Coastal climates and hurricane-prone areas contend with unique challenges when it comes to gardening. From salt and sand to strong storms and powerful winds, the weather in these areas calls for plants to be beautiful and resilient!
Hurricanes can be devastating in their intensity, and while no plant is completely hurricane-proof, certain shrubs, grasses, and blooms have a much better chance of withstanding these events than others. Picking the right plant palette can help your landscape bounce back more quickly after a storm while offering color and structure throughout the year.
How do we know which plants are strong in the face of storms? We chose the following seven plants not only from their success in trialing, but from real stories shared by our staff and customers who’ve seen them bounce back after hurricanes:
Mojo® Pittosporum
Mojo® Pittosporum maintains its groove in all kinds of tough conditions. The above Mojo Pittosporum in Clearwater, Florida, was under seawater for over a day during Hurricane Helene in 2024. The homeowner reports that, as one of the few plants in her yard that survived the hurricane, this shrub has claimed a prized spot in her heart, and it’s doubled in size since the storm!
With its attractive variegated foliage, Mojo Pittosporum is a terrific foundation shrub for adding color and structure. A hardy evergreen, it tolerates salt spray and sandy soils, making it an excellent choice for coastal gardens. Its dense, rounded shape helps minimize storm damage, while its compact size makes it easy to incorporate into tight spaces and even containers!
Photo credit: Tropic Traditions Wholesale Nursery
Roman Candle® Podocarpus
When it comes to coastal privacy plantings, it can feel risky “hedging” your bets on living hedges in an area that sees periodic extreme weather. However, as one St. Augustine, Florida homeowner discovered Roman Candle® Podocarpus was more than up to the task!
He shared: “[Roman Candle] is subject to harsh Nor’easter storms off the ocean in the winter and brutal heat and humidity during the summer months. During the winter, we sometimes get light frost and very cold winds. The resiliency of this plant amazes me in these harsh conditions.”
Roman Candle is truly a super shrub, from its upright habit and variegated green-and-cream foliage to its performance. This evergreen shrub is particularly well-suited for coastal conditions, where it can tolerate salt and wind exposure. Its strong structure and adaptability make it a reliable plant for hurricane-conscious landscapes.
Delta Moonlight™ Crapemyrtle
Tough, adaptable, and stunning, Crapemyrtles are a classic choice for Southern landscapes– and coastal gardeners can absolutely get in on the fun! Varieties like Delta Moonlight™ Crapemyrtle marry beauty and blooms with resilience, as their strong branching and upright form help them endure storms better than other flowering trees. Crapemyrtles’ abundant summertime flowers shine in a range of hues, from the crisp white hues of Delta Moonlight to the saturated red of ‘Miss Frances’ Crapemyrtle. Proper pruning (not “crape murder!”) also encourages a sturdier structure, making crapemyrtle a landscape staple in storm-prone areas.
Coolvista™ Dianella
Also known as flax lily, Dianella is a versatile, grass-like perennial that’s depended upon for its durability and the cool blue hues found in many varieties. Coolvista™ Dianella is the perfect blend of lovely blue-gray color (all year long – which we love!) and superior performance. This incredibly tough variety withstands drought, heat, salt spray, and high winds once established. Clarity Blue thrives in coastal regions where hurricanes are a risk, providing color and texture in borders, rock gardens, slope gardens, and more. Bonus: look for pale periwinkle blue flowers then royal blue berries in spring.
Spring Sonata™ Indian Hawthorne
Indian Hawthorne is an attractive blooming shrub favored in coastal home, municipal, and commercial landscapes for its tolerance for salt and wind. True to its name, Spring Sonata™ Indian Hawthorne is stunning in the spring, but this year-round charmer truly offers something special in every season. Clusters of white flowers create a bright spring display, while evergreen foliage keeps the landscape lush through summer, joined by dark purple berries in fall and winter. If you’re looking to attract pollinators, this is a terrific pick!
Lantana
Few flowers rival lantana for pollinator appeal, repeating blooms, and hardiness. Compact selections like White Little Lucky™ Lantana and Pot of Gold Little Lucky™ Lantana thrive in heat and resist storm stress better than many delicate annuals and perennials. Their mounding habit and long blooming season from summer through the first frost make this “butterfly fave” a hardworking addition to hurricane-ready landscapes. Their tolerance for challenging soils makes them especially valuable near the coast.
Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea
Compact and colorful, Little Bonnie™ Dwarf Spiraea is a low-maintenance shrub that offers a splash of purple blooms in spring and tolerates the heat like a pro. Its small size and rounded habit help it stand up to wind better than taller, leggier plants. Beyond storm resilience, it’s an easy-care shrub that makes an incredible blooming border.
Preparing your garden for hurricane season isn’t just about withstanding the storm; it’s about choosing plants that can recover and keep your landscape thriving year after year. While no plant is completely storm-proof, these resilient picks have shown time and again that they can handle salt, wind, and water better than most. By weaving them into your coastal garden, you’ll give your garden a better chance to bounce back quickly when the blue skies return.