There are two color morphs: green and silver. Silver is associated with the east coast, but may occur anywhere within the range.  It is typically larg , 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, Be sure to plan for enough room for this spreading plant. , Wildlife, Palmetto berries are important bear food. More than 100 bird species, 27 mammals, 25 amphibians, 61 reptiles, and countless insects use it as food and , Habitat, Mesic flatwoods, wet flatwoods, dry flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, scrub, hardwood hammock. Generally absent from cleared sites even after abandonment , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant for monk skipper (Asbolis capucinus) and palmetto skipper (Eu

Butterfly garden, natural landscape, habitat restoration , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Pinelands and open coastal uplands , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host plant for long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus) and northern cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) butterflies. Pollinated by bees.

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.

Widespread but sparse distribution in Florida largely based on where limestone is exposed at the surface.  If you have limestone it is appropriate to , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Said to be resistant to deer. , Habitat, Moist hammocks and can grow attached to rock outcroppings if moisture is consistently present in the area. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Floodplains, floodplain marshes, marshes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Pollinated by bumblebees and long-horned bees.  Butterflies visit for nector but are not effective pollinators.

This is one of the world's most widespread species. Multiple subspecies exist  within Florida with two being widespread. Because of its tolerance of a , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, In rich soils, may be overly aggressive. , Habitat, Dry sites. Oak-pine-hickory woodslands. Tolerant of disturbance. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Can be used as an accent plant or grown in the mid-rear of the garden. Also suitable in wildflower gardens. Its broad tolerance of soil and moisture c , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, The coarse foliage and prickly balls of flowers are not popular as a source of food with mammalian herbivores, although they may nibble off the ends o , Habitat, Moist-moist-wet sites. Cutthroat seeps, savannas, wet flatwoods, wet prairie, coastal flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Attracts many kinds of insects, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butte