Natural landscapes including meadows and butterfly gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Purple thistle is a thorny plant - be very careful when handling. , Wildlife, The seeds are rich in oil, an important food source for seed-eating birds. , Habitat, Coastal plain, edges of salt marshes, pinewoods, prairies and disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns Larval host to little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis) and painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies. N

Endemic to the sand ridges of  central and northern peninsular Florida. Forms a thicket with many sprouts from  underground stems. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Wildlife, Small mammals use the acorns.  Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. The acorns are utilized by squirrels. An important food source for th , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, scrubby sandhill. , Did You Know?, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host  for Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) and white-M hairstreak (P

Is listed as Endangered in Florida. Hedges; small specimen plants; mass planting; ground cover; large planters. Dune reclamation. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt , Considertions, A beautiful shrub for oceanfront gardens, but susceptible to diseases inland. , Habitat, Coastal uplands, dunes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) and other butterfly speci

The range includes all of peninsular Florida and the southern parts of Georgia, and Alabama. Best used as a wildflower as it has a relatively short l , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit. , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, high pine, cutthroat seep. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators.  Documented bee species include Augochlorella aurata, A. gratiosa, Augochloropsi

Specimen plant. Roadsides, parking lot edges, and medians. Smaller forms can make good foundation screens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Both suckers and seedlings will appear. , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits. , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock, coastal hammock. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts bees and butterflies.

Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. , Habitat, Sandhill, secondary woods, flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees.

Depending on cold, this may keep its leaves all year or die back during the winter. In colder areas, consider growing it as an annual. It adapts well , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Depending on site, this plant may spread more than preferred, but easy to pull up if it is not wanted , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Interesting foliage Larval host for Fulvous Hairstreak. Attracts pollinators

While native in Florida, this species is invasive in other areas, especially the Pacific Northwest. Aquatic species with floating leaves and flowers. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Could overrun small ponds or water features. , Habitat, Aquatic. Marshes, swamps in openings, still water. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Flies, bees, and beetles have been recorded.

Rarely grown but of good potential for a dry native wildflower garden. Wildflower garden. When not flowering, the plant is a low-growing rosette of l , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Sandhill, scrubby sandhill, disturbed sandhill, xeric roadsides in areas of sandhill soils. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees and other pollinators.  Does not attract many butterflies.

Found naturally in Florida in glades, which have marly soils, and in Alachua County, in shallow sands over marl deposits that cover the underlying lim , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Upland mixed forest. Found in edges or understory and on roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval Host to the checkered-skipper (Pyrgus communis). Attracts bees.

Understory tree. Can be trimmed to keep sized as a shrub. Accent shrub or can be trained as a hedge. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Considertions, Slow growing. , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruit. , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock (borders), coastal berm. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits Insect pollinated.

Nice blog article by Florida Wildflower Foundation. Background plant somewhere between a shrub and vine in character. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Considertions, Weak--needs support. Can be aggressive in the home landscape. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , Habitat, Coastal hammocks, pine rocklands, coastal flats, disturbed forest edges. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host for the Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus thomasi) and Snowberry clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis). Attracts a