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

Leaves have sharp spiny tips. Specimen plant. Low hedge. , 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 , Considertions, The leaves have hard, sharp points. , Wildlife, Provides wildlife cover , Habitat, Dry sites. Scrub, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host plant for cofaqui giant skipper (Megathymus cofaqui) and yucca giant skipper (Megathymus yuccae) butte

It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida and as critically imperiled in South Florida by The Institute for Regional Conservation. Specimen , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock, coastal rock barren, beach dune, coastal strand. Lower Keys only. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage

Not typically available commercially. One (P. tenuifolius) in the panhandle,the other on the peninsula.  P. tenuifolius is almost endemic (there is an , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts birds when seeds are present. , Habitat, Dry sites. Scrubby flatwoods, sandhill. P. grandifolorus: dry flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees and butterflies.

Sprawling. Best used as a wildflower. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Flatwoods near edges of open wetlands; roadsides through such places. Coastal thickets. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts a variety of pollinators, especially butterflies.

In nature, this grows in habitats with frequent fire.  In the garden, it will grow best if you remove built-up thatch (or burn it once every few years , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Flatwoods, sandhills. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage

Specimen shrub. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, May be difficult to establish because of its long tap root. , Wildlife, Small mammals and birds harvest the fruit. , Habitat, Sandhills, flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods , Did You Know?, Showy flowers The flowers produce an odor similar to rotting meat to attract blowflies or carrion beetles for cross pollination. Larval host for zebr

Its range in Florida is limited to only a couple of northern counties,. 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 birds. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees and butterflies.

Because it's a legume it can grow in poor soils, but does better with added organic matter. Specimen shrub. , 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 , Habitat, Hammock edges, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host plant for cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae), sleepy orange (Eurema nicippi) and the introduced orange-barred sulphur (Phoe

Choose a species that grows naturally in your area. Wildflower garden. Rarely grown, mostly small wildflowers. Plant near the front of the garden s , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Mostly in open, relatively dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers The primary pollinator is bees, including bumblebees,  though at least for some species, flies and beetles visit some Crocanthemum spec

Endemic to western peninsular Florida from Tampa south to Charlotte County. Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sometimes the flower stalks are too tall and heavy to stand. Can be cut back mid-summer to reduce height. In a large garden, the twisted fallen stalks , Habitat, Flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees.

The flowers are smaller than on most other native morning-glories, but they are attractive. Grow on fence or trellis. , 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, Dry disturbed sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts larger butterflies such as swallowtails and fritillaries.  Predominantly self-pollinated.