE6 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nNative to the Southeastern United States, pink pinxter azalea is commonly found in wooded areas and along streams. As it can thrive in cold temperatures, it’s best suited for gardens in North and Central Florida and is less tolerant of the hotter conditions of South Florida.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial shrub blooms in the spring, usually in April or May, with clusters of pink or white, trumpet-shaped flowers that are attractive to pollinators like the Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. Remember to plant it in the fall or early winter when temperatures are cooler.
\n\n\n\nThe leaves of pink pinxter azalea are medium green, with a leathery texture, and turn a reddish-purple color in the fall. To make it more beautiful in your garden, you can prune it after it blooms to encourage more branching and fuller growth. Also, this plant prefers moist soil, so keep it well-watered during dry spells.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 6-15 feet tall, 6-10 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist to dry, well-drained, acidic soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Highly toxic to both humans and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"Saw](\"https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/saw-palmetto-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nA native Florida plant commonly found in dry, sandy areas like pine flatwoods and coastal scrubs throughout the state, saw palmetto can tolerate a wide range of soil and environmental conditions.
\n\n\n\nThis hardy plant typically blooms from April to June, producing small yellowish-white flowers that are attractive to bees and other pollinators. It’s also a larval host plant for the palmetto skipper butterfly. With fan-shaped, blue-green leaves, this slow-growing plant produces small, dark blue-black berries – a favorite food of many wildlife, including bears, raccoons, and deer.
\n\n\n\nWhile saw palmetto is not poisonous, it’s essential to handle it carefully, as its leaves can be sharp and cause skin irritation. Additionally, it has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes and is believed to have various health benefits.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub or small tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 4-8 feet tall, 4-6 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained, slightly acidic, loamy, sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: High
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/scarlet-sage-salvia-close-up.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures
\n\n\n\nScarlet sage is an eye-catching flowering plant well-suited for gardens in all regions of Florida. It is particularly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, making it a favorite of gardeners who want to attract pollinators to their yards. Native to Florida, this evergreen plant can grow wild in various habitats, including woodlands, hammocks, and meadows.
\n\n\n\nFrom late spring through fall, this perennial plant produces beautiful bright red, pink, or white flowers. You can deadhead the spent blooms regularly to encourage new growth and prolong the blooming period.
\n\n\n\nThe leaves of scarlet sage are deep green and have a slightly fuzzy texture, adding to its overall visual appeal. Its leaves’ pungent scent also makes it a deer-proof option. And if you want to maintain its shape and promote bushier growth, you may occasionally prune it.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 1-3 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial – annual in regions with below-freezing winters
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist to dry, clay, loamy, or sandy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic – its flowers can cause gastric distress
\n\n\n\n![\"Wide](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Southern-Live-Oak-Quercus-virginiana.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay
\n\n\n\nA beautiful and iconic tree native to Florida, southern live oak is a popular choice for homeowners who want to add shade, beauty, and value to their properties. It’s a slow-growing evergreen and can live for a long time. It’s best suited for Central and South Florida properties due to its ability to tolerate salt spray and hot temperatures.
\n\n\n\nThis majestic tree grows naturally in coastal areas, swamps, and along rivers, and its hardiness and durability make it ideal for landscapes that experience hurricanes and tropical storms. Southern live oaks don’t bloom in the traditional sense, but they produce acorns – an essential food source for deer, squirrels, birds, and other animals.
\n\n\n\nThe best time to plant southern live oaks is in the fall or winter – when the tree is dormant. Regular pruning can help to maintain the tree’s shape and promote healthy growth. You can add understory plants and groundcovers to complement the tree’s beauty and create a naturalistic landscape.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 8a-10b
\n\n\n\nMature size: 40-80 feet tall, 30-100 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist, well-drained, loamy soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic – avoid ingesting the acorns and leaves as they can be poisonous to both humans and animals
\n\n\n\n![\"Green](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Southern-Wax-Myrtle-Myrica-cerifera.jpeg\")
Photo Credit: BotBln / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nA versatile evergreen well-suited for gardens in all regions of Florida, southern wax myrtle has attractive green leaves with a leathery texture and a spicy, aromatic scent when crushed. It’s commonly found in natural habitats throughout the state, including wetlands, coastal dunes, and upland areas.
\n\n\n\nThis evergreen blooms in early spring, producing tiny flowers and, eventually, clusters of small, waxy, blue-gray berries in the fall. Its berries are a food source for various birds and other wildlife. Plus, the plant is an essential host for several species of butterflies.
\n\n\n\nThe best time to plant this drought-tolerant perennial is in the early fall or late winter, as these seasons provide optimal growing conditions. Consider planting it as a hedge, using it as a specimen plant, or incorporating it into a mixed border with other flowering plants. Its dense growth habit also makes it ideal for screening and privacy.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree or shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 7-11
\n\n\n\nMature size: 20-25 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial shade to full sun, but can tolerate full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Can grow well in most soils
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate – needs watering every two weeks but can tolerate floods and drought once established
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"Texas](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Texas-Sta-Hibiscus.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jim Evans / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nWell-suited for gardens in Central and North Florida, Texas star hibiscus is commonly found in wetlands and along waterways in these regions. It’s often used in landscaping around retention ponds and other water features.
\n\n\n\nAlso known as the scarlet rose mallow, this vibrant plant blooms in late summer and early fall. It produces showy, large flowers in shades of red, pink, and white. It’s an excellent choice for attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden.
\n\n\n\nRemember to plant Texas star hibiscus when there’s no more threat of frost – in the spring. While it requires regular watering, particularly in the hot summer months, don’t overwater as it does not tolerate standing water.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9
\n\n\n\nMature size: 6-8 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Prefers moist soil but grows well in most soil types
\n\n\n\nWater needs: High – needs 1-3 inches of water per week, even more during dry spells
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"close-up](\"https://lawnlove.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/rsz_29534434604_92af0cdbb6_c.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Katja Schulz / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nAlso known as sweet viburnum, Walter’s viburnum is a beautiful and hardy shrub native to Florida. While its natural habitat includes wetlands, flatwoods, and hammocks, it’s also well-suited to suburban landscapes.
\n\n\n\nAs it thrives in warm and humid climates, Walter’s viburnum is ideal for gardens in Central and South Florida. This shrub blooms in late winter to early spring with small white flowers that mature into clusters of bright red berries, making it an excellent food source for wildlife.
\n\n\n\nIdeal for use in hedges and privacy screens, Walter’s viburnum is best planted in the fall or winter. Prune it to maintain its shape and remove dead or damaged branches.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub to small tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 7-10
\n\n\n\nMature size: 8-25 feet tall
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Evergreen to semi-evergreen in regions with mild winters
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Partial sun to full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist, well-drained, clay, sandy soils
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low, but water it often until established (six to 12 months after planting)
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\nFlorida boasts a wide variety of native flora, ranging from vibrant wildflowers to verdant shrubs and trees. With average lows ranging from 41 to 65 Fahrenheit, the Sunshine State’s climate is highly conducive to the growth of numerous native plant species.
\n\n\n\nFor your garden, choose plant species that are well-suited to your specific region and environmental conditions.
