NolanCo Property Assistance

Gardening In the Panhandle

Ground Cover, Shrubs and Plants that Grow Well in NorthWest Florida

We have specific plants that thrive here in the panhandle of Florida

Jasmine Asiatic

  • Dense evergreen foliage
  • Fast-growing ground cover
  • Full Sun

Juniper Blue Pacific

  • Dense blue-green foliage
  • Slow-growing ground cover
  • Full Sun

Loropetalum Purple Pixie

  • Mature size 1-2 feet
  • Grows fast, weeping branches
  • Full Sun

Banana Shrub

  • Mature size 15-20 tall
  • Slow grow-dense leaves with flowers
  • Full Sun

Camellia

  • Mature Size 12' tall, leaves 4" long
  • Slow-growing shrub with showy flowers.
  • Shade

Cryptomeria Japonica Globosa

  • Mature Size 4-6' tall and wide
  • Year-round color, texture.
  • Drought-tolerant.
  • Part Sun

Gardenia Frost Proof

  • Mature Size 4' tall and 3' width
  • Slow growing, fragrant blooms.
  • Full Sun

Ligustrum

  • Mature size 40'tall 10' wide Fast
  • grow-waxy leaves with flowers
  • Full Sun

Oleander

  • Mature Size 8-12' tall
  • Grows 1-2 ft yearly, vibrant blooms.
  • Toxic.
  • Full Sun

Azalea Formosa

  • Mature size up to 8 feet.
  • Showy purple-pink flowers bloom in spring.
  • Full Sun

Vitex

  • Mature size 10-15'tall, 20' wide
  • Fast-growing; colorful blooms in summer
  • Full Sun

Azalea Gerbing

  • Mature size up to 4-6 feet.
  • Fragrant white flowers bloom in mid spring.
  • Full Sun

Bottlebrush

  • Mature size up to 10-15 feet.
  • Shades of red blooms in summer season.
  • Full Sun

Boxwood

  • Mature size 15-20' tall, 15-20' tall
  • Evergreen shrub, keeps foliage year-round.
  • Full Sun

Encore Azalea

  • Mature size between 2-6ft
  • Bright colors throughout multiple seasons
  • Part Sun

Red Chocolate

  • Mature size 5-8'tall, 4-6' wide 
  • Deep, dark purple & tassel blooms
  • Full Sun

Dwarf Firepower

  • Mature size 2-3ft tall and wide
  • Bright firey color foliage, red and crimson
  • Part Sun

Pittosporum Variegated

  • Mature size 6-8ft tall, 6-8ft wide
  • Shade of white and gray on green leaves
  • Full Sun

Podocarpus J Yew

  • Mature size 30-40ft tall.
  • Dark green needle-like foliage.
  • Full Sun

Viburnum

  • Mature size 20ft tall, 15ft wide
  • Asian evergreen, dark glossy leaves
  • Full Sun

Mahonia

  • Mature size 3ft tall, 4ft wide
  • Medium growing, with bright yellow flowers
  • Shade

Palm Buita Pindo

  • Mature size can reach up to 20ft tall
  • Slow grow, silver/green foliage
  • Shade

Chinese Fan Palm

  • Mature size up to 30ft tall, 6ft wide
  • Slow growing, excellent for privacy
  • Sun

Coontie Palm

  • Mature size 3-3.5' tall, 4-5' wide
  • Slow growing, excellent for privacy
  • Sun

European Fan Palm

  • Mature size 8-15ft tall, 6-10ft wide
  • Slow growing, multi trunk palm. Sliver tint
  • Full Sun

Mule Palm

  • Mature size 15-30ft tall, 6-8ft wide
  • Fast growing, resembles coconut palm.
  • Full Sun

Green Palmetto Saw

  • Mature size 7-10ft tall, 4-10ft wide
  • Slow growing, multi trunk palm.
  • Full Sun

Queen Palm

  • Mature size 50ft tall, 20-25ft spread. Trunk size varies.
  • Glossy bright canopy.
  • Full Sun

Sago Palm

  • Mature size 3-10ft wide and tall
  • Slow growing, may produce 1 frond a year
  • Full Sun

Windmill Palm

  • Mature size 10-40ft tall. 6-10ft wide
  • Fan like green foliage with black fibers.
  • Full Sun

Sand Cord

  • Mature size 3-4ft tall and spread
  • Evergreen, bunching with narrow leaves
  • Full Sun

