growing tips for 48 different shrubs, groundcovers, grasses and palms!

Growing Tips

Shrubs & Ground Covers

Austin Outdoor | Growing Tips

AgapanthusAgapanthus africanus

Growing Tips

• Well drained soil

•Tolerant of salt air

• Full sun for optimal blooms

Pests

• Mealy bug

• Red spider mite


ArbicolaSchefflera arbicola

Growing Tips

• It is commonly grown as an indoor plant

• Popular for its tolerance of neglect and poor growing conditions

Pests

• Scale

• Mealybug

Varieties

• Trinette

• Gold Capella

• Green


Asiatic JasmineJasmine asiaticum

Growing Tips

• Full sun to part shade

• Medium tolerance to drought and salt

• Is a groundcover that should be mowed to promote uniform growth

• Takes most soil types

Pests

• None


African IrisDietes iridioides

Growing Tips

• Shade to full sun

• Tolerates poor, dry soils, but does best in a well-drained soil with regular

watering during the growing season

• Reduce water and fertilize after flowering

Pests

• None


AzaleaRhododendron spp.

Growing Tips

• Partial/full shade

• Moisture requirements are high

• Occasional thinning

• Deadheading will promote more blooms later in the year

Pests

• Lacebug

• Spider mites

• Petal blight

• Root rot


Burfordi HollyIlex cornuta ‘Burfordi’

Growing Tips

• Full sun to partial shade

• Medium moisture requirements

• Occasional thinning required

• Rapid growth rate

• Requires frequent pruning to keep formal shape

Pests

• Tea scale

• Leaf spots

• Scale leaf miner

• Sooty mold


BouganvilleaBouganvillea spp.

Growing Tips

• Full sun to partial shade

• Low moisture requirements

• Does best under stress

• Heavy fertility

•Mild tolerance to salt drift

Pests

• Aphid

• Cabbage hopper


CamelliaCamellia japonica

Growing Tips

• Best in part shade

• Medium fertility

• Soil should provide good drainage

• Medium moisture requirements

• Rapid grower

Pests

• Scale

• Root rot


Confederate JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides

Growing Tips

•Part shade to full sun

• High fertility

• High pruning

• Moderate to rapid grower

• High moisture needs

•Great vine for screening on fences

Pests

• Scale

• White fly


CoontieZamia floridana

Growing Tips

• Native plant

• Full sun to dense shade

• Tolerates various soil types

• Salt drift tolerant

Pests

• Red scale

• White fly


CrotonCodiaeum variegatum var. pictum

Growing Tips


• Well-drained soil

• Prune to remove old and diseased leaves

• Mild tolerance to salt drift

• Not cold tolerant

Pests

• Scale

• Thrips

• Mites

• Root Rot

• Mealybug


DaylillyHemerocallis x.

Growing Tips


• Prefers soil with good drainage

• Tolerates dry conditions

• Remove scrape and shear after flowering

Pests

• Scale

• Caterpillars

• Thrips

• Aphids

• Grasshoppers


Golden-DewdropDuranta repens

Growing Tips

• Full sun for best flowering

• Endures partial shade

• Tolerates various soil types

•Can be shaped to a small tree

Pests

• Nematodes

• Caterpillars

• Birds


GardeniaGardenia jasminoides

Growing Tips


• Medium drainage

• Medium to high fertility with Iron added

• Medium pruning

• Medium irrigation

• Prune lightly after flowering

Pests

• White fly

• Mealybug

• Sooty mold

• Nematodes

• Thrips

• Lacewings


HibiscusHibiscus spp.

Growing Tips


• Moderate moisture

• Moderate fertility

• Likes slightly acidic soil

• Mild salt tolerance

• Heavy winter pruning brings blooms & new growth

Pests

• Aphids

• Scale

• Nematodes

• Mites

• Thrips

• Leaf spot

• Mealybug


HollyIlex spp.


American HollyIlex opaca

Growing Tips




• Medium to high moisture

• Pruning needed to maintain balance and central leader

• Tolerant of salt air back of dunes

Pests

• Leaf miner

• Tea scale

• Spittle bugs


Chinese HollyIlex cornuta

Growing Tips




• Medium moisture

• Pruning needed to control form

• Not salt tolerant on dunes

Pests

• Tea scale

• Spittle bugs


YauponIlex vomitoria

Varieties

• ‘Nana’ – dwarf

• ‘Pendula’ – weeping


Indian HawthorneRaphiolepis indica

Growing Tips

• Full sun or shade

• Moderate moisture

• Moderate fertility

• Likes slightly alkaline soil

• Tolerant to salt drift

• Minimal pruning

Pests

• Scale

• Leaf spot


Shore JuniperJuniperous conferta

Growing Tips


• Low moisture

• Low fertility


• Tolerant to moderate salt spray

Pests

• Red spider mites

• Blight

Varieties

• ‘Blue Pacific’

• ‘Compacta’


Creeping JuniperJuniperous horizontalis

Growing Tips


• Low moisture

• Low fertility


• Tolerant to salt drift

• No pruning

Pests

• Bagworm

Varieties

• ‘Blue Rug’


LantanaLantana X

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• Low moisture

• Low fertility

• Most soils suitable

• Very tolerant to salt spray

• Pruning low

Pests

• Mites

• Mealybug

Varieties

• Anne Marie & Gold Mound


Glossy PrivetLigustrum lucidium

Growing Tips

• Full sun or partial shade

• Medium moisture



Pests

• White flies

• Scale


Japanese PrivetLigustrum japonicum

Growing Tips


• Medium moisture



• Not tolerant to salt

• High level of pruning required –

pocket pruning advantageous

Pests

• White flies

• Scale


LoropetalumLoropetalum chinense

Growing Tips

• Sun to part shade


• High fertility (acid pH)

