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Instructions for using the plant selector
This is intended as a guide for native landscape plants in Northwest Florida
Determining the growing conditions for your native landscape is a critical step for success! Remember: ‘Right Plant, Right Place”
You may find that different parts of your landscape have different growing conditions, and this will help you select plants for each space.
There are two key elements to consider:
Soil Moisture and Light Exposure
Soil MoistureSoil moisture describes the availability of water for the root systems of the plants. There are several factors that must be considered.
- Soil type (sand, loam, clay, organic)
- Proximity to water table
- Supplemental water such as irrigation
- Amendments made to the native soil such as organic materials
There are several ways to determine your soil moisture including digging down and checking the moisture of the soil during wet and dry periods, looking for low spots in your yard that have standing water after a rain event, and observing what plants are thriving in your soil. You will be given a scale of 1-5 for your soil moisture selection. The SoilWeb app is a free and easy to use resource that will use your location to give you a description of your soil. You simply open the app and hit the get soil data button and your soil type will be displayed.
Soil Moisture Scale:
1. Extremely dry soil such as a beach dune, or sandy soil in a high elevation where no standing water is ever present, and no clay is in the soil profile.
2. Dry soil is classified as an upland sandy soil that may have some organic material in it and a clay table within 4 feet but has no supplemental water such as irrigation. Dry soil will accept rain water and hold the moisture for some period of time but is never wet for more than 24hrs after a rain event
3. Average soil is classified as some mixture of sand, loam or clayey loam with some organic material that holds water, but still allows for good drainage. A selection of 3 can be made for dry soil that has irrigation, or fertile soil that does not require irrigation and supports a variety of plant species. A selection of 3 should not be made if the soil has poor drainage or areas of standing water nearby after a rain event
4. Moist soil is soil that has a significant amount of organic material or clay and has poor drainage, or a soil that is sandy but is very close to a water table. Plants that grow in this soil type do not need good drainage, but do not tolerate periods of flooding either. A selection of 4 can be made as well if you have an average or dry soil that has clay or organic material in it and is irrigated regularly.
5. Wet soil or hydric soil has standing water for some portion of the year. Make this selection to find plants that grow in areas where standing water is sometimes present
Light Exposure
Light exposure describes the amount of sunlight that will reach your plants. This can change seasonally as well. Although less complicated than soil moisture, determining light exposure can be challenging. There are three important factors to consider:
- Directional orientation. North, South, East and West exposure are critical considerations
- Structural components. Is there a house or privacy fence that blocks light?
- Overstory canopy. Are there trees present and are they evergreen or deciduous (losing leaves in winter)
A landscape area that has east or west orientation will likely get a more equal amount of sunlight year-round, while a south facing area will often get winter and summer light if no trees or structures block it. A north facing area may end up receiving high summer light, but no winter light at all. While winter sun is acceptable to most plants, summer sun can be detrimental to shade loving species, and plants on a north wall that are exposed to full summer sun but no winter sun will likely suffer unless careful selection is made. For plants that are dormant in winter, only summer light exposure is a necessary consideration. You will be given a scale of 1-5 for your light exposure selection.
Light Exposure Scale:
1. Area receives no direct light
2. Area receives several hours of filtered sunlight, or up to 2 hours of direct sunlight per day
3. High shade with several periods of direct sunlight, or up to 4 hours of direct sunlight per day
4. 4-6 hours of direct sun per day
5. Full sun for more than 6 hours per day
Final considerations:
Generally, plants that grow well in dry soil, can handle irrigation as long as the soil has Good Drainage. Overhead irrigation can cause leaf diseases and uneven water distribution. A general rule for watering: Only water when the soil is dry, and deep infrequent watering saves water, helps grow healthy root systems, and reduces risk of disease. Look carefully at the light and soil ranges for the plants! Generally speaking, drought tolerance is higher in lower light conditions and moisture tolerance is higher in full light conditions.
NOTE:These recommendations are given to assist individuals in plant selection, and are not intended to replace the work of a professional. We offer design and landscaping services through our partner Florida Native Landscapes if you need a professional landscape installation.
Thanks for reading and good luck! Please feel free to contact us with any questions.