Filters
Sort
Sort
Sort By :
By :
Grid View
List View
Dalea pinnata
Three species occur in Florida. Please plant your local variety.
Wildflower garden where it is very showy in late summer/early fall.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Some birds and small mammals consume consume the seeds (https://flawildflowers.org/).
,
Habitat, Dry flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. This species can be seen at the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County.
,
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
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Birds love the seeds.
,
Habitat, Flatwoods, woodlands, ruderal areas.
,
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
Hibiscus moscheutos
Use in moist areas as a wildflower. It is semi-woody, and if given adequate moisture can be a specimen plant.
,
Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Wildlife, Pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees and solitary anthophorid bees (Ptilithrix bombiformis). Butterflies are attracted to the nector.
,
Habitat, Wet sites. Wet pine flatwoods, edges of sloughs, swamps, bogs, brackish and freshwater marshes and ditches.
,
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
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.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit.
,
Habitat, Riverine swamps, bluffs, bluffs, gum swamps. Typically in areas of relatively brief, shallow inundation.
,
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.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Considertions, To remain attractive and not become a mass of past growth, cut it back occasionally. Thin out old stems.
,
Wildlife, Attracts hummingbords.
,
Habitat, Riverine swamps, wet hammocks. This species can be seen near the boardwalks at Flint Creek and Sargeant Parks in Hillsborough County.
,
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 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.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Attracts butterflies, bees, beetles, and birds.
,
Habitat, Depressions in pine flatwoods, brackish and freshwater marshes, edges of lakes and ponds, along rivers, swamps, canals, ditches. Commonly in water bu
,
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
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Habitat, Forested areas around wetlands
,
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
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
,
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, An aggressive grower. Plant where that characteristic is appropriate.
,
Habitat, Riverine forests, flatwoods, beaches, fresh and brackish marshes, disturbed sites.
,
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
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Habitat, Exposed sand and gravel bars of streams during low water, stream banks, hydric to wet mesic pine flatwoods. Rich soils. Ruderal.
,
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
Bejaria racemosa
The scientific name Befaria racemosa was apparently an early transcription error. The genus is named after an 18th century Spanish botanist by the nam
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Habitat, Dry sites. Scrubby flatwoods, scrub.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Bees and flies are attracted to the flowers, and are often caught on the sticky flowers.
Native bee visitors include sweat, resin, le
- Uncommon
- Medium stature
- Beautiful purple-brown crownshaft
- Attractive glossy leaves
- Showy fall color
Coreopsis linifolia
Weedy.
Casual wildflower garden, butterfly garden or meadow. Likely to be considered a weed by many.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Considertions, Will reseed and can become weedy.
,
Habitat, Wet flatwoods, wet prairie, open transitional prairie bordering cypress swamps, wet roadside ditches.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and pollinators.
- Available multi-stalked
- Wonderfully fragrant flowers
- Stately and uncommon
Cyrilla racemiflora
Hedge plant.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Considertions, In unburned natural wetlands, this plant sometimes form almost impenetrable thickets along the edge.
,
Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit.
,
Habitat, Swampy sites, wet pine flatwoods, sloughs and edges of cypress swamps, seepage swamps and bogs, savannas, other wet depressional areas.
,
Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Attracts bees (https://wildflower.org).
- Massive, nutrient-dense edible fruit
- Beautiful purple-brown crownshaft
- Rapid growth
- Cold tolerant
- Ringed trunk
