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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
Clethra alnifolia
The herbarium specimen from Polk County almost certainly has a wrong location. Lithia is in Hillsborough County and the most likely translation of a
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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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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
Birds and other small wildlife consume the seed (https://wildflower.org)
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Habitat, Moist-wet areas, acid soils. Wet flatwoods, savannas, swamps, stream banks, bogs, other wet areas.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and bees which have evolved to take advantage of narrow, tubular flowers.
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
- Magnificent showy flowers in summer
Delphinium carolinianum
This species is more common in adjacent states and occurs broadly in mid-western prairies. Its range barely makes it into Florida.
The southern end
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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, Prairies, rocky glades
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
- Formal, old-world appearance
- Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
- Unusually shaped, asymmetrical tree
- Requires ample space and light
- Showy red berries
Polystichum acrostichoides
The range of this species includes much of eastern North America up into southern Canada. Its occurrence in Florida is sparse with appropriate substr
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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, Benefits from periodic removal of old fronds.
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Habitat, Rocky hammocks and upper margins of swamps.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- No longer recommended
- Highly wind tolerant
- Stately and uncommon
- Unusual stilt roots
- Beloved in South Florida
Symphyotrichum carolinianum
Use as a sprawling vine in wet areas. Works well as a stand-alone border along the edges of retention ponds.
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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, Its sprawling or climbing habit make it best for an informal or naturalized setting.
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Habitat, Marshes, swamps, lake edges, river banks, coastal hammocks, floodplains.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Flowers draw a myriad of native bees, including polyester, sweat, cuckoo, leafcutter, mining, bumble and chimney b
- Not recommended
- Striking silhouette
- Prominent pale green or blue-gray crownshaft
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
- Slender profile
- Adequate moisture required
Erythrina herbacea
Forming a thicket for wildlife protection.
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without i
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Considertions, It has thorns, but they are rather small.
The seeds of Cherokee bean are poisonous and purportedly used for rat poison in Mexico.
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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
Due to its dense foliage and thorny stems, coral bean serves as a refuge for small birds and animals.
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Habitat, Dry sites. Upland mixed forest, thickets, tropical hammocks, coastal dunes, sandhill, flatwoods, tropical hammock, pine rocklands. This species can b
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns
Attracts long-tongued pollinators.
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
- Unique, sweet almond flavor
- Compact and versatile
- Healthy edible fruit
- Flowers year round
Penstemon laevigatus
Informal shady semi-shady gardens.
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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, Moist hardwood forests
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees, butterflies.
Larval host for common buckeye (Junonia coenia).
- Prominent blue-gray crownshaft
- Prized scent, used in commercial perfumes
- Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
- Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
Juniperus virginiana
The blue fruits on this tree are actually fleshy cones.
Often used as a screen by planting in one or two fairly dense rows. Also useful as a backgrou
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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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Wildlife, Birds eat the fruit-like cones and use the foliage for cover.
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Habitat, Calcareous soils, shell mounds, coastal hammocks, second growth on open rocky fields. Open.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
- Very showy clusters of red flowers
- Prominent blue-gray crownshaft
- Thick branching into attractive silouttes
- Majestic and graceful
Pithecellobium keyense
Listed as Threatened by the State of Florida. Please acqure from reputable sources.
Screen or hedge plant. Informal foundation shrub. Blooms profuse
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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
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Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits and the red&black arils.
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Habitat, Tropical/coastal hammock edges, dunes, fields. Dry sites.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), and Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi be
- Dense attractive foliage
- Thick branching into attractive silouttes
- Very showy clusters of red flowers
- Fragrant in the evening
Coreopsis floridana
This is one of our larger (taller and larger flowers) Coreopsis species.
Useful as a colorful wildflower along the edge of a wetland. Often overlooke
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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, Wet prairie, herbaceous seepage areas, wet roadsides.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts many different butterflies and pollinators.
- Easily trimmed for smaller spaces
- Narrow canopy
- Stately and uncommon
- Attractive dark green leaves
Quercus laurifolia
Depending on who you ask, there are two laurel oaks in Florida. Q. laurifolia (swamp laurel oak) and Q. hemisphaerica (Darlington oak, sand laurel oa
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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, Somewhat weak, and compared to live oak, short-lived.
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Wildlife, Produces acorns that are used by rodents, including squirrels, and other mammals
Acorns used by woodpeckers, jays, and wild turkeys.
High in tannins.
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Habitat, River floodplains, secondary woods.
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Did You Know?, Larval host for Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) and White M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).
Larval host for several moth species (some of the c
- Massive stature
- Unique foliage
- Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
- Unusual deep green leaves with bronze underside
Euploca polyphylla
Sprawling. Best used as a wildflower.
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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, Flatwoods near edges of open wetlands; roadsides through such places. Coastal thickets.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts a variety of pollinators, especially butterflies.
- Prominant olive crownshaft, slightly buldging
- Attractive mottled bark
- Pleasant rounded shape
- Stunning