\n\n\n\nIn the state’s northern region, you’ll find a variety of native plant species, such as wildflowers, shrubs, and trees, including muhly grass, azaleas, and yuccas. When selecting plants for your yard, you may need to choose the ones that can withstand occasional cold snaps. Additionally, you need to consider shade exposure and other factors, including:
\n\n\n\nWith a humid subtropical climate, Central Florida’s soils are typically sandy, and the area receives ample rainfall throughout the year. Native plant species that thrive in this region include palms, oaks, and magnolias. Consider adding plants like beach sunflower, coontie, passion flower, and Fakahatchee grass that can tolerate high humidity and heat and thrive in these conditions:
\n\n\n\nSouth Florida’s tropical climate makes it a paradise for native plants. The soil and climate in this region are ideal for various plants, from wildflowers to palms and ferns. Plants that thrive here include saw palmetto, coral bean, and gumbo limbo. If you live near the coast, consider plants like seagrape and wild coffee that can tolerate salt spray, as well as the following factors:
\n\n\n\nAdditionally, you need to consider the plant’s size, growth habit, and maintenance needs. To learn more about Florida’s native flora and fauna, visit one of the state’s many botanical gardens and nature preserves. They often feature extensive collections of native plants, as well as educational programs and events that highlight the importance of native species in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
\n\n\n\nFlorida has an array of soils due to its varied topography, but the majority of the state has sandy soil, with some areas containing high levels of organic matter. The sandy nature of the soil is due to Florida’s geological history, which includes marine sediments and ancient beach dunes.
● North Florida: The northern part of Florida generally has more acidic soil with higher sand content, but some areas have loamy and clay soil. These soils are typically low in nutrients and organic matter, so adding compost or other organic materials can help improve soil quality.
● Central Florida: This region has a mix of sandy and clay soils, with some areas having more sand and others having more clay. These soils are low in nutrients and organic matter, so adding amendments like compost or fertilizers can be beneficial.
● South Florida: The southern part of Florida has more alkaline soil and higher clay content. But some areas in this region have acidic, sandy, and limestone-based soil with low levels of organic matter, making it difficult for plants to absorb nutrients. Adding soil amendments like lime can help raise pH levels and improve soil quality.
Florida’s soils also can vary in water-holding capacity, drainage, and nutrient content. Regardless of where you live in Florida, you must test your soil to determine its pH and nutrient levels.
To determine the soil type in your yard, you can perform a simple soil test or consult a local nursery or extension office. It can help you decide on the kinds of plants that will thrive in your landscape and ensure they receive the proper care they need.
The best time to plant native flowers and shrubs in Florida depends on the specific plant and location. Fall and winter are generally the best times to plant in Florida.
In the northern parts, where the climate is cooler, fall is the best time to plant as it allows the roots to establish before the colder winter months. For gardens in Central Florida, fall and winter are still ideal for planting, but the warmer climate allows for some planting to be done in early spring.
In South Florida, where the weather is tropical and subtropical, planting can be done year-round, but the best time is in the winter months when the temperatures are cooler, and there is less rain.
An excellent option for Florida homeowners is Zoysiagrass. This grass type is known for its durability and drought resistance, making it a fantastic choice for Florida’s hot and dry summers. Zoysiagrass also has a fine texture and low-growing habit, making it perfect for those who prefer a more manicured lawn.
Other turfgrass varieties that may complement Florida native plants include bahiagrass, centipedegrass, and bermudagrass. And if you’re not a fan of traditional grass lawns, ground covers are a great alternative, as they provide a low-growing carpet-like appearance that requires less maintenance.
Interested in adding Florida native plants to your garden? You can start by visiting local nurseries and garden centers that specialize in native plants. These stores often carry a vast range of native species, and their staff can offer helpful advice on selecting the right plants for your garden.
\n\n\n\nAnother great resource is the Florida Native Plant Society, which promotes using wildflowers and native plants in public and private landscapes. Their website provides information on where to find native plants, how to care for them, and how to incorporate them into your landscape.
\n\n\n\nYou also can visit local farmers’ markets and plant sales, often featuring native plants and herbs grown by farmers and gardeners. These events will give you an opportunity to meet other plant enthusiasts and get tips on gardening with native species.
\n\n\n\nWhether you live in St. Augustine, Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Pensacola, or another city in the Sunshine State, consider hiring a landscaping pro to help design and maintain your beautiful, eco-friendly garden.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: James St. John / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
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\n","content":"\nDelaware’s classic, four-season climate makes it hard for many of us to figure out lawn management. Worry not. All you have to do is master the most crucial routine – fertilization. Learning when to fertilize your Delaware lawn and using the right kind of product will help you create a strong, healthy, and lush green lawn.
\n\n\n\nThe traditional approach is to combine fertilization with other lawn care tasks, such as raking, aeration, mowing, weeding, etc., in the springtime. But this practice isn’t ideal for Delaware lawns. Fall is the right time to fertilize your lawn here so it has all the nutrition it needs for the winter and grows generously the following spring.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we will learn about fertilization in depth:
\n\n\n\nNo matter what kind of plants you’re feeding, scheduling the correct timing will set them for success or failure in the coming season. The right time to fertilize your lawn depends on many factors, including the climate, light exposure, soil type and pH, plant types in your lawn, and more.
\n\n\n\nA good practice for most lawns is to fertilize at least twice a year to ensure good overall health. To be safe, you can remember this rule of thumb: Apply lawn fertilizer when the grass is actively growing. For Delaware lawns with cool-season grasses, this time is early fall or early spring, when the temperatures are still a bit chilly.
\n\n\n\nApplying fertilizer in the wrong season can encourage tender new growth that easily gets damaged, encourages weed growth, or simply burns your lawngrass. Early leaf development will simply give you a vulnerable lawn. A few general rules to keep in mind:
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/solar-panels-working-8-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: groveb / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nKnowing the right time to fertilize isn’t enough. There are 4 R’s of nutrient stewardship that should guide fertilizer application for any lawn, advocated by many agricultural conservationists.
\n\n\n\nGetting all four R’s right fosters a beneficial environment for your plants and wildlife. For fertilizer, remember that more is not always better.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fertilizer.jpg\")
Photo Credit: schulzie / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nBefore we get to the monthly lawn fertilization schedule for your Delaware lawn, here are a few pointers to remember.
\n\n\n\nSomething you need to know before you start is how grass utilizes its nutrients. Lawn grass uses more energy for root growth in the fall and puts energy into growing leaves in the spring.
\n\n\n\nIf you fertilize your lawn when it’s focused on top growth – spring – you basically just push the grass leaves to grow faster and taller, translating into more mowing. On the other hand, fertilizing in the fall promotes a healthy and deep root system that encourages grass to spread by tillers.
\n\n\n\nNitrogen is a major nutrient that contributes to the health of grass plants. It’s a mineral fuels hungry and growing plants. It also boosts chlorophyll production and contributes to a darker, deeper, more emerald-green grass color.
\n\n\n\nNitrogen enters the grass plant through its root system. You can see new shoots appear within hours of nitrogen application. This is why you will likely need to mow more after you apply high-nitrogen fertilizer.
\n\n\n\nNitrogen gives strength to the roots and supports strong shoot growth and makes up a major portion of most types of fertilizers.
