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Lupinus perrenis
It can be difficult to maintain habitat for this plant. Keeping the competition down seems to be critical (mow, burn, etc.).
We know of no Florida nu
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Tolerance
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Considertions, foliage and seeds have toxic properties, primarily due to the lupine alkaloids
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Habitat, Open, sandy woods. Adapted to fire.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for several butterflies.
Attracts bees including bumblebees.
- Requires shade when young
- Dense, full crown
- Arched, recurving fronds
- Unique flowers, with petals like banana peels
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
Mimosa strigillosa
Needs substantial water during establishment, then relatively drought tolerant.
Nodules on the roots of the plant, with the help of Rhizobium bacteria
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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 most turf replacements, this plant wants to spread. If you don't want that, keep it hemmed in by using a barrier or by trimming.
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Habitat, Open, disturbed areas. Typically fairly moist but tolerates dry soils after establishment.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Host plant for the little sulphur (Eurema lisa) butterfly. (Fl Wildflower Foundation)
Pollinated mainly by bees
- Recently classified invasive
- Abundance of orange-red flowers in summer
- Colorful new leafs
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
- Fast growth
Cornus foemina
Use along streams or edges of retention areas. Can be a screen or specimen tree in moist areas. Blooms better in moderate to high light settings.
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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 and small mammals consume the fruit.
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Habitat, Riverine swamps, bluffs, bluffs, gum swamps. Typically in areas of relatively brief, shallow inundation.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance
Attracts long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and butterflie
- Massive stature
- Prominant olive crownshaft, slightly buldging
- Long-lasting year-round blooms
Clematis crispa
Climbs by twining petioles.
Grow on a trellis or fence.
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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, To remain attractive and not become a mass of past growth, cut it back occasionally. Thin out old stems.
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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbords.
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Habitat, Riverine swamps, wet hammocks. This species can be seen near the boardwalks at Flint Creek and Sargeant Parks in Hillsborough County.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host for mournful thyris (Thyris sepulchralis).
Attracts bees and butterfli
- Damaged by citrus canker
- Uncommon edible fruit
- Attractive variegated foliage
Hibiscus moscheutos
Use in moist areas as a wildflower. It is semi-woody, and if given adequate moisture can be a specimen plant.
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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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Wildlife, Pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees and solitary anthophorid bees (Ptilithrix bombiformis). Butterflies are attracted to the nector.
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Habitat, Wet sites. Wet pine flatwoods, edges of sloughs, swamps, bogs, brackish and freshwater marshes and ditches.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host of Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies and four
- Attractive blue-green to silver leaflets
- Handsome
- Very showy bright yellow flowers
- Christmas tree shape
- Dark green leaves
Rosa palustris
Information on salt tolerance comes from northern nurseries in areas where the biggest issue is likely to be salt used for deicing roadsides.
This nat
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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, Thorns.
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Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and small mammals
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Habitat, Floodplains, marshy or swampy shores, cypress swamps and wet thickets, often in shallow water.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns
Attracts pollinators and is especially important for native bees.
- Damaged by citrus canker
- Massive stature when mature
- Produces aromatic flowers year-round
- Will not tolerate frost
Hibiscus grandiflorus
This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites.
Specimen plant or background screen for wet places.
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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 butterflies, bees, beetles, and birds.
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Habitat, Depressions in pine flatwoods, brackish and freshwater marshes, edges of lakes and ponds, along rivers, swamps, canals, ditches. Commonly in water bu
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host of Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies and four
- Prolific fruiter
- Extremely popular
- Colorful older leaves
- Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
- Recently classified invasive
Dyschoriste humistrata
Wildflower garden, groundcover
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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, Forested areas around wetlands
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for common buckeye (Junonia coenia).
- Dense canopy
- Falls over easily, may require staking
- Majestic
- Colorful new leafs
- Fruit eaten by birds
- Self-shedding fronds
Magnolia virginiana
The silvery undersides of the leaves are striking.
Erroneously listed as a host for palamedes swallowtail butterflies. Palamedes swallowtails only fee
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by woodpeckers, kingbirds, red-eyed vireos, mockingbirds, robins, thrushes, crows, cardinals, squirrels, mice among others.
Deer brows
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Habitat, Bay swamp, forested seep slopes, floodplains of small streams, low flatwoods where fire has been excluded.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Larval host plant for Eastern tiger swallowtail (Pterou
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Attractive silver-gray foliage
- Heavy feeder
Panicum virgatum
In the opinion of this author, this species has a weedy look.
Occurs throughout Florida but is more frequent in flatwoods pond settings and small flo
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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
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Considertions, An aggressive grower. Plant where that characteristic is appropriate.
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Habitat, Riverine forests, flatwoods, beaches, fresh and brackish marshes, disturbed sites.
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Did You Know?, Larval host for tawny edged skipper.
- Majestic and graceful
- Slender trunk, 4" in diameter
- Highly nutritious fruit
Vernonia gigantea
The genus name honors the English botanist William Vernon, who did fieldwork in North America.
Back of a moist wildflower garden. Can also use on the
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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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Habitat, Exposed sand and gravel bars of streams during low water, stream banks, hydric to wet mesic pine flatwoods. Rich soils. Ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Nectar attracts butterflies and native beens.
Larval host for spring azure butterfly.
- Colorful new leafs
- Rare, despite being a South Florida native
- Beautiful rounded dense canopy
