What is a Native Plant?

Native plant is a term that people use to categorize a plant by its origin. Native plants are those indigenous to the area in which they are growing. The definition of “native” varies across the world. Each plant species has a specific and different native range & distribution, which can be from one square meter up to worldwide. A collection of native plant species with overlapping native ranges comprises the native flora for a particular area.

Florida Native Plants

For Florida, the botanical community widely accepts that indigenous plants (Florida native plants) were those in Florida prior to European contact (circa 1500s). Florida Native Plant Society, a science-based non-profit organization, adopted the following as their official definition:

“For most purposes, the phrase "Florida Native Plant" refers to those species occurring within the state boundaries prior to European contact, according to best scientific and historical documentation. More specifically, it includes those species understood as indigenous, occurring in natural associations in habitats that existed prior to significant human impacts - and alterations of the landscape (Florida Native Plant Society official definition, as adopted by the FNPS in 1994).”

Are all Florida Native Plants Native to Brevard?

No. Over 2,800 species of plants are native to Florida, however less than one-half of those are native to Brevard. Many native plant species in Florida have narrow native ranges, such as the Panhandle, the Lake Wales Ridge, or extreme southern Florida.

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