\n\n\n\nMost lawns need to be fed twice a year – once in early spring and once in the fall. The same goes for lawns in Delaware. But, lawn care experts recommend applying 65 to 75% of the total amount of nitrogen fertilizer your lawn needs between September and November.
\n\n\n\nHere’s a timeline that can help keep track of what your lawn eats:
\n\n\n\nYour lawn needs three major nutrients. These are:
\n\n\n\nAnd there are different types of fertilizers that your Delaware lawn may need:
\n\n\n\nSingle-ingredient, as the name suggests, contains only one primary plant nutrient. It targets the specific needs of plants at different developmental stages. It is free from fillers as well – no wood ash, marl, lime, manure, limestone, or other materials.
\n\n\n\nSo, you can get nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium fertilizers to treat a single problem or boost a certain quality in your Delaware lawn. For example, if your lawn has winter damage, potassium fertilizer will aid plant growth and healthy recovery. Potassium helps to synthesize proteins and starches and assists with nutrient and water uptake.
\n\n\n\nThese fertilizers contain all three nutrients in different percentages. Every combination fertilizer comes with a number/letter code that corresponds to the nutrients inside. You can see N-P-K or nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium coordinate with their percentage found in the fertilizer.
\n\n\n\nFor example, a 20-5-10 mixture means the presence of 20% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus, and 10% potassium whereas the remaining percentage includes inert filler that aids in even application. This would be classified as a high-nitrogen fertilizer.
\n\n\n\nYou can pick from a variety of fertilizer ratios depending on what your lawn soil needs and the type of grass. Commonly Delaware soil works well with 10-10-10, 20-5-10, or 6-6-18 fertilizer mixtures.
\n\n\n\nThis type of fertilizer releases nutrients rapidly into the soil. Typically, quick-release fertilizers are water soluble and show immediate results.
\n\n\n\nTypically, you have to apply soluble fertilizers more than once for them to show effect since they dissolve quickly and plants may not take up all the available goodness.
\n\n\n\nYour Delaware lawn might need a quick-release fertilizer if you need a quick response. For instance, you’re building a new lawn and want it to green up quickly or you want the top growth to be aggressive enough to block weeds. However, soluble fertilizers aren’t always a good idea because they can encourage too much growth, too fast.
\n\n\n\nThe most suitable type of fertilizer for Delaware soils is slow-release. These fertilizers discharge all their nutrients slowly and over time, making sure your ground always has nitrogen available for growth. They are water-insoluble and dissolve slowly.
\n\n\n\nSlow-release formulas are easier to distribute evenly in the lawn, especially if you’re applying granular variety, and assist in a more paced growth. They are designed to release by weathering, water penetration, or microbial action at a rate that is consistent with the grass’s needs.
\n\n\n\nThese fertilizers are good for regular maintenance. Typically, only one application of slow-release fertilizer is enough and also proves cost-effective for many homeowners.
\n\n\n\nGrass is classified into two categories based on the climate they are adapted to:
\n\n\n\nDelaware is located in the transition zone and typically favors cool-season grasses including Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall fescue, Bentgrass, and Perennial Ryegrass. These grasses take the majority of the nutrition they need in the fall to prepare for winter and recover from summer stress. Mostly, they just need nitrogen to encourage growth and develop a nice green color.
\n\n\n\nThe only warm-season grass that can make do in Delaware is Zoysiagrass due to its hardy nature. A closer look at different grass types and their fertilization needs:
\n\n\n\nThis is a fast-growing cool-season grass that comes with unique fertilizer needs. Kentucky bluegrass is pretty prone to fertilizer burns. You need to be careful when, how, and what type of fertilizer you apply to it.
\n\n\n\nA general guide for fertilizer application on Kentucky bluegrass lawns in Delaware:
\n\n\n\nThis cool-season turfgrass thrives in transition zones. It’s a highly drought-tolerant grass that requires little maintenance.
\n\n\n\nTall fescue is a low-maintenance turf choice for lawns and sports fields. Thanks to its deep roots, this grass type is pretty resilient and holds up well to dry conditions.
\n\n\n\nThis perennial, cool-season grass is typically used as a part of a seed mix for golf courses, home lawns, and fields. Bentgrass is a creeping grass that develops fine blades and is considered a high-maintenance grass type. It is susceptible to nutrient deficiencies too.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/person-sreading-fertilizer.jpeg\")
Photo Credit: Pixnio
\n\n\n\nWho doesn’t like a green, thick lawn? But you need to consider the impact of your lawn management practices on the environment. This includes water waste, chemical pollution, emissions from the production of synthetic herbicides, and more.
\n\n\n\nSeveral studies and research show that a mindful approach to lawn fertilization can reduce the dangers of climate change. A properly maintained lawn does not require immediate remedies and saves you from using harsh, environmentally-unfriendly products to bring it back to life.
\n\n\n\nFollow these tips to fertilize your lawn more responsibly and minimize nutrient loss:
\n\n\n\nKeeping track of the right time, fertilizer type, ratio, application technique, and quantity can be too much. Don’t worry, our local pros in Delaware are fully qualified and equipped to discuss, advise, and fertilize your lawn for you.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: BanksPhotos / Canva Pro / License
\n","title":"When to Fertilize Your Lawn in Delaware","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/1789c/fertilize-grass.jpg","srcSet":"/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/107df/fertilize-grass.jpg 320w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/293e9/fertilize-grass.jpg 500w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/f2cbb/fertilize-grass.jpg 800w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/1789c/fertilize-grass.jpg 960w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/c26c2/fertilize-grass.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/1dd6e/fertilize-grass.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/67b76/fertilize-grass.webp 320w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/8df11/fertilize-grass.webp 500w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/98a65/fertilize-grass.webp 800w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/1dd6e/fertilize-grass.webp 960w,\n/static/a6faba517709b798718d1b89c658e296/3cc96/fertilize-grass.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"When to Fertilize Your Lawn in Delaware | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Timing is important when fertilizing your lawn. Learn the best time to fertilize your lawn in Delaware and unlock its full potential."}}},{"node":{"id":"76df3949-d47d-57c8-a5b8-f5505736480b","slug":"best-landscaping-plants-houston","path":"/lawn-care/tx/houston/best-landscaping-plants-houston/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Abdul Wadood is a writer and SEO specialist from India. He recently started writing about lawns and enjoys it. In his spare time, he enjoys going on trips.","name":"Abdul Wadood","id":"236127ca-c7a6-50bb-9ab7-dd3e7e3fe6d8","path":"/author/abdul-wadood/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/395f0103c8419fd32e2c021818b78121?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"656604f4-56e7-55ed-8540-cc48be40652a","name":"Houston","count":7,"path":"/category/lawn-care/tx/houston/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"0f9826dc-fc31-550e-9967-1b3bf51f2bdb","name":"Texas","count":72,"path":"/category/lawn-care/tx/"}],"date":"May 2nd, 2023","excerpt":"Houston is hot, dry, and sunny, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful yard. Texas native plants can adapt to Houston’s climate and soil conditions as they have been growing here for years. Let’s take a look at the best native plants for Houston that can add charm to your yard. In this […]
\n","content":"\nHouston is hot, dry, and sunny, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful yard. Texas native plants can adapt to Houston’s climate and soil conditions as they have been growing here for years.
