A great paver installation deserves equally great landscaping. The plants you choose around your driveway, patio, or walkway can make the difference between a good result and a spectacular one. Here are our top native and Florida-friendly plant recommendations that thrive in Palm Beach County's climate with minimal maintenance.
Why Choose Native Plants?
Native Florida plants have adapted over thousands of years to the state's intense heat, sandy soil, and alternating wet and dry seasons. They require significantly less water, fertilizer, and maintenance than non-native ornamentals, and they provide habitat for local wildlife. For plants bordering pavers, they're also less likely to have aggressive root systems that shift or crack hardscaping.
1. Coontie (Zamia integrifolia)
The coontie is Florida's only native cycad — a low, dense, palm-like groundcover that's virtually maintenance-free. It thrives in full sun to part shade, tolerates drought once established, and stays 2–3 feet tall. Perfect for border plantings alongside paver driveways and walkways. It's also deer-resistant, which matters in western Palm Beach County communities.
2. Simpson's Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)
This evergreen shrub produces fragrant white flowers and small red berries that attract birds. It grows 6–15 feet tall and works beautifully as a privacy hedge along the sides of driveways or as an anchor planting at patio corners. Drought-tolerant once established.
3. Firebush (Hamelia patens)
One of the showiest native plants in South Florida, Firebush produces clusters of orange-red tubular flowers nearly year-round and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies constantly. It grows 5–8 feet tall in full sun and pairs beautifully with terra cotta or brick-colored pavers. A statement plant for patio corners and entry landscapes.
4. Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis)
Low-growing (1–2 feet) with spikes of tiny violet-blue flowers, Blue Porterweed is an excellent groundcover for the spaces between larger plants along paver edges. It blooms nearly 12 months per year and is irresistible to butterflies — particularly swallowtails and skippers.
5. Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
In fall, Muhly Grass erupts in clouds of pink-purple feathery plumes that are absolutely stunning against light-colored travertine or concrete pavers. The rest of the year it's a fine-textured, drought-tolerant ornamental grass that moves gracefully in the breeze. Plant in groups of 3–5 for maximum impact.
Plant Spacing Tip: When planting next to pavers, keep the root zone at least 12–18 inches from paver edges. Use a root barrier for larger shrubs to prevent any potential shifting of the paver base over years.
Let Us Handle Both
Pavers Ordonez installs both pavers and landscaping, so we can design a cohesive outdoor environment where the hardscaping and plants work together beautifully. Call (561) 970-1917 for a free design consultation.