There is a line gardeners love to repeat: “Nature never goes out of style.”
It holds up every time the holidays roll around. While most people reach for plastic garlands and imported greenery that wilts after a week, Southwest Florida sits on an entire palette of native plants that stay vibrant, adapt to our climate, and bring a sense of place to seasonal decorating.
If you live in Naples, Bonita Springs, or anywhere else in SWFL, you already know how different our “winter” feels. Warm days. Cool nights. Tropical breezes. Palms swaying instead of snow falling. That unique environment gives you the chance to build holiday decor that is not only beautiful but uniquely Floridian.
This guide walks you through native plants that work beautifully as holiday accents. It also shows you how to use them indoors and outdoors, how to keep them alive long past the season, and how to decorate in a way that feels timeless instead of temporary. Whether you want something lush, minimalistic, rustic, or bold, native plants create that look without sacrificing sustainability or local character.
Let’s get into it.
Why Native Plants Make Better Holiday Decor
Most people think of native plants as something you put in the landscape for low maintenance. Few realize how perfect they are for seasonal decorating. Here is why they rise above store-bought options.
They tolerate Florida’s climate.
Imported holiday plants struggle with our humidity, warm days, and sudden cold snaps. Native plants are adapted to all of it. That means fewer droopy arrangements and more long-lasting displays.
They keep working long after the holidays end.
Instead of buying decor that gets tossed out, you can actually plant natives into your garden after the holidays. They continue to grow, bloom, and support local wildlife.
They match the character of our region.
When friends and family visit, your decor should feel like Southwest Florida, not a copy of something from a colder climate. Palms, berries, flowering shrubs, evergreen natives. These make your space feel rooted in place.
They support local ecosystems.
Native plants feed birds, butterflies, and pollinators even in the winter months. Your holiday decor becomes part of your local environment instead of working against it.
Top Native Plants for Festive Holiday Decor
Below is a list of Florida natives that naturally lend themselves to holiday decorating. Some bring color. Some bring structure. Some bring that classic winter feel with a tropical twist.
Use them indoors or outdoors. Arrange them in pots, centerpieces, garlands, or porch displays. They are incredibly flexible.
1. Simpson’s Stopper
Simpson’s Stopper brings bright red berries and soft, evergreen foliage. It naturally fits into holiday color palettes without forcing a “traditional” look.
How to use it
Place cut branches in vases or table arrangements. Use berry clusters as accents in wreaths or garlands. Pair with palm fronds for a coastal holiday feel.
Why it works
It holds shape and color for weeks. The berries attract winter birds, adding life to your yard.
2. Dahoon Holly
One of Florida’s most iconic holiday natives, Dahoon Holly offers glossy green leaves and vivid red berries. It gives that classic winter vibe but stays happy in our climate.
How to use it
Place sprigs on mantels. Add into holiday door displays. Use branches in tall, minimalist vases for an elegant look.
Why it works
It thrives outdoors and indoors in short bursts. It keeps berries longer than most holly varieties sold in stores.
3. Firebush
If you want holiday decor that leans into bold color, Firebush gives you bright red-orange tubular flowers that feel festive without feeling forced.
How to use it
Place stems in mixed arrangements. Use potted Firebush as a living porch accent. Trim branches to add warmth to tabletops.
Why it works
Its colors play well with traditional holiday reds while keeping a tropical edge.
Coontie
Coontie has deep green, symmetrical fronds that work beautifully as structural greenery.
How to use it
Substitute for pine branches in wreaths. Add fronds to centerpieces. Use them as lush filler material in arrangements.
Why it works
It lasts an incredibly long time indoors. It is hardy, dependable, and elegant.
Walter’s Viburnum
This native shrub gives dense foliage and, in certain seasons, white blooms and berries. It offers a soft, clean look that blends well with rustic or coastal holiday aesthetics.
How to use it
Evergreen branches for wreaths. Trimmed stems for table runners. Decorative porch planters with small viburnum shrubs.
Why it works
It is easy to shape and maintains color through winter.
6. Beautyberry
Beautyberry brings clusters of bright purple berries that look almost ornamental. They break the usual red-and-green routine and bring instant visual interest.
How to use it
Add berry clusters to garlands. Build colorful centerpieces. Display stems alone in clear vases for a modern look.
Why it works
The purple tone adds contrast without overwhelming the palette.
