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Gentiana saponaria
The range of this plant barely makes it into Florida and only 2 locations have been documented. It is not rare in states to the north.
Garden flower
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Habitat, Moist woods, stream banks, moist roadsides.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Bumblebees are an important pollinator for this species. Small beetles feed on the pollen.
- Prominant olive crownshaft, slightly buldging
- Unique foliage and silhouette
- Iconic symbol of the south
- Highly nutritious fruit
Oxydendrum arboreum
Specimen tree. Red to yellow in the fall.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Habitat, Steep stream banks and ridges, hammocks, bluffs.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers
Attracts bees and other pollinators.
- Prized scent, used in commercial perfumes
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Unique, fern-like leaves
Viburnum rufidulum
Specimen plant, screen plant, understory tree/shrub.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Attracts pollinators. Birds and other wildlife consume fruit.
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Habitat, Upland hardwood forests, bluffs, secondary woods.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host for the spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).
Both native and non-native viburnums (Viburnum spp.) attra
- Flowers year round
- Imposing stature
- Silvery blue-green fronds
- Highly wind tolerant
- Lovely deep green, glossy leaves
- Unique, stout pineapple-like trunk when young
Dryopteris ludoviciana
Groundcover for moist, shady areas. This is an attractive fern that can form large patches in the right habitat area.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Habitat, Seep slopes, wet hammocks. Shady, moist to wet swamp forests and floodplains.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Compact and versatile
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Unique foliage and silhouette
- Showy fall color
- Prefers acidic soil
- Tropical silhouette
Eugenia foetida
Used as a foundation or hedge plant. Large shrub to small tree. Can also be used as a specimen plant.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t
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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. Provides good cover.
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Habitat, Coastal hammocks, hammocks.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Attracts pollinators.
- Swollen, succulent branches
- Produces aromatic flowers year-round
- Somewhat salt tolerant
- Tall and stately
- Pyramidal crown
- Bright red fruits
Lindera benzoin
Spicy smell to crushed foliage.
Florida is at the southern end of the range for this species, and the range is likely disjoint with the species occurr
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Considertions, Like it's relative redbay(Persea borbonia), it's susceptible to attacks by the redbay ambrosia beetle, which spreads a deadly fungus called Laural Wil
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Wildlife, Birds and mammals eat the fruits.
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Habitat, Bluffs, floodplains, calcareous hammocks. Rare.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host for the spice bush swallowtail and other butterflies.
Attracts bees and flies.
- Requires ample space and light
- Prominent blue-gray crownshaft
- Massive, breathtaking and impressive
- Stately and uncommon
Silphium asteriscus
The bloom period is relatively long - lasting from early spring, well into fall.
Wildflower garden.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Seeds eaten by birds.
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Habitat, Moist roadsides, flatwoods, sandhill, scrub.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
- Fragrant clusters of flowers in fall
- Striking and exotic
- Requires occassional fertalization
- Does poorly in very wet soil
- Year-round blooms
- Lush, dense shade tree
Ficus aurea
This is a large tree best used in settings where its form can be appreciated. It is both a specimen tree and and shade tree.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Considertions, In some settings, the tree begins as an epiphyte and sends roots down to the ground wrapping around the host. This is interesting in natural settings
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Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume fruit and often deposit seeds high in the canopy.
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Habitat, Moist-wet sites to dry sites and on shallow soils over limestone. Tropical hammocks, swamps. May be epiphytic or have aerial roots that may wrap arou
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host for ruddy daggerwing (Marpesia petreus) and Antillean daggerwing (Marpesia eleuchea)
- Rapid growth
- Slow Growth
- Wonderfully fragrant
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Unique flowers, with petals like banana peels
- Can be grown indoors
Crinum americanum
This is a wetland plant, but it will do well once established in a moist garden setting.
Moist wildflower gardens. Easily grown along streams.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Habitat, Riverine swamps, riverine marshes, open wet prairies.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers
Pollinated by sphinx moths. Larval host for Spanish moth a.k.a. convict caterpillar (Xanthopastis timais)
- Easily trimmed for smaller spaces
- Elegant
- Adequate fertalization required
- Tall and romantic
- Can be trimmed into manicured shapes
Rhododendron viscosum
The most aromatic of the azaleas. That last of the azaleas to bloom--in Florida May to June. Flowers are sticky--hence the name R. viscosum.
Specimen
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Seep swamps, pineland-wetland ecotones, edges of bay swamps, moist woods.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers
Attracts pollinators especially bumble bees.
Attracts butterflies.
- Excellent small hedge
- Elegant
- Sprawling and informal shrub
- Unusual deep green leaves with bronze underside
Dalea pinnata
Three species occur in Florida. Please plant your local variety.
Wildflower garden where it is very showy in late summer/early fall.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Some birds and small mammals consume consume the seeds (https://flawildflowers.org/).
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Habitat, Dry flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. This species can be seen at the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia).
Attracts insects, especially bees.
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
- Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
- Tiered branches
Helianthus spp.
For best results, use species naturally found in your area
Wildflower garden. Most species bloom best if in light shade or sun, though it does depend
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Birds love the seeds.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, woodlands, ruderal areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Bees and butterflies are attracted to sunflowers. The goldenrod soldier beetle (a.k.a. leatherwing beetle(, Chauliognathus pensylvanicu
- Does poorly in very wet soil
- Handsome
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Tropical silhouette
