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leekle2mane

Making scents of it all

While I am trying to keep my garden fairly native or at least non-invasive, one category of plants is making a bigger and bigger presence in my yard. Herbs. There is just something awesome about bumping one while working and having the area explode in it's aroma. I have Confederate Jasmine and Carolina Jessamine in the yard, and these provide scent when they are in bloom, though it takes a large vine to really broadcast that scent and both are still quite small. But I am curious if anyone knows of any Florida native plants that infuse an area with pleasant aromas even when not in bloom?

Comments (5)

  • thetradition
    11 years ago

    I don't know about "natives" that smell nice all the time, but when the citrus trees are in bloom, my entire street smells great because everyone has one or more citrus trees in their yards. I really look forward to it every year, and hope for nice weather so the windows can be open.

  • morningloree
    11 years ago

    I have the oddest plant that fits your category, Popcorn Cassia, if you brush up against the leaves, it smells like fresh buttered popcorn. The smell is so close to popcorn, it'll make your mouth water. Maybe not intoxicating...but one of my favorites. If you want a real Florida Native performer, Wild Coffee has a smell similar to gardenias when it blooms, the Florida butterflies love it. Once the flowers are gone it gets red berries that the birds like.

  • Michael AKA Leekle2ManE
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I have often thought of getting some Wild Coffee. Just the very idea that I'm growing my own 'coffee' plants makes me giddy, even though I know they're not really coffee bean plants. I may have to get some and plant them around my firebush, since they're cousins and all. They'll likely get burned in the winters here, but the information on them says they'll keep coming back year after year, but end up growing into stouter plants that act more as a ground cover than a shrub. Sounds perfect for 'wreathing' a firebush to me.

    I'll have to read up on that Popcorn Cassia, as it sounds rather interesting. I don't know if I would want that in my yard though. I keep bags of popcorn in the cupboards for movie nights and I can see me going through them rather quickly if I keep smelling popcorn every day.

  • morningloree
    11 years ago

    Thank goodness I don't have a tree that smells like freshly baked brownies, I would be in trouble. However, I must have been on the same wavelength, I just traded for some Lemon Verbena and I ordered evening primrose. I know primrose is not a Florida native, but I used to have some in Texas and it was such a perky cheerful plant. Both of them have a very pleasant scent.

  • corar4gw
    11 years ago

    Ah, yes, the herbs! Love'em! A rosemary bush is always ready to freshen the air when you brush against it. I also have a shrub the nursery called a Florida Anise. Whatever it is, it's an evergreen, and if you break a leaf it smells so spicy. You can plant very low growing scented thymes between stepping stones, and I love lemon grass for its scent and culinary use. It also grows tall enough to make a lovely statement in a sunny place.