What to plant in Tampa, Florida

12 × 6 ft · Zone 10a · 6+ hours of sun · Low-water

• Firebush

  × 1

  Hamelia patens

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4.5 ft apart · grows 4–8 ft tall · May–Nov

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana' or Upright rosemary 'Tuscan Blue'.

• Pink muhly grass

  × 3

  Muhlenbergia capillaris

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2.5–3.5 ft tall · Sep–Nov

  Can't find it? Use Adam's needle yucca 'Color Guard' or Red yucca.

• Mexican bush sage

  × 3

  Salvia leucantha

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · Aug–Nov

  Can't find it? Use Turk's cap or African iris.

• Lily of the Nile

  × 3

  Agapanthus africanus

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use African iris or Bulbine.

• Blanket flower 'Arizona Sun'

  × 5

  Gaillardia × grandiflora 'Arizona Sun'

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 0.5–1 ft tall · Jun–Oct

Gravel or decomposed granite: 0.44 cu yd at 2 in deep (6 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 94% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 10a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana'

  × 2

  Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Gardenia 'Frostproof' or Dwarf pittosporum 'Wheeler's Dwarf'.

• Holly fern

  × 3

  Cyrtomium falcatum

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Listed as invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there) or Boston fern.

• African iris

  × 5

  Dietes iridioides

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Mar–Oct

  Can't find it? Use Southern shield fern or Bush lily.

• Cast iron plant

  × 5

  Aspidistra elatior

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Southern shield fern or Bush lily.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 10

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 86% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 10a · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic

• Shrubby yew pine

  × 3

  Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 8–12 ft tall · Foliage plant

• Lilyturf 'Big Blue'

  × 14

  Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'

  Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep

  Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there).

• Cast iron plant

  × 3

  Aspidistra elatior

  Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Bush lily or Southern shield fern.

• Holly fern

  × 5

  Cyrtomium falcatum

  Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Listed as invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Bush lily or Southern shield fern.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 16

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 84% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.