\n\n\n\nLet’s take a look at the best native plants for Houston that can add charm to your yard.
\n\n\n\nIn this article:
\n\n\n\nNative plants are well-adapted to a region’s soil conditions and climate, giving them a distinct advantage over non-native plants.
\n\n\n\nHere are the advantages of native plants over non-natives.
\n\n\n\n![\"closeup](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Black-Eyed-Susan.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlack-eyed Susan looks distinctive, with bright yellow petals and a brownish-black head in the center. It grows best in full sun and prefers moist soil with good drainage.
\n\n\n\nBlack-eyed Susan is a low-maintenance plant that blooms from summer to fall, attracting butterflies, birds, and bees. You can remove the faded and dried flowers to keep black-eyed Susan in bloom longer.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deep green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist, well-drained
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"Purple](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Purple-Coneflower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PumpkinSky / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEastern purple coneflower is popular in Texas for its appealing pinkish-purple flowers and a dome-shaped brownish-orange head. Eastern purple coneflower blooms from spring to summer. Butterflies and bees love them.
\n\n\n\nEastern purple coneflower grows best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. It prefers moist loam soil with good drainage. However, it can quickly adapt to various soil types.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deep green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"Giant](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Giant-Coneflower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Photo by David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGiant coneflower is an attractive tall herbaceous perennial with bright yellow flowers and a large, dark brown center. It’s a super-sized black-eyed Susan. Giant coneflower grows best in full sun and prefers moist soil with good drainage. It tolerates partial shade and drought.
\n\n\n\nGiant coneflower blooms from mid-summer to early fall. It attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Herb
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: High
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"Pink](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Texas-Lantana-Lantana-urticoides-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTexas lantana blooms throughout the summer, producing tiny bright flowers arranged in thick clusters. The flowers may appear orange, red, white, purple, or pink. These flowers create a bicolored effect as they are mixed within the same cluster.
\n\n\n\nTexas lantana grows best in full sun and prefers soil with good drainage. If you have children and pets playing on your lawn, we recommend avoiding this shrub as it’s toxic. Texas lantana leaves have a wrinkled appearance with a pungent citrusy smell. The strong aroma prevents deer from entering your yard.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deep green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, well-drained soil. Grows in almost all soil types.
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to children and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"a](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/American_Beautyberry_6172956232.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Virginia State Parks staff / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmerican beautyberry blooms from late spring to early summer, producing clusters of tiny pink flowers. These flowers mature into berries during fall. Birds love them. We can eat them, too, but they don’t taste good.
\n\n\n\nAmerican beautyberry grows best in full sun and can tolerate shade. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. It can grow up to 6 feet, but keep it trimmed for a better appearance.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 6 feet tall and wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Light green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"Autumn](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Autumn-Sage.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Consultaplantas / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAutumn sage is a fast-growing shrub that blooms for a lengthy period, from late spring to mid-fall. The beautiful red flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Autumn sage grows best in full sun and prefers dry, well-drained soil.
\n\n\n\nAutumn sage requires regular watering after planting. Once grown, it can survive with an inch of watering each week. Avoid overwatering as it can damage the shrub. Autumn sage leaves are small and have a minty aroma.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Shrub
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Well-drained
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Non-toxic
\n\n\n\n![\"Passionflower\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Passionflower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: H. Zell / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPassionflower looks beautiful with purple or white flowers. It features complex purple threadlike coronal filaments that stand out. Passionflower grows tall, reaching up to 30 feet. It grows best in full sun and prefers rich, moist soil with good drainage.
\n\n\n\nPassionflower blooms in summer and attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It’s toxic to pets but doesn’t affect humans much.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Vine
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 30 feet tall and 6 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Zeynel Cebeci / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCoral honeysuckle is a showy vine that can add charm to your lawn. It features clusters of pinkish-red tubular flowers. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love these flowers. Coral honeysuckle usually blooms throughout the summer. During fall, these flowers mature into berries that songbirds love.
\n\n\n\nCoral honeysuckle grows best in full sun. It can tolerate partial shade but will flower slowly. It grows in any soil type with good drainage.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Vine
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 25 feet tall and wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deep green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"Carolina](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Carolina-Jessamine.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jim Evans / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCarolina jessamine looks beautiful with its trumpet-shaped bright yellow flowers. It blooms from late winter to early spring, making it one of the earliest bloomers. Carolina jessamine prefers moist, well-drained soil.
\n\n\n\nYou can plant Carolina jessamine near your fence or arbor as it acts like a privacy screen. It also does well as a ground cover. Carolina jessamine grows best in full sun and can tolerate partial shade.
\n\n\n\nCarolina jessamine is extremely toxic and can even cause death to humans and pets when consumed. So, if you have kids and pets, we strongly recommend you avoid this vine.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Vine
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 10 feet tall and 3 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deep green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"image](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Eastern-White-Oak.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James St. John / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhite oak has many benefits. Its bark is used to make medicines, furniture, and even boats. It grows extremely slowly at a rate of 2 feet per year but can comfortably last 500 to 600 years. White oak grows best in full sun and prefers deep, moist, well-drained soil.
\n\n\n\nWhite oak can grow up to 100 feet in height, and the canopy can spread to 80 feet. So, if you want to plant this tree, ensure there’s sufficient space in your lawn. White oak is susceptible to many diseases and pests.
\n\n\n\nDeers love the acorns that white oak produces. But don’t worry yet. Most white oak trees don’t produce acorns until they reach 20 years of age.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 100 feet tall and 80 feet wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Dark green in summer and brown to orange-red in fall
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Clay, loamy, sandy, moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"Shumard](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Shumard-Red-Oak.jpg\")
Photo Credit: F. D. Richards / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you want a fast-growing oak tree, go for Shumard red oak. It grows about 3 feet per year. The growth rate isn’t too fast, but definitely better than white oak. On the downside, Shumard red oak lasts up to 480 years, significantly lesser than white oak.
\n\n\n\nShumard red oak grows best in full sun and prefers moist loam soil with good drainage. It can grow up to 120 feet. Shumard red oak turns reddish-orange during fall. Similar to white oak, this tree’s bark also has many benefits.
\n\n\n\nGrowth habit: Tree
\n\n\n\nMature size: Up to 120 feet tall and 90 wide
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Deep green
\n\n\n\nSunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil preferences: Loamy, moist, well-drained soil
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\nHouston’s hardiness zone is 9a, meaning the weather is hot, dry, and sunny for most of the year. All these plants are native to Texas and can survive Houston’s climate. We recommend you analyze your lawn’s condition and choose a plant that best suits your lifestyle.
\n\n\n\nAlso, don’t forget to consider a plant’s size when purchasing it. If there isn’t much space in your lawn, it’s best to avoid planting large trees.