Sea Oats

  • Mature size approx. 6ft tall
  • Narrow leaves that taper towards the end
  • Full Sun

Mondo Grass

  • Mature size 12-15in tall and wide
  • Slow growing, evergreen comes back yearly
  • Shade

Pampas Grass

  • Mature size 5-10ft tall, 5-10ft wide
  • Creamy white feathery plumes.
  • Grass-like
  • Sun

Fountain Grass

  • Mature size 2-3ft tall and wide
  • Green foliage with color-textured foliage.
  • Full Sun

African Lily

  • Leaves 2-3', stalks up to 6'
  • Rounded clusters of fragrant blooms
  • Full Sun

Begonia

  • Mature plant will be 1ft tall

Coleus

  • Mature size 6in-4' tall, 3' wide
  • Many different colorful varieties.
  • Shade

Daylily

  • Mature plant range 8in-5ft
  • Produce large colorful flower.
  • Full sun

Dipladenia

  • Can train to climb or hang
  • Blooms attract hummingbirds & bees.
  • Full Sun

Dune Sunflower

  • Grows 1-2' tall, 3-4' spread
  • Yellow bloom in the Summer
  • Full Sun

Ginger Variegated

  • Grows 4-10' tall, 2' bushed
  • Striped foliage with yellow & green
  • Full Sun

Vitex

  • Grow 3-6' tall, blooms 3-5inch
  • Wide variety of color bloom, hardy
  • Full Sun

Endless Summer

  • Grows 3-4' tall, 3-4' spread
  • Round blooms light lavender-blue
  • Shade

Limelight Hydrangea

  • Mature at 6-8' tall and wide
  • Dramatic blooms lime green to white
  • Full Sun

Iris African

  • Mature size 2-3' tall, 3-4' wide
  • Dramatic blooms white or yellow
  • Full Sun

Confederate Jasmine

  • Vine growing as high as 20ft
  • Fragrant blooms flowers in summer
  • Full Sun

Lantana

  • Mature 5-6' tall, 4' wide
  • Fast growing colorful blooms.
  • Full Sun

Liriope

  • Mature size 12-15in tall.
  • Evergreen foliage, blue blooms
  • Full Sun

Loropetalum Jazz Hand

  • Mature 4-6' tall, 4-6' wide Grows fast.
  • Purple with pink blooms
  • Full Sun

Mexican Petunia

  • Mature size 3-4ft tall
  • Green leaves with purple blooms
  • Full Sun

Philodendron

  • Mature size 8-10ft tall, 6ft wide
  • Rich green leaves, prone to climbing.
  • Shade

Drift Rose

  • Mature size 2ft tall and 3ft wide
  • Variety of colors, compact mini rose bush
  • 6-8hr

Knock Out Roses

  • Mature size 3-4ft tall, 4ft wide
  • Dramatic vibrant colorful blooms
  • Full Sun

Rosemary

  • Mature size 4ft tall, 4ft spread
  • Evergreen shrub with blue flowers
  • Full Sun

Society Garlic

  • Mature size 1-2ft tall
  • Fast growing bulb, smell of garlic
  • Full Sun

Yucca

  • Mature size varies on variety.
  • Variety of colors, most silvery/green
  • Full Sun

Live Oak

  • Mature Height/Width- 66'x90' 
  • Slow growing- has leaves year round
  • Full Sun

Bradford Pear

  • Mature Height/Width- 40'x30' 
  • Fast growing- Beautiful white bloom
  • Full Sun

Crape Myrtle

  • Mature Height- 15'-25'
  • Fast growing colorful, lasting bloom 
  • Full S

Bald Cypress

  • Mature Size 50-70' tall, 20-30' wide 
  • Slow growing- hardy tree non flowering
  • Full Sun

Italian Cypress

  • Mature Size 40-60' tall, 4-5' wide 
  • Fast growing- grows tall and narrow.
  • Full Sun

Leyland Cypress

  • Mature Size 60-70' tall,15-25' wide 
  • Fast growing- coniferous evergreen tree
  • 6hrs Sun

Elm Bosque

  • Mature Size 60' tall, up to 40' wide
  • Fast growing- high canopy off the ground
  • Full Sun

Juniper Blue Point

  • Mature Size 12' tall, up to 8' wide Grows 6-12" per year.
  • Blue/green foliage.
  • Full Sun

