Fort Myers Beach • Lee County
Plant & Shrub Installation in Fort Myers Beach, FL
Anything planted on Estero Island has to take salt spray, bright sun and fast-draining sand, so the plant list starts with species that grow on the Gulf coast naturally. Sea grape, cocoplum, firebush, coontie and dune sunflower handle those conditions far better than inland ornamentals. The Town has done a fair amount of plant education: its invasive plant guide was built with UF/IFAS Master Gardener volunteers and shows how exotic beach naupaka differs from the native inkberry, and how Brazilian pepper differs from wild coffee. That matters when buying plants, because some invasives are still sold. The beach side of a lot has its own rules. The Town's dune management plan calls for native dune species such as sea oats, dune sunflower, bitter panicum and railroad vine in managed beach zones. Hodges handles the planting near the house and leaves the dune to those native species.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Fort Myers Beach
Times Square area
Fairview Isles
Mound House area
Plants and materials that suit it in Fort Myers Beach
Questions
What shrubs survive salt spray on the Gulf side?
Native coastal shrubs do best: sea grape, cocoplum, firebush and silver buttonwood are common choices, with coontie as a low groundcover. Put the toughest plants on the windward side so they shelter the rest of the bed.
Can I plant on the dune behind my house?
Dune planting on Fort Myers Beach follows the Town's dune management plan, which lists native dune species and planting patterns. State rules also protect dune vegetation seaward of the coastal construction control line. Talk to the Town before planting or trimming there.
Is beach naupaka a good hedge plant?
It is listed as invasive. The Town's invasive plant guide shows how to tell it from the native inkberry, and the dune plan lets property owners in the program remove it from planted dunes. Native options like cocoplum or sea grape do the same job.