\n\n\n\nIf you want to know more about these plants and want to make your lawn the envy of your neighbors, get in touch with Wikilawn’s Houston lawn care experts.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: Brian Reading / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n","title":"11 Best Plants for Houston Landscaping","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/1789c/Market-Square-Park.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/107df/Market-Square-Park.jpg 320w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/293e9/Market-Square-Park.jpg 500w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/f2cbb/Market-Square-Park.jpg 800w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/1789c/Market-Square-Park.jpg 960w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/c26c2/Market-Square-Park.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/1dd6e/Market-Square-Park.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/67b76/Market-Square-Park.webp 320w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/8df11/Market-Square-Park.webp 500w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/98a65/Market-Square-Park.webp 800w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/1dd6e/Market-Square-Park.webp 960w,\n/static/8ffeb9201006cbc0d44f442cd91d8126/3cc96/Market-Square-Park.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"11 Best Plants for Houston Landscaping","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Plants add charm to your yard. Here is an introduction to native plants that will turn your ordinary garden amazing right here in Houston"}}},{"node":{"id":"3163ae33-24fa-539d-a4ae-42162d441c6a","slug":"lawn-mowing-maintenance-fort-worth","path":"/lawn-care/tx/fort-worth/lawn-mowing-maintenance-fort-worth/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Bob Greenly has been mowing and caring for lawns since he was 12 years old. His summer job turned into a permanent career after college when he opened his own landscaping company.","name":"Bob Greenly","id":"86622de6-1450-5165-836f-e7397d91491b","path":"/author/bob-greenly/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/38ceb71a8b949ee91fe8f7d81c04ccde?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"9ccd5174-167e-5379-890b-68ac830ec905","name":"Forth Worth","count":5,"path":"/category/lawn-care/tx/fort-worth/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"0f9826dc-fc31-550e-9967-1b3bf51f2bdb","name":"Texas","count":72,"path":"/category/lawn-care/tx/"}],"date":"July 8th, 2019","excerpt":"Fort Worth has something to make everyone smile – plentiful sunshine, a square-jawed Western heritage, taco and barbecue joints everywhere and museums and universities galore. And lawns. Lots of lawns that need mowing watering and trimming. Here’s a guide to how to keep your Fort Worth lawn happy so you can spend more time on […]
\n","content":"\nFort Worth has something to make everyone smile – plentiful sunshine, a square-jawed Western heritage, taco and barbecue joints everywhere and museums and universities galore.
\n\n\n\nAnd lawns. Lots of lawns that need mowing watering and trimming. Here’s a guide to how to keep your Fort Worth lawn happy so you can spend more time on it, and more time enjoying the 13th-largest city in the United States.
\n\n\n\nFort Worth likes you to keep up the appearance of your lawn. In fact, it insists, in the form of a code compliance office that will issue you a notice if your grass is taller than 12 inches. Properties overgrown with high grass and weeds are not just unsightly, the city says, but “they pose a fire hazard, block visibility for driers, harbor rodents and snakes and contribute to pests like mosquitoes and chiggers.”
\n\n\n\nIgnore the notice for more than 10 days and the city will send out a crew to cut it for you. The cost: $250, payable within 30 days. Failure to pay can result in a lien being placed against the property.
\n\n\n\nIf your neighbor’s grass gets too high, the city makes it easy to file a complaint online.
\n\n\n\nBermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass are the most common grasses for lawns in Fort Worth. Zoysia varieties are also making their mark.
\n\n\n\nIn the mood for something more exotic? Texas-bred native grasses based on buffalograss have great drought tolerance, though the appearance is scruffily untraditional. The Botanical Research Institute of Texas in Fort Worth is one of many buildings experimenting with a buffalograss blend.
\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses such as the ones that thrive in Fort Worth have their heaviest growth in the summer, so you’ll want to keep to a regular mowing schedule then. If you’re doing the job yourself in the 90+ degree heat, keep your mower blades sharp to prevent shredding that could injure your lawn.
\n\n\n\nMowing heights for different grass varieties are as follows:
\n\n\n\nIn the past, the typical practice was to remove lawn clippings and have them hauled to the landfill. That’s no longer the case, as lawn clippings are now seen as an important source of fertilizer for the lawn. On a typical lawn, leaving the clippings in place to decompose and return nitrogen to the soil for a full season added enough nutrients for you to skip one round of fertilization.
\n\n\n\nFort Worth’s climate is on the hot side, with average highs in the mid-90s in July and August. Expect about 40 inches of rain, with May, June and October the wettest months. That leaves a lot of hot, dry days in the mid to late summer in between, when your lawn will want a deep drink of water. But you’ll need to follow the city’s watering restrictions, imposed year-round to conserve the resource. Lawn irrigation by sprinkler or irrigation system is banned from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Penalties are stiff for violation: up to $2,000 for each offense.
\n\n\n\nBe polite and don’t mow too early or too late. The city has a noise ordinance. While it does not mention lawn mowers or leaf blowers specifically, it does bar “unreasonable noise,” especially at night.
\n\n\n\n
Have more questions about lawn mowing and maintenance in Fort Worth? We got you covered! Go to our Fort Worth, TX lawn care page for more information.
Spring is great in Ohio. In fact, late spring is the best time to visit the state and certainly one of the best times to live here. But spring is also the time of the year when your lawn needs your attention again, and knowing how to care for your lawn in Ohio will provide […]
\n","content":"\nSpring is great in Ohio. In fact, late spring is the best time to visit the state and certainly one of the best times to live here. But spring is also the time of the year when your lawn needs your attention again, and knowing how to care for your lawn in Ohio will provide the foundation it needs to thrive all year long.
\n\n\n\nLocation matters, so the approach will be slightly different if you live in the cooler lakefront area than downstate. But, in general, these nine spring lawn care tips will set you up well for the warm-weather months ahead..
\n\n\n\nIn this article:
\n\n\n\nTo care for your lawn properly, it’s important to know about the climate differences throughout the state.
\n\n\n\nOne thing all the states have in common is humid and warm summers. But while most of the state has a temperate climate, upstate Ohio experiences long winters with heavy snow, and its summers are belated. The far south, on the other hand, has a humid, milder climate.
\n\n\n\nOhio’s varying climates means that if you live in Columbus, your lawn care routine will be slightly different from someone living in Cleveland. But have no fear. With the right knowledge and tools, you can maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn no matter where you are in Ohio. Let’s see what lawn care tasks await you in the spring.
\n\n\n\n![\"Gasoline](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Pouring-gasoline-in-lawn-mower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt’s a good idea to get your lawn equipment ready for the season so you can start your lawn care routine as soon as possible. You should always check your manuals to know which jobs you should do and how often you should do them.
\n\n\n\nTo give you a rough idea, here are a few examples of common lawn care equipment jobs.
\n\n\n\nTypical gas mower maintenance jobs:
\n\n\n\nTypical battery mower maintenance jobs:
\n\n\n\nYou may also need to do maintenance jobs for various other lawn tools, for example:
\n\n\n\nIf you want to make sure that all your equipment is in mint condition, a professional tune-up may be in order.
\n\n\n\nRecommended time to get started in upstate Ohio: Before mid April
Recommended time to get started elsewhere in the state: Before late March
![\"Bags](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lawn-cleanup.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PxHere
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter winter has passed, Ohio experiences a beautiful spring season complete with blooming flowers and trees. However, cold weather and snow usually leave their mark on lawns and gardens, so it’s necessary to do a spring cleanup to prepare them for the growing season. This involves removing debris, pruning trees and shrubs, and raking up dead leaves and grass to promote healthy growth.
\n\n\n\nWhen you begin your spring cleanup depends on where you’re based in the state. Make sure you wait until all the snow has melted and the grass has fully dried.