Juniper Brodie

  • Mature Size 25' tall, up to 8' wide
  • Fast growing, bright feather light foliage.
  • Full Sun

Loquat

  • Mature Size 20-25' tall
  • Fast growing, produces fruit Feb-May
  • Full Sun

Magnolia DD Blanchard

  • Mature Size 75-80' tall, 35-40' wide 
  • Has dark glossy leaves, blooms in summer.
  • Full Sun

Magnolia Little Gem

  • Mature Size 15-20' tall, 7-10' wide
  • Slow growing. Green Leaves. 
  • Summer bloom

Maple J. Bloodgood

  • Mature Size 15-25' tall, 15-20' wide 
  • Has vibrant foliage throughout the year.
  • Part sun

Maple Red

  • Mature Size 40-60' tall, 40' wide 
  • Green stems turn red in winter. Grows fast
  • Full sun

River Birch

  • Mature Size 40-70' tall, 40-60' wide 
  • Fast growing with glossy green leaves.
  • Full sun

Wax Myrtle

  • Mature Size 20' tall, 6-12' wide 
  • Fast growing with olive green leaves.
  • Full sun

Nuttall Oak

  • Mature Size 15-25' tall, 15-20' wide 
  • Has vibrant foliage throughout the year.
  • Part sun

Weeping Willow

  • Mature Size 30-40' tall, 35' wide 
  • Silver-tinged cascading leaves
  • Part sun

Bermuda grass sod

  • This sod grows into a thick turf and is used on golf courses. 
  • Bermuda grass is durable and tolerant to high foot traffic. A lawn of Bermuda grass creates a rich green landscape. It’s a warm-season grass.
  • It needs full sun to thrive: 7 hours or more each day. Low light or part shade may affect it. Bermuda grass is high maintenance. It requires frequent mowing, watering and fertilizing. It also needs proper drainage to thrive.
  • Plant it between March and November, when the weather isn’t too chilly at night. This sod is heat-, drought- and salt-tolerant. It’s popular in the Southern and Central U.S., including coastal areas.

Bluegrass sod

  • This grass is usually deep green to blue in color. 
  • It grows into a finely textured, lush and durable lawn. It’s a cool-season grass.
  • This grass prefers direct sunlight. Some varieties are partial-shade tolerant, but not all. Water this sod deeply in the morning, but don’t overwater. Brown patch disease (fungus) is not uncommon.
  • Bluegrass has the best cold-tolerance of all grass types. It has a lower tolerance for heat and drought. This grass is higher maintenance than some other sods. It’s best to let it grow taller, especially in the summer. Bluegrass is recommended for lawns in the Northern and Midwest U.S.

Centipede grass sod

  • This is a turf grass that’s medium to light green color. 
  • It’s a slow-growing sod that needs deep watering for strong roots. It’s a warm-season grass.
  • This sod is moderately shade tolerant. It’s very low maintenance and also heat tolerant. The thick growth of this grass limits weeds. Avoid planting it where severe cold snaps occur. Repeated extreme cold can kill this grass. It’s sensitive to iron levels in soil, so you may need soil amendments.
  • Centipede grass requires less fertilizer than other varieties. It easily adapts to sandy and acidic soils. This sod needs only light mowing and minimal upkeep. It’s well-suited for Southeastern lawns and is common in Florida.

St. Augustine sod

  • This broad-bladed grass is medium blue-green in color. 
  • It stays green long into the season. St. Augustine sod suits yards with little foot traffic. It’s a warm-season grass.
  • This sod grows quickly and easily. It’s moderately shade tolerant, more than other warm-season grasses. It tolerates heat, humidity and salt well. St. Augustine grass doesn’t handle cold or drought well. It’s susceptible to fungus, lawn viruses and bugs.
  • It requires moderate maintenance. It needs less frequent mowing but should be fertilized frequently. It’s found in warm and humid regions of the Southern U.S. Sometimes it’s subbed with zoysia.

Zoysia sod

  • Zoysia grass has fine or thick blade density, depending on the variety. 
  • It grows in light to medium green. This sod resists wear and foot traffic. It’s a warm-season grass.
  • This type of sod thrives in full sun and hot weather. It’s low maintenance and drought-resistant once the roots are established. It’s easy to maintain and resistant to weeds.
  • Zoysia grows into dense grass that prevents weeds well. It stays green longer than other varieties. It’s common in the Southern U.S. and Southern California.