• Low salt tolerance

• Moderate level of pruning

Pests

• Mites


Mondo GrassOphiopogon japonicus

Growing Tips

• Medium sun to shade

• Soils need good drainage


• Medium drainage

• Pruning may be done in Feb – cut tops to

within 1” of ground with shear

Pests

• Scale

Varieties

• ‘Nana’

• Standard Mondograss


Oleander (Regular & Dwarf)Nerium oleander

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• Tolerant to most soils


• Medium drainage

• Very tolerant to salt

• Pruning may be done early to late spring

Pests

• Scale

• Oleander caterpillar

• Witches’ broom

• Mushroom root rot


PlumbagoPlumbago ‘Imperial Blue’

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• Flowering will be reduced in partial shade

• Survives with little moisture once established

• Considered moderately drought tolerant

• Low level of pruning is needed to ensure

consistent blooming

Pests

• Scale

• Mites

• Cottony cushion


PittosporumPittosporum tobira

Growing Tips

• Sun to shade

• Soils need good drainage



• Pruning must be started when young

Pests

• Scale

• Leaf spot

• Root rot

• Nematodes


PodocarpusPodocarpus macrophyllus

Growing Tips

• Full sun to shade

• Soils need medium drainage and moisture



• Pruning – easily shaped to many forms, typically

used as hedges or plant screening, very upright in

growth habit

Pests

• Tea scale

• Sooty mold


ThryallisThryallis glauca

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• Soil types vary

• Medium drainage and moisture


• Can experience freeze damage

• Pruning – very little maintenance required, typically

used in natural, free-form setting, some

rejuvenational pruning required

Pests

• Freeze


Sweet ViburnumViburnum odoaratissimum

Growing Tips


• Tolerant to a wide variety of soils

• Drought tolerant once established

• Medium fertility required

• Pruning – typically used as formal hedge or large

plant screen, if used as a hedge it will require a

heavy amount of pruning

Pests

• Aphids

• White fly

• Sooty mold

• Sooty mold

• Thrips

• Mites

• Stem canker

Ornamental Grasses


Fackahatchee

Growing Tips

• One of the largest varieties of native ornamental grasses

• Needs annual rejuvenation pruning

• Best used in large masses or incorporated into natural settings


FountaingrassPennisetum spp.

Growing Tips


• Soil types vary

• Medium to low drainage

• Low moisture


• Not cold tolerant

Pests

• None

Varieties

• Red & white


Paspalum quardrifoliumCrown grass

Growing Tips


• Tolerant to a variety of soil types

• Low fertility

• Pruning –annual hard pruning required

Pests

• None


Spartina

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• Tolerant to a wide variety of soil types

• Drought tolerant

• Low fertility

• Salt tolerant

• Pruning – requires hard pruning every 2 years

Pests

• Round up


European FanChamaerops humilis

Growing Tips


• Very drought tolerant once established

•Cold tolerant to 5 F

• Medium to high fertility

• Tolerates a variety of well drained soils

• Poor tolerance to salt

Pests

• None


Canary Island Date PalmPhoenix canariensis

Growing Tips

• Likes a bright, sunny situation

• Adult specimens are drought resistant

• Water young plants for healthy look

and fastest growth

• Frost tolerant – can survive 28 F

• Tolerant of salt back from frontline dunes

• Prefers well-drained soil

Pests

• Leaf spot

• Palm weevil


Phoenix dactylifera ‘Medjool’

Growing Tips

• High light requirements

• High drought tolerance

• High salt tolerance

• High wind tolerance

• Medium to high soil requirements

• Adaptable moisture tolerance

Pests

• Leaf spot

Note

• This palm is also susceptible to lethal yellowing disease and should not be

planted where other palms are suffering from this always fatal disease.


Phoenix reclinataSenegal Date Palm

Growing Tips


• Tolerates variety of soil types

• Handles wet feet

• Moderately salt tolerant

• Good moisture tolerance

Pests

• Leaf spot


Phoenix roebeleniiPygmy date palm

Growing Tips


• Needs adequate moisture for best look

• Some drought tolerance when mature

• Mild salt tolerance

• Well-drained, fertile soil

• Moderate nutritional requirements

Pests

• Leaf spot

• Scale

• Caterpillars


PindoButia capitata

Growing Tips

• Full sun for best fruiting

• Tolerant of salt air back of strand

• Tolerant of varying soil types in Florida

• Moderate to high fertility

• Pruning – prune back close to trunk

Pests

• Palm leaf skeltonizer


Lady Palm Rhapis excelsa

Growing Tips

• Full to part shade

• Not salt tolerant

• Moist and fertile soil

• Moderate to high fertilizer

• Prone to Magnesium deficiencies

Pests

• Scale

• Caterpillars


Queen Palm Arecastrum romanzoffianum

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• Moderately drought tolerant

• Medium salt tolerance

• Slightly acidic, well-drained soil

• Subject to Magnesium and Potassium deficiency

Pests

• Scale


Cabbage PalmSable Palmetto

Growing Tips


• High moisture when young

• Very high salt tolerance

• Extremely tolerant of varying soil conditions

• Fertilize in March, June and October

Pests

• Palm leaf skeletonizer

• Palmetto weevil


WashingtoniaWashingtonia robusta

Growing Tips

• Full sun

• High drought tolerance

• Moderately tolerant to salt

• Widely adaptable to soils

Pests

• Scales

• Palmetto weevils

• Bud rot (when over-watered)


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growing tips for 48 different shrubs, groundcovers, grasses and palms!

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