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Phlox spp.
Florida has a number of Phlox species, almost all found in forested settings. The common roadside species (Phlox drummondii) is not a Florida native (
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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 phlox species attract hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Open woods.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and bees.
- Very full crown
- Smaller stature
- Wonderfully fragrant
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
Lygodesmia aphylla
The short lived bloom opens before sunrise and is most beautiful from just before dawn till about mid-morning when it fully opens. By night fall it wi
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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, Dry sandy soils, flatwoods, pine barrens, sandhill, scrub, and disturbed areas
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attract a wide variety of insect pollinators. One documented bee pollinator is Augochlorella aurata (Deyrup et al. 2002).
- Very showy bright yellow flowers
- Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
- Wonderfully fragrant at night
Lyonia ferruginea
New leaves are rusty-orange. Easy to care for.
Can grow as a small tree or a shrub.
Use where this small tree's interesting shape will be an asset. D
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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, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, overgrown sandhill.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts bees. The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of
- Moderately slow growth
- Prolific fruiter
- Uncommon edible fruit
- Requires occassional fertalization
Sporobolus virginicus
Useful in coastal restoration or retained along a coastal shoreline for stabilization.
Salt marsh coastal stabilizer. Low dune stabilizer. Groundcove
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Tolerance, Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation)
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and
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Habitat, Dunes, salt marshes, disturbed saline areas.
- Massive, nutrient-dense edible fruit
- Showy clusters orange-yellow fruits in spring
- Year-round blooms
- Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
Eustoma exaltatum
Wildflower garden especially in sandy or coastal areas.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt
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Habitat, Dry-moist-wet areas. Salt flats.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Pollinators unknown, but based on flower color, bees are likely.
- Flowers year round
- Stunning and colorful while in bloom
- Intoxicating fragrance
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
- Long emerald crownshaft
Stewartia malacodendron
The cream-colored petals are crimped at the margins with numerous dark-purple stamen filaments and bluish anthers. Silky hairs cover the lower leaf su
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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, Slope forest, upland hardwood forest, baygall. On acidic soils.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
- Rare and unique
- Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
- Sprawling and informal shrub
- Attractive tiered canopy
Chamaecrista fasciculata
Sources disagree on the salt tolerance of this species.
Sometimes used for erosion control. Good in casual garden settings, especially useful for but
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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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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume seed which is reported to be particularly important for the bobwhite.
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Habitat, Scrub, high pine (sandhill, clayhill), dry flatwoods, dunes, open disturbed areas where seed is available.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for cloudless sulfur (Phoebis senna), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme), sleepy orange (
- Falls over easily, may require staking
- Beautiful sweeping fronds with drooping leaflets
- Beautiful, natural globe shape
- Arched, recurving fronds
- Slender and elegant
- Attractive silver-gray foliage
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
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
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
Physalis walteri
Based on BONAP maps and the ISB website, the range of Physalis walteri likely includes the entire peninsula of Florida but becomes restricted to areas
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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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Wildlife, Fruit is used by generalists.
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Habitat, Open sandy areas. Often coastal.
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Did You Know?, Attracts bees.
- Highly salt tolerant
- Unique and prized
- Underutilized
- Available multi-stalked
Passiflora multiflorus
Listed as Endangered in Florida.
Rarely planted. Given the proper support this plant could likely be used as a climbing vine hedge.
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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 other wildlife eat the fruits.
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Habitat, Rockland/tropical hammocks
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host plant for julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia) butterflies and likely other species.
Pollinate
- Flowers year round
- Critically endangered
- Very showy clusters of flowers
- Rare, despite being a South Florida native
- Highly nutritious fruit
- Falls over easily, may require staking