\n\n\n\nRecommended time to get started in upstate Ohio: Around mid April
Recommended time to get started elsewhere in the state: Around late March
![\"Chickweed](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Chickweed.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Harry Rose / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWeeds can be a frustrating problem, but there are ways to prevent them from taking over. Typical Ohio weeds are:
\n\n\n\nMowing and watering is a good start because it keeps the lawn healthy and strong, making it less susceptible to weed growth. But to further prevent and treat weeds, you can consider herbicides.
\n\n\n\nThere are two kinds of herbicides on the market:
\n\n\n\nBefore you apply herbicide:
\n\n\n\nWhen to get started? You can get started around mid April in upstate Ohio and around early April elsewhere in the state.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/solar-panels-working-16.jpg\")
Photo Credit: yuriz / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNow that you can (hopefully) wave goodbye to weeds for the season, it’s time to deal with the next common lawn problem: diseases. Once again, you’re less likely to come across lawn diseases if you take good care of your lawn. Make sure that your grass gets enough airflow and sunlight and that you water, mow, and fertilize as needed. You can also apply a preventive fungicide.
\n\n\n\nCommon Ohio diseases include:
\n\n\n\nYou’re more likely to find disease on your lawn if there are any of the following:
\n\n\n\nIf you do come across a lawn disease, make sure to treat it right away. You may need to use a curative fungicide, replace affected soil and sod, or reseed.
\n\n\n\nFungicides are chemicals that can be harmful to people, animals, and the environment, so be sure to follow all instructions and use them responsibly. You can consider organic alternatives, but no fungicide is hazard-free, so it’s important to be careful and follow instructions.
\n\n\n\n![\"Fall](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Fall-Armyworm.jpg\")
Photo Credit: uacescomm / Flickr / CC0 1.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIs your lawn disease- and weed-free? Great, but insect pests can still wreak havoc on it. The same rule applies here: take good care of your lawn, and you’ll be less likely to have to deal with them.
\n\n\n\nHowever, if you do come across insect pests on your lawn, you should take safe steps to remove them. Here are some of Ohio’s insect pests and how you can get rid of them:
\n\n\n\nChinch bugs are often mistaken for a fungal disease. They lay their eggs in the spring, and lay more eggs during hot summer weather. You may notice visible damage from chinch bugs by the end of June or August.
\n\n\n\nThese bugs tend to develop pesticide resistance, so if you suspect that your lawn is infested with chinch bugs, call a professional.
\n\n\n\nGrubs are bug larvae. They’re likely to appear in March to May, and again in mid-September to November. If they begin to bug your lawn, you may notice dead spots and beetles flying around.
\n\n\n\nWildlife like birds, skunks, and raccoons often feed on grubs, but if you still have a problem, you can introduce beneficial nematodes that will eradicate grubs within the next few years. Alternatively, applying the milky spore bacteria is another effective solution, but it will take a while to develop as well.
\n\n\n\nSod webworms are lawn-damaging caterpillars. They’re active from spring to fall, but most damage occurs in mid to late summer. You can keep them out by watering and dethatching regularly, but if your grass seems brown and short in some places, and if there are moths flying away when you mow, your lawn is likely experiencing a sod webworm problem.
\n\n\n\nTo get rid of sod webworms, you can use insecticidal soap or beneficial nematodes.
\n\n\n\nBillbugs pose a problem both as adults and as larvae. Their damage becomes visible in mid to late June. However, there may also be a second generation of billbugs that will cause more damage in late July and August. It’s hard to identify billbug damage unless you spot the bugs themselves, but they will cause your grass to turn brown. If that happens, try pulling out some grass. If it breaks out of the soil line with sawdust-like excrement, billbugs are likely the problem.
\n\n\n\nBe sure to keep your lawn short, and if you encounter billbugs, target them before they lay eggs. If you spot newly-hatched larvae, get rid of them as soon as possible.
\n\n\n\nCutworms curl their bodies around grass blades and plant stems to feed on them. They’re mainly active in the evenings and at night and normally have 1 to 2 generations per year. Adult flights happen at different times throughout the season. Once they become adult moths, they’re harmless to lawns. But if you need to get rid of them while they’re still larvae, you can do so by dropping them in soapy water or crushing them. You can also try bleach-free dish soap.
\n\n\n\nWhat about using pesticides? If all else fails, pesticides are your last resort (except in the case of chinch bugs, where you should call professional help right away). Try to use organic pesticides and keep toxicity levels to a minimum. Always follow instructions to protect yourself and your pets.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CSIRO_ScienceImage_1739_Testing_soil_pH.jpg\")
Photo Credit: CSIRO / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn the best-case scenario, you have healthy soil that thrives just fine with regular mowing and watering. However, it’s lawns often lack nutrients and turn lackluster. These lawns get weaker and may even struggle with diseases, weeds, and insect pests.
\n\n\n\nTo ensure your soil has the right balance of nutrients, you should regularly test it and find out if you need to fertilize. The Department of Agriculture recommends testing your soil every two to three years, but if you want to do so more often, you certainly can.
\n\n\n\nA soil test can tell you your soil’s:
\n\n\n\nYou can choose between doing a soil test yourself or sending a sample to a lab.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/solar-panels-working-20.jpg\")
Photo Credit: groveb / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf your soil test indicates that you have healthy soil, you can get away with just leaving some nutritious grass clippings on your lawn after each mow. However, if your soil is lacking in nutrients, you may need to fertilize your lawn. Fertilization supplies your lawn with three main nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
\n\n\n\nHere’s what each of these nutrients can do for your lawn:
\n\n\n\n| Nutrient | Key Benefits |
| Nitrogen | • Helps with rapid growth and protein synthesis • Increases leaf development for dense lawns |
| Phosphorus | • Helps early root growth • Promotes plant maturity and seed development |
| Potassium | • Increases drought and disease resistance |
There are different kinds of fertilizer:
\n\n\n\nUsing fertilizer poses a hazard both to humans and to animals, so be cautious, use only as much as you need, and follow instructions closely. Organic fertilizer is a good option if you want to reduce the number of chemicals you use on your lawn, but be mindful that any fertilizer can be harmful.
\n\n\n\nOhio State University recommends fertilizing four times a year:
\n\n\n\nIf you want to know more, be sure to check out our Ohio fertilizing guide to find out more about Ohio’s best lawn fertilizer schedule.
\n\n\n\n![\"Set](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Wikilawn-Sprinklers.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Aqua Mechanical / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGrass needs water to thrive, but you don’t want to get ahead of yourself and overwater. There should be plenty of rain in early spring to hydrate your lawn, so keep your hose handy for late spring to early summer, when the weather becomes hot and dry.
\n\n\n\nOnce it’s needed, though, be sure to water efficiently by giving your lawn about an inch of water per week, either through rainfall or irrigation. You should always water before 10 a.m. and not late at night. The optimal times are between 5 and 6 a.m., but if that’s not possible, watering between 4 and 5 p.m. will work, too.
\n\n\n\nAlthough watering is important, make sure you don’t overwater. Overwatering can lead to negative consequences such as root rot and the growth of mold and mildew.
\n\n\n\nWhen should you start watering? It’s best to observe your grass to determine when it needs water. Signs that your lawn needs watering include:
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/solar-panels-working-15.jpg\")
Photo Credit: lutavia / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMowing your grass isn’t as simple a task as it seems. It’s recommended to mow your grass regularly and at the right height to maintain its health and appearance.
