Salt Tolerant Plants
Mother Nature
never ceases to amaze me with her wonderful array of plants that can take any
gardening condition you have. As gardeners we have certain conditions we have
to fulfill or gardens we want to do. No matter what the condition or specific
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Bottlebrush
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garden we want to design Mother Nature has got you covered. You want to attract
wildlife to your garden such as hummingbirds, butterflies, or birds Mother
Nature has you covered. You have other climatic conditions such as plants that tolerate
drought, or salt, or both. She has you covered and the really neat aspect to
Mother Nature is that most of the time the plants will fill more than one
category you are trying to design for such as designing a butterfly garden. A
few butterfly plants will also attract hummingbirds, too.
Gardening along
ocean front property or near the ocean can be very challenging, but also very
rewarding. To do this all the gardener needs to do is select plants that can
tolerate sea-side conditions and tolerate saline conditions.
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Frangipani
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The benefits of
gardening are: Plants clean the air by removing
pollutants and providing us with fresh air; Plants provide oxygen; Plants cool
the streets and the
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Geiger Tree
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cities; Plants encourage people to healthy lifestyles such
as walking, jogging, biking, or going to parks; Plants raise property values; Plants
provide food for humans, birds, and wildlife; Plants heal. Studies show people
heal faster with green ambience outside their windows.
Salt tolerance or
saline conditions describes whether or not a plant can withstand saline
conditions, salt spray, or both. Salt
tolerant plants are exposed to salt spray, windy conditions, saline soils and
water.There are three general conditions:
1)"Yes" indicates plants
can withstand saline conditions, salt spray, salt drift, exposed coastal areas,
and areas with saline irrigation water; 2)"Moderate"
indicates the plant can withstand some saline conditions but should be
protected from direct salt spray; and 3)"No"
indicates the plant should be well-protected from saline conditions and salt
spray.
Established is a plant growing in the garden for a year
or more. Plants need to be established in the garden before any additional care
is needed. The gardener would follow traditional rules of gardening seaside as
to gardening away from the ocean and salt spray. Watering Guidelines: water
newly transplanted plants 3 times a week in the spring and summer months;
during the fall and winter months 2 times a week for a year.
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Lignum Vitae |
Let’s explore salt
tolerant plants. To help in the design process the plants being discussed are
divided into trees, palms, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers and vines.
Highly Salt tolerant Trees
Aleppo Pine:
Pinus halepensis - Height:
30-60’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Bottle Brush:
Callistemon lanceolatus –
Height: 20-25’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Buttonwood:
Conocarpus erectus –
Height: 25-30’. Width: 25-30’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Devilwood:
Osmanthus americanus – Height:
15-25’. Width: 10-20’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Frangipani –
Plumeria spp. - Height:
20-25’. Width: 15-25’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Deciduous.
Geiger Tree:
Cordia sebestena – Height:
25-30’. Width: 20-25’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Japanese Black
Pine: Pinus thunbergii –
Height: 20-60’. Width: 12-20’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Lignum
Vitae: Guaiacum sanctum - Height: 25-30’. Width: 20-25’. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Live Oak:
Quercus virginiana – Height:
40-60’. Width: 60-80’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Mahogany:
Swietenia mahagoni - Height:
40-60’. Width: 40-60’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Ochrosia:
Ochrosia elliptica -
Height: 20-25’. Width: 15-25’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
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Ochrosia
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Red Bay: Persea
borbonia – Height: 30-50’.
Width: 30-50’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Sand Pine:
Pinus clausa – Height:
25-40’. Width: 15-25’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Wax Myrtle:
Morella cerifera (Myrica cerifera) –
Height: 10-20’. Width:10-20’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Yaupon: Ilex
vomitoria - Height:
15-20’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Highly Salt tolerant Palms
Blue Latan
Palm: Latania loddigesii –
Height: 30-35’. Width: 15’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Bottle Palm:
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis –
Height: 12-15’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Canary Island
Date Palm: Phoenix canariensis –
Height: 40-60’. Width: 30-40’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Coconut Palm:
Cocos nucifera – Height:
60-80’. Width: 25-35’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
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Coconut Palm
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Key Thatch
Palm: Leucothrinax morrisii (Thrinax morrisii) – Height: 15-25’. Width: 8-10’. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Sabal Palm,
Cabbage Palm: Sabal palmetto
– Height: 40-60’. Width: 15-20’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Saw Palmetto: Serenoa
repens - Height: 8-10’.
Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Silver Palm:
Coccothrinax argentata – Height:
15-20’. Width: 15-20’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Washington
Palm: Washingtonia robusta –
Height: 80-100’. Width: 25-35’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Highly Salt tolerant Shrubs
Century Plant:
Agave Americana – Height:
5-7’. Width: 8-12’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Cocoplum:
Chrysobalanus icaco –
Height: To 15’. Width: 5-7’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Evergreen.
Dwarf Myrtle:
Myrtus communis – Height:
8-10’. Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Dwarf Oleander:
Nerium oleander ‘Petite
Salmon’ – Height: 4-5’.
Width: 3-5’. Light
Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
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Dwarf Oleander
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Dwarf Pittosporum: Pittosporum tobira ‘Wheeler's Dwarf’- Height: 3-4’. Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade. Evergreen.
