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Impacts to Native Plants from Hurricanes
Patience is key when landscaping after a major storm event, explains SCCF Native Landscapes & Garden Center Assistant Sue Ramos.
Post-Hurricane Replanting Guide >>
Despite having multiple feet of saltwater inundate our garden center during Hurricane Milton, “many of our native plants made it through and will come back around if we give them some time,” Ramos said.
One simple way to tell if a plant is still alive is to perform the “scratch test” — lightly scratch the bark to get underneath the first outside layer. If you see a green, thin layer (called the cambium), the plant is still alive.
To get more information on how to care for plants after hurricane impacts, and to see a list of which species tend to perform best under prolonged flooding and saltwater intrusion, check out our post-hurricane replanting guide.
“In general, don’t be too quick to pull out things from your yard because you think that they’re dead and they look terrible,” Ramos said. “Take your time, and give them time until they come around. You might be surprised at how much you still have alive in your yard.”