7. Saw Palmetto Fan Fronds
Palm fronds give your holiday decor a distinct Florida spin. Saw palmetto fans come in shades of deep green and silver-green, depending on the plant.
How to use it
Use fans to create large statement displays. Cut smaller fronds for holiday tables. Arrange them behind wreaths for a coastal look.
Why it works
It adds shape and flair while staying true to the feel of Southwest Florida.
How to Decorate Indoors with Native Plants
Decorating with native plants indoors lets you create festive arrangements that last longer and look fresher than store-bought holiday greens.
Here are practical ideas you can use immediately.
Create living centerpieces.
Use potted natives like Firebush, Walter’s Viburnum, or small coontie plants. Surround pots with natural materials like shells, dried palmetto fibers, or pinecones.
Build a native greenery garland.
Mix Simpson’s Stopper, palmetto fronds, and Dahoon Holly. Tie with twine. It lasts far longer than décor imported from cooler climates.
Design a minimalistic vase arrangement.
Use long stems of Saw Palmetto, Beautyberry, and viburnum. Combine tall and short cuts for dimension.
Add pops of color.
Beautyberry’s purple or Firebush’s red-orange flowers make excellent accents without overpowering the room.
For more tips on using plants indoors through the colder months, check out our dedicated blog post here.
Outdoor Decorating Ideas Using Native Plants
Southwest Florida gives you outdoor weather that’s actually enjoyable throughout the holidays, so use your exterior spaces well.
Create a native wreath.
Use viburnum, palmetto fronds, and berry clusters from Simpson’s Stopper. Add seashells for a coastal touch.
Line walkways with potted natives.
Arrange Firebush, Simpson’s Stopper, or coontie in terracotta pots along entry paths.
Build a festive privacy screen.
Tall plants like cocoplum and viburnum can double as both decor and functional structure.
Hang garland on your porch using hardy greenery.
Palmetto fronds and holly branches hold up to outdoor conditions better than standard pine garlands.
Caring for Native Plants After the Holidays
The biggest advantage of decorating with native plants is that nothing goes to waste. Once the season ends, you can transplant the plants into your landscape.
Here is how to make sure they thrive long term.
Plant at the right depth.
Keep the soil line the same as it was in the pot. Planting too deep stresses the roots.
Water consistently for the first few weeks.
Native plants eventually need less water, but newly transplanted shrubs need steady moisture until they establish.
Place them in the correct light conditions.
Firebush loves sun. Beautyberry does well in part shade. Simpson’s Stopper thrives in mixed conditions.
Use Florida friendly mulch.
Mulch helps retain moisture and protects young roots from temperature swings.
Fertilize lightly, not heavily.
Native plants do not need much supplementation. A slow release, Florida-safe fertilizer is enough.
Holiday Decor Themes Using Native Plants
If you want your holiday decor to have a cohesive look, build around one of these themes.
Coastal Florida Winter
Use Sawyer Palmetto, silver-green fronds, white shells, starfish, and soft fairy lights.
Classic Red and Green
Dahoon Holly, Firebush, Simpson’s Stopper berries, and lush viburnum greenery.
Minimal and Modern
Beautyberry in tall glass vases, coontie branches, and white ceramic pots.
Rustic Florida
Twine-wrapped branches, pine cones, palmetto fibers, and natural wood elements.
Each theme works beautifully indoors and outdoors, letting you match your personal style while keeping everything native.
Where to Find Native Holiday Plants in SWFL
Sanjuan Family Nursery is one of the few nurseries in Southwest Florida where you can find a large selection of native plants year round. If you want fresh greenery, healthy shrubs, or advice on how to use native plants in decor, the staff can guide you.
They can also help you choose plants that not only decorate your home during the holidays but enhance your landscape long after the season.
Conclusion: Bring the Spirit of the Season Home with Florida’s Native Beauty
Holiday decorating does not have to feel generic. It can be rooted in your community, reflect your climate, and support your environment all at once. Native plants give you beauty, durability, and the opportunity to create something meaningful that lasts far beyond the season.
Use this season as an opportunity to decorate with intention. Whether you create a wreath out of palmetto fronds, fill your home with Firebush blooms, or line your entryway with native shrubs, you are choosing decor that tells a story.
A story of place.
A story of sustainability.
A story of Florida’s natural charm.
Ready to bring native magic into your holiday season?
Visit Sanjuan Family Nursery and explore the native plants that make Southwest Florida shine.