Dwarf Rosemary,
Prostrate Rosemary: Salvia rosmarinus
(Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’) – Height: 2’. Width: 18-24”. Light
Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Dwarf Yaupon
Holly: Ilex
vomitoria ‘Schellings Dwarf’- Height: 2-4’. Width:
3-5’. Light Requirements: Full
sun to partial shade. Evergreen. Varieties: Nana and Bordeaux are included.
Ebbingei's
Silverberry: Elaeagnus
X ebbingei – Height: 10-15’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade. Evergreen.
Fruitland
Elaeagnus: Elaeagnus
pungens ‘Fruitlandii’ - Height:
10-15’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade. Evergreen.
Indian
Hawthorn: Rhaphiolepis indica
– Height: 3-4’. Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade. Evergreen.
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Indian Hawthorn
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Inkberry:
Scaevola plumieri –
Height: 4-6’. Width: 4-8’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Japanese
Pittosporum: Pittosporum
tobira – Height: 8-10’.
Width: 6-8’. Light Requirements:
Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Lantana: Lantana camara – Height: 3-6’. Width: 4-6’. Full
sun to partial shade. Evergreen to deciduous depending on zone.
Natal Plum: Carissa macrocarpa – Height: To 10’. Width: 5-7’. Light Requirements: Full sun to
partial shade. Evergreen.
Oleander:
Nerium oleander – Height:
To 20’. Width: 10-15’. Light Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
Rosemary:
Salvia rosmarinus (Rosmarinus officinalis) – Height: 3-6’. Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun.
Evergreen.
Spanish
Bayonet: Yucca aloifolia – Height: To
15’. Width: 4-8’. Light
Requirements: Full sun. Evergreen.
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Spanish Bayon
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Variegated
Pittosporum: Pittosporum
tobira ‘Variegatum’ – Height: 4-6’.
Width: 4-6’. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Evergreen.
Highly
Salt tolerant Perennials
Baby Sun Rose: Aptenia cordifolia (Mesembryanthemum
cordifolium) - Height: 6”. Width: 18-24”. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Beach Sunflower: Helianthus debilis –
Height: 12-24”. Width: 24-36”. Light Requirements: Full sun.
Blue Daze: Evolvulus glomeratus –
Height: 10-12”. Width: 12-18”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Day Lily: Hemerocallis sp. – Height: 1-4’.
Width: 15-24”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade.
Gaillardia, Indian Blanket: Gaillardia pulchella – Height: 12-18”. Width: 12-18”. Light
Requirements: Full sun.
Gazania Daisy: Gazania
rigens var. leucolaena –
Height: 12-18”. Width: 12”. Light Requirements: Full sun.
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Gazania Daisy
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Golden Shrub Daisy: Euryops pectinatus ‘Viridis’ – Height: 4-6’. Width: 4-6’. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Lance-leaved Coreopsis: Coreopsis lanceolata
– Height: 18-36”. Width: 18-24”. Light
Requirements: Full sun.
Madagascar Periwinkle: Catharanthus roseus – Height: 10-12”. Width: 10-12”. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
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Periwinkle
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Portulaca, Moss Rose: Portulaca grandiflora
– Height: 4-6”. Width: 12”. Light
Requirements: Full sun.
Sea Oxeye Daisy: Borrichia frutescens - Height: 2-4’. Width:
18-24”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade.
Silver Sea Oxeye Daisy: Borrichia arborescens – Height: 2-4’. Width:
18-24”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade.
Highly
Salt tolerant Groundcovers
Blue Pacific Shore Juniper: Juniperus conferta ‘Blue Pacific’ – Height: 12-18”. Width: 3-4’. Light
Requirements: Full sun.
Creeping Lily Turf: Liriope spicata –
Height: 12”. Width: 12-18”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
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Creeping Lily Turf
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Dwarf Rosemary, Prostrate Rosemary: Salvia rosmarinus (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’) – Height: 12-18”.
Width: 18-24”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Mondo Grass, Monkey Grass: Ophiopogon
japonicus – Height: 12”. Width: 12-24”. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Star Jasmine, Confederate Jasmine: Trachelospermum
jasminoides – Height: Variable. Width: 24-36”. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Trailing Lantana: Lantana montevidensis –
Height: 12-24”. Width: 24-36”. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Highly
Salt tolerant Vines
Bougainvillea: Bougainvillea spectabilis – Height: Variable. Width:
36-48”. Light Requirements: Full sun.
Cape Honeysuckle: Tecoma capensis (Tecomaria capensis) – Height: To 20’. Width: 4-6’. Light
Requirements: Full sun.
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Cape Honeysuckle
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Palay Rubber Vine: Cryptostegia grandiflora
– Height: To 20’. Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flame Vine: Pyrostegia venusta (P. ignea) - Height: To 20’. Width: 4-6’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial
shade.
Flowering Jasmine: Chrysojasminum floridum
(Jasminum floridum) Height: 5’. Width: 3-5’. Light
Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Photography and
digital images are ©Cheryl Ann Meola 2020. All Rights Reserved. All photographs
and digital images displayed in this article are for viewing purposes only and
cannot be duplicated. ©Cheryl Ann Meola 2013. Texas Certified Nursery
Professional #1282.