\n\n\n\nSee the approximate recommended height for each Ohio grass type below:
\n\n\n\n| Grass Type | Recommended Mowing Height |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 2.5 to 3.5 inches |
| Turf-type tall fescue | 3 to 4 inches |
| Fine-leaf fescue | 2.5 to 4 inches; the grass is slow-growing, so taller heights may be preferable |
| Perennial ryegrass | 2.5 to 3.5; you can cut even shorter, but very short heights need a reel mower |
Here are some must-know mowing tips:
\n\n\n\nYou can start mowing as soon as your grass grows above 2 inches.
\n\n\n\nTip: Mulch your trees before you mow to protect their roots from damage. You only need 2 to 4 inches of mulch, which should start 3 to 6 inches away from the trunk and extend outward 3 feet.
\n\n\n\nIf you’ve ticked off all your spring maintenance tasks this year, good job. However, there’s a lot more that goes into maintaining a healthy and thriving lawn. Be sure to learn about how to keep it in lush condition all year round. You can also check out our fertilizing guide to help you decide if and when you need to fertilize.
\n\n\n\nAre you getting tired just thinking about all the hard work it will take to keep your lawn pretty this season? Get in touch with a lawn care professional who can handle it for you.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: LouisvilleUSACE / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n","title":"How to Care for Your Lawn in the Spring in Ohio","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.4943960149439601,"src":"/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/1789c/Great-lawn.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/107df/Great-lawn.jpg 320w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/293e9/Great-lawn.jpg 500w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/f2cbb/Great-lawn.jpg 800w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/1789c/Great-lawn.jpg 960w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/c26c2/Great-lawn.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/1dd6e/Great-lawn.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/67b76/Great-lawn.webp 320w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/8df11/Great-lawn.webp 500w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/98a65/Great-lawn.webp 800w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/1dd6e/Great-lawn.webp 960w,\n/static/4e54ab6029d620f8fc6d331c00bb4a7d/3cc96/Great-lawn.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"How to Care For Your Lawn in the Spring in Ohio","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Spring is when your grass needs your attention again, and doing it right will give your lawn the foundation it needs to thrive all year long"}}},{"node":{"id":"65ccb380-9bca-50b9-aeb7-dd9fb8a3f6fe","slug":"best-native-plants-peoria","path":"/lawn-care/il/peoria/best-native-plants-peoria/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Most comfortable with soil under her fingernails, Amanda has an enthusiasm for gardening, agriculture, and all things plant-related. With a master's degree in agriculture and more than a decade of experience gardening and tending to her lawn, she combines her plant knowledge and knack for writing to share what she knows and loves.","name":"Amanda Shiffler","id":"458fa7a4-b709-56ae-8d79-9dc400e34ff1","path":"/author/amanda-shiffler/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0048ef20c97263b5f26951aa210d62c8?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"51e1f258-c2e9-5d28-83c3-bb7bc475352c","name":"Illinois","count":4,"path":"/category/lawn-care/il/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"7424e8c1-74fb-5607-a946-d87b0be13097","name":"Peoria","count":2,"path":"/category/lawn-care/il/peoria/"}],"date":"April 30th, 2023","excerpt":"The big-hearted town of Peoria in the middle of Illinois has wide appeal. Sitting right on the banks of the Illinois River, Peoria has a picturesque backdrop that many cities can only dream of. When you find yourself putting down roots in a city that one national publication dubbed one of the Top 50 Best […]
\n","content":"\nThe big-hearted town of Peoria in the middle of Illinois has wide appeal. Sitting right on the banks of the Illinois River, Peoria has a picturesque backdrop that many cities can only dream of.
\n\n\n\nWhen you find yourself putting down roots in a city that one national publication dubbed one of the Top 50 Best Places to Live, you might as well embrace the area and landscape your property with native plants. To help you, we’ve compiled a list of the best native plants for Peoria and the surrounding areas.
\n\n\n\nIncluded in this article:
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: PumpkinSky / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPurple coneflower resembles daisies, but this native beauty has a large center cone that stands well above the dry, papery petals. It is the most popular type of coneflower grown and one of the first native wildflowers to jump into mainstream horticulture.
\n\n\n\nThis beautiful plant looks stunning when planted en masse and creates a soothing rustle when the papery petals brush up against one another in the breeze. Flowers appear between mid to late summer, and when deadheaded, purple coneflowers may gift you a second round of blooms before the season ends.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Medium green, rough texture
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full to part sun
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Fertile loam; tolerates clay if dry
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall (may need more during dry periods)
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Japanese beetles, leaf spot, aster yellows disease
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None
\n\n\n\n![\"Cardinal](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Cardinal-Flower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: linnaeus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe sensational cardinal flower blooms for about a month in late summer, displaying brilliant red flowers that attract hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies to your garden. Plants get their common name from the bright red robes traditionally worn by Roman Catholic cardinals.
\n\n\n\nThese plants are excellent choices for wet areas in your yard. They naturally occur in wetlands and thrive in full sun and light shade. They aren’t long-lived perennial species, but they self-seed prolifically, so you’ll always have a cluster of cardinal flowers bringing color to your yard.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Dark green,
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full to part sun
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Loamy, rich, moist soil
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Keep the soil consistently moist
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Snails, slugs
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Toxic to humans and pets
\n\n\n\n![\"Common](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Common-Milkweed.jpg\")
Photo Credit: USFWS Mountain-Prairie / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nContrary to its name, milkweed isn’t considered a noxious weed anywhere in the United States. This tough wildflower is the only host plant for the endangered monarch butterfly, making it an essential aspect of native habitats.
\n\n\n\nMilkweeds were once widespread across the prairies of the Midwest, but habitat destruction has severely reduced the plant’s range and numbers. Thankfully, gardeners are increasingly adding them back into their landscapes. They are loved, of course, for bringing in the bold, beautiful monarchs but also appreciated for their fragrant, purplish-pink flowers that appear in late spring or early summer.
\n\n\n\nHowever, be mindful that milkweed sap contains alkaloids that irritate everything except the monarch butterfly.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 24 to 30 inches
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Dark green with fine, soft hairs
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Well-draining
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall; may need more during dry periods
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Large or small milkweed bugs, swamp milkweed beetles, blue or red milkweed beetles, milkweed aphids, and furry milkweed tussock moth caterpillar
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Cause eye and skin irritations and are poisonous to pets when ingested
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBlack-eyed Susans are among the most easily recognized flowering perennials and a favorite of gardeners. These tough-as-nails plants also look like daisies, with their center discs in deep, rich hues and bright yellow to orangish, oblong petals.
\n\n\n\nAs members of the sunflower family, black-eyed Susans thrive in rocky, infertile soils where most other plants can’t survive. Between this, and their heat and drought tolerance, it’s no wonder you often see them blanketing roadside ditches and open fields across the country.
