Homestead, FL Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Homestead encourages the use of native and drought-tolerant plants through the Florida-Friendly Landscaping program, supported by FL Statute Section 373.185 which prohibits local governments and HOAs from enacting or enforcing restrictions against Florida-Friendly Landscaping practices. Native species particularly suited to Homestead's limestone soil and subtropical climate include silver buttonwood, sea grape, green buttonwood, gumbo limbo, live oak, sabal palm, thatch palm, and various native grasses. Homestead borders unique pine rockland and tropical hardwood hammock ecosystems — these globally rare habitats support plants found nowhere else. Using native plants reduces irrigation needs (aligned with SFWMD water restrictions), eliminates fertilizer dependency (reducing nutrient runoff to the Everglades and Biscayne Bay), and supports native wildlife including endangered species like the Miami blue butterfly. The University of Florida IFAS Extension provides guidance on native plant selection for Miami-Dade County landscapes.