Best Trees and Plants to Grow by Swimming Pools
Updated: Feb. 21, 2024
If you have a swimming pool, you want to keep it clean. Get expert picks for the best plants and trees to grow around swimming pools.
Who doesn’t love to take a dip in the pool on a hot summer’s day? I certainly do. But I must admit that I don’t have a pool of my own. Because of that, I don’t have to worry about trees and plants that may drop leaves and/or flowers.
To be honest, I like how fallen flowers look when they fall on my grass on directly on the ground, underneath my plants.
But for those of you who have swimming pools, this can be a huge headache. So, here is a list of plants that are recommended for use around swimming pools.
Backyard Tip: Most of the following plants are low-litter…NOT litter-free. It is difficult to find plants that do not drop the occasional leaf or flower.
Best Trees for Around Pools
- Willow Acacia     Acacia salicina
- Shoestring Acacia   Acacia stenophylla
- Mediterranean Fan Palm   Chamaerops humilis
- Desert Fern   Lysiloma watsonii
- Pygmy Date Palm   Phoenix roebelenii
- Southern Live Oak   Quercus virginiana
- Queen Palm   Syagrus romanzofianum
Best Shrubs Around Pools
- Mexican Bird-of-Paradise   Caesalpinia mexicana
- Red Bird-of-Paradise   Caesalpinia pulcherrima
- Red Fairy Duster   Calliandra californica
- Natal Plum   Carissa grandiflora
- Bush Morning Glory   Convolvulus cneorum
- Hop Bush   Dodonaea viscosa
- Valentine   Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’
- Mexican Honeysuckle   Justicia spicigera
- Lantana   Lantana species
- Texas Sage   Leucophyllum species
- Heavenly Bamboo   Nandina domestica
- Rosemary   Rosmarinus officinalis
- Autumn Sage   Salvia greggii
- Chaparral Sage   Salvia clevelandii
- Arizona Yellow Bells   Tecoma stans
- Orange Jubilee   Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’
- Cape Honeysuckle   Tecomaria capensis
Perennials/Groundcover Plants Around Pools
- Desert Marigold   Baileya multiradiata
- Blackfoot Daisy   Melampodium leucanthum
- Iceplant  Drosanthemum speciosum
- Gazania   Gazania rigens
- ‘Katie’ Ruellia   Ruellia brittoniana ‘Katie’
- Verbena   Verbena species
- Canna Lilies   Cannaceae species
- Lily of the Nile   Agapanthus orientalis
- Daylily   Hemerocallis species
- Fortnight Lily   Dietes bicolor
- Whirling Butterflies   Gaura lindheimeri
- Angelita Daisy   Hymenoxys acaulis (Tetraneuris acaulis)
- Penstemon   Penstemon species
- Rain Lily   Zephranthes species
Vines Around Pools
- Pink Trumpet Vine   Podranea ricasoliana
- Purple Lilac Vine   Hardenbergia violaceae
- Star Jasmine   Trachelospermum jasminoides
Accent Plants Around Pools
- Agave   Agave species
- Aloe   Aloe species
- Sago Palm   Cycas revoluta
- Desert Spoon   Dasylirion wheeleri
- Golden Barrel Cactus   Echinocactus grusonii
- Red Yucca   Hesperaloe parviflora
- Deer Grass   Muhlenbergia rigens
- Red Fountain Grass   Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’
This list is by no means meant to include all low-litter plants suitable for use around swimming pools, but it is a good start.