\n\n\n\nBe careful when planting them, though. They spread aggressively through underground stems called rhizomes and prolific self-sowing. Their spreading is excellent if you want to fill in a flowerbed, but it can be problematic when planted close to other plants.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 3 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Bright green with coarse hairs
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Well-drained, not too rich
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Water when the top 2-3 inches of soil dries out
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Aphids, slugs, snails, powdery mildew, aster yellows, Southern blight, downy mildew, rust
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None
\n\n\n\n![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/3912256151_865e2a4b51_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Matt Lavin / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSwitchgrass is an important native prairie grass that grows well in any soil type and under any moisture level. Their low maintenance needs have given them solid standing as landscaping plants. Growing upwards of six feet tall, they work well as background plantings in flower beds, hedges, or privacy screens.
\n\n\n\nDifferent varieties offer you a variety of foliage colors. Switchgrass plants are available with reddish-tinged, steel-blue, or metallic blue-green foliage that takes on a golden glow come autumn. Seed heads are pinkish early in the season and fade into a reddish-brown to add even more interest to fall landscapes.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Perennial bunchgrass
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 3 to 6 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 2 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Medium green with a prominent midrib
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Well-drained, not too rich
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about 1 inch of water per week the first year, then only during dry periods
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Very few
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None
\n\n\n\n![\"Purpletop\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Purpletop.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Joanna Boisse / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPurpletop is a native warm-season ornamental bunchgrass. It grows individually or in tufts and frequently in ditch banks alongside the road. Come late summer, it puts out flower spikes with reddish-purple seed heads that bring rich color to the landscape into November. It’s often called grease grass; the seed heads are covered in an oily, sticky substance.
\n\n\n\nThis native grass does well in part shade and even in moist conditions, making purpletop a fantastic choice for growing under the canopy of larger trees or as a foundation plant against your home.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Perennial bunchgrass
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 3 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 3 feet
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Green, rough
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Adapted to all types
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about 1 inch of water per week the first year, then only during dry periods
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Very few
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None
\n\n\n\n![\"Bottlebrush](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Bottlebrush-Grass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: I, SB Johnny / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBottlebrush is a cool-season grass that likes cooler temps and grows abundantly during the spring and fall. It’s one of the few native plants on this list that is shade-tolerant and prefers a wooded area over full sun. Plant it under your big oak trees, where it receives a little bit of dappled light to add tremendous interest and texture.
\n\n\n\nThe tall grass has a unique spike arrangement that sets atop bright green blades, making it easily recognizable. As its name states, the spikelets resemble a large-bristled brush used for cleaning bottles. Over time, bottlebrush grass reseeds itself to form small colonies of plants.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Cool-season perennial grass
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 3 feet
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Blue-green to grey-green, mostly hairless
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Part shade to shade
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Loamy, well-drained
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about 1 inch of water per week the first year, then only during dry periods
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Aphids, leaf spot
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None
\n\n\n\n![\"Shooting](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Shooting-Star.jpg\")
Photo Credit: C T Johansson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShooting star plants are a spring ephemeral—a plant that is in full glory in spring but then fades into the background—so they add glorious color to your early-season landscape. This charming native plant has pink, purple, or white flowers resembling shooting stars streaking across the night sky.
\n\n\n\nAlso known as prairie pointer, the shooting star used to grow abundantly through moist wooded areas or rocky slopes in cooler climates. Now it is frequently grown as a garden ornamental and, in 1993, received the Royal Horticulture Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 9 to 20 inches
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 9 to 12 inches
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Emerald to grayish green with a prominent midrib
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Partial shade, will tolerate full sun in cooler climates
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Rocky or sandy, well-drained
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about 1 inch of water per week when flowering, less during the summer
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Very few
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: none
\n\n\n\n![\"closeup](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Prairie-Smoke.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jay Sturner from USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe prairie smoke plant is one of the earliest spring bloomers on the prairie, and it brings a delicate, unique look when planted in your yard. In late spring, each flowering stem bears clusters of nodding, feathery pink, maroon, or purple bell-shaped flowers in clusters of three to nine. Once fertilized, the nodding blooms transform into arrays of wispy pink, feathery blooms.
\n\n\n\nPrairie smoke forms a colorful ground cover resembling delicate puffs of smoke from your planting beds. Plants don’t like to be overcrowded by taller perennials, so give them at least 18-24 inches of space.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 6 to 18 inches
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 6 to 12 inches
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Semi-evergreen, deeply cut margins
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Tolerant of types, as long as well-drained
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Needs about inch of water per week when flowering, less during the summer
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Root rot
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None
\n\n\n\n![\"Great](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Great-Blue-Lobelia.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGreat blue lobelia is perfect if you’re looking for a rough, hardy perennial that brings late summer color to your yard. This easy-to-grow native perennial blooms gorgeous, light icy-blue blooms in late summer, drawing in a crowd of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
\n\n\n\nPlants thrive in moist garden spots and grow well in damp clay soils where other plants struggle. They will grow in sunny places if plenty of moisture is present. When grown in its favored spot of shaded, moist areas, great blue lobelia will gladly spread and multiply to bring you dozens of new plants each spring.
\n\n\n\nGrowth Habit: Herbaceous perennial
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 3 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nMature Width: 12 to 18 inches
\n\n\n\nFoliage: Medium green, somewhat coarse
\n\n\n\nSunlight Needs: Sun, part shade, shade
\n\n\n\nSoil Preferences: Clay, loam, sand
\n\n\n\nWater Requirements: Keep soil moist
\n\n\n\nDisease or Insect Problems: Snails, slugs
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Toxic if ingested in large quantities
\n\n\n\nAll the plants mentioned above are native to Peoria and, in theory, should do well in your yard. However, it is crucial to consider some things when choosing plants for your landscape.
\n\n\n\nIs your yard in full sun, or are you planting in partial or full-shade spots?
\n\n\n\nAre you looking to plant in full sun, partial shade, or full shade? Or trying to find a plant that will do well in mixed conditions? You always want to match the sun exposure to the plant’s needs. A plant that needs full sun will struggle in the shade, and vice versa. Since Peoria has a varied climate and plenty of trees, this list contains a nice mix of plants that thrive in different conditions.
\n\n\n\nWhat kind of soil are you working with?
\n\n\n\nLike sun exposure, it’s also critical to consider the soil in your landscape. The soil type directly affects water retention and drainage. It wouldn’t be wise to put a plant needing well-draining soil in a planting spot with heavy clay that holds water. You must also pay special attention to the specific planting area, as your yard can have anomalies with slightly different soil textures.
\n\n\n\nWhat size space are you working with?
\n\n\n\nIt’s always a challenge when buying new plants because they tend to look so small for the space you’re working with. Remember, though, you should always consider a plant’s mature size, not how big it is, when you purchase it. Over time that plant will grow, and you don’t want to buy something that will be too large for the space after a few years.
\n\n\n\nWhen buying native plants to add to your landscape, it’s always helpful if you can buy them locally. Not only does it support local businesses, but these plants are also usually propagated from parents acclimated to your climate, so they are better equipped to survive your seasons.
\n\n\n\nDreaming of a yard filled with native plants but overwhelmed with choices or trying to figure out what’s best for your yard? Reach out to our Peoria lawn care pros! Our experts are ready and looking forward to helping you make your landscape dreams come true.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: Pettingill-Morron House / Mmikhailova / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
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![Eric Hunt](\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Callicarpa_americana_2.jpg\"){kind=link}
![Source](\"https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/photoset/0076.jpg\"){kind=link}