Specimen plant or background plant in moist informal garden. This is a mid-sized bunching grass until the flower stalk shoots up in the fall. Then it , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, The flower stalks need to be removed once no longer showy. , Wildlife, Birds will eat the seeds.  Provides cover. , Habitat, Flatwoods, marshes, coastal swales, cypress ponds, lake shores, cutthroat seep. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Host plant for the Clouded Skipper butterfly (Lerema accius) , Did You Know?, Yerba mate, the traditional tea-like beverage from South America, is made with leaves of a close relative to our holly trees, the Ilex Paraguayanis. Y

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

Both male and female plants required for pollination and seed set. Specimen tree.  Screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp spines (teeth) on leaves. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds. , Habitat, Upland woods, second bottom but will not tolerate long flooding. Often an understory plant. Documented in Lee County in a site likely to be natural. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Bees pollinate flowers.

Fruits are magenta. There is a white-fruited/white-flowered variety, uncommonly found naturally in Florida, that is sold occasionally. Specimen plant , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Cut back in winter to encourage blooming and good form. , Wildlife, Many bird species consume the fruit. including catbirds, mockinbirds, and robins. , Habitat, Dry mesic hardwoods, xeric hammock, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, disturbed dry-moist woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for for spring azure butterflies and snowberry clearwing moths. Attracts various p

The wood is noted as being very strong, hence the common name "ironwood" Does not do well much south of its natural range. Small specimen tree. Also , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Seeds are not popular with most birds, but it provides good cover. , Habitat, Dry-mesic deciduous woods. Hammocks, bluff microsites. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Fall color, Hurricane wind resistance

Shade tree. While native to moist sites, this oak does well in moderately dry areas as well. Makes a good street tree and can be used in parking lot i , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen/falling acorns can be a maintenance issue. , Wildlife, Acorns prized by squirrels, deer, turkey and other wildlife. , Habitat, Mesic sites near swamp edges and second bottoms of floodplains. May occur in uplands on shallow soils over limestone. , Did You Know?, Larval food for brown duskywing butterfly (Erynnis horatius), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).

Wildflower garden, suitable for naturalizing. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Flatwoods, sandhills, pine-oak-hickory woods, secondary woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar source for native bees, including bumblebees,  and other pollinators (Xerces Society).. Attracts butterflies

Its twisting shape makes it an interesting specimen tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fast growing, fairly weak hence somewhat prone to breaking. , Wildlife, Squirrels and other rodents eat the seeds. , Habitat, Found naturally in floodplains. Has become widely established in ruderal settings. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators, particularly native bees.   Larval host for Cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia).

The range extends from Texas to North Carolina mostly in the coastal plan and adjacent areas of sandy hills.  In Florida, the range is continuous down , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, This plant can be too prolific as the many seedlings that come up both around the plant and under bird perching sites can become problematic. Also spr , Wildlife, Seed is spread by birds. , Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Upland hardwood forests, upland mixed forest, secondary woods, riverine swamps, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts bees.

The range of this species barely makes it into north Florida but extends north to southern Canada. Shade tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen/falling acorns can be a maintenance issue. , Wildlife, Acorns appreciated by squirrels, deer, turkey and other wildlife Used by birds for resting and nesting Larval host for gray hairstreak butterfly , Habitat, Mesic calcareous hammocks. , Did You Know?, Larval host for the white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).

Small specimen tree. Slow growing. Hedge. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Thorns of up to 3 inches long from branches and trunk. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit.  Browsed by deer and rabbits. , Habitat, Open woods, upland woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval food for hummingbird clearwing moth(Hemaris thysbe), striped hairstreak butterfly(Satyrium liparops), and blinded

Specimen plant or rock garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, If conditions are right, it's a prolific reseeder. , Wildlife, Blooms attract hummingbirds. Seeds consumed by small birds. , Habitat, Bluffs and rock outcrops in moist deciduous forests. May also be found on shallow loamy soils over rock. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Blooms attract bees, butterflies, and hawk moths