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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
Lilium catesbaei
In the natural environment, this species benefits from periodic fire. Very difficult to see except when in bloom.
Retain if present. Could be grown a
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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, Rarely grown as difficult to find seeds or bulbs and seedlings are subject to fungal diseases.
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Habitat, Mesic flatwoods, wet prairie, wet flatwoods, open seepage areas such as cutthroat seeps.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies including swallowtails. Reported possible pollinators include spicebush swallowwtail, cloudless sulfur (Phoebis se
- Showy reddish peeling bark
- Handsome
- Cold tolerant
- Can be grown indoors
- Pyramidal crown
- Imposing stature
Hibiscus aculeatus
Tolerates winter flooding.
This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites.
Wet wildflower garden. For appeara
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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 sites. Hydric and mesic pine flatwoods, edges of sloughs, savannas, bogs, 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
- Can be trimmed into manicured shapes
- Unusually shaped, asymmetrical tree
- Fragrant clusters of flowers in fall
- Cold tolerant
- Wide umbrella-shaped canopy
- Not recommended
Litsea aestivalis
Litsea aestivalis is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. Since that listing, the laurel wilt disease has come to Florida, and is known to k
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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, Fruits eaten by birds and mammals.
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Habitat, Near the edges of forested wetlands and some seasonal ponds wtih open centers.
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Did You Know?, Attracts flies and small bees.
A likely host for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly.
- Highly nutritious fruit
- Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
Roystonea regia
Old fronds can be extremely heavy and are known to damage buildings when they fall (Haele and Brookwell 1999), so save the palm by not planting it ove
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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, This is a tall palm, make sure it has room to grow.
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Wildlife, Various birds and other wildlife eat the fruit.
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Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock, Everglades tree islands.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Larval host for monk skipper (Minno & Minno 1999)
- Unique purple-brown crownshaft
- Attractive mottled bark
- Attractive variegated foliage
- Damaged by citrus canker
Sideroxylon celastrinum
Hedge plant. Screen plant.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (
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Considertions, Thorns.
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Wildlife, Fruit are eaten by birds and mammals. It provides nesting sites and cover. .
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Habitat, Coastal hammocks, salt flats.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns, Hurricane wind resistance
Appreciated by a variety of insects as a nectar source.
- Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
- Prolific fruiter
- Long-lived perennial
Paronychia rugelii
This low growing plant is a good ground cover
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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, Woodlands, flat pinewoods, sandhill, scrub, disturbed areas in the coastal plain
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Likely attracts bees.
- Medium stature
- Very showy clusters of flowers
- Narrow enough for tight spaces
Vaccinium myrsinites
The range includes all of peninsular Florida and the southern parts of Georgia, and Alabama.
Best used as a wildflower as it has a relatively short l
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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 the fruit.
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Habitat, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, high pine, cutthroat seep.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts pollinators. Documented bee species include Augochlorella aurata, A. gratiosa, Augochloropsi
- Dense, full crown
- Does poorly oceanside
- Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
Pityopsis graminifolia
Minimize competition especially if it is over-topping the Pityopsis.
Wildflower garden. Foliage can be attractive year-round as silvery-gray green. A
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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, Cut back after flowering to keep it neat.
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Habitat, Sandhill, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, dry prairie, disturbed areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts bees and butterflies. A pollinator study at the Archbold Biological Station documented over 30 species of
- Ringed trunk
- Pleasant rounded shape
- Long-lasting year-round blooms
- Readily pruned into attractive shapes
- Stunning colorful foliage
Magnolia grandiflora
Note: There are cultivars, such as "Little Gem" sold in nurseries that originate from non-Florida stock (Little Gem is a North Carolina tree). Suitabi
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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, Fruits are eaten (and spread) by squirrels, opossums, and birds including quail, and turkey.
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Habitat, Slope forest, dry-mesic to mesic upland hardwood forest.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Beetles are the primary pollinators. The flowers have a hardened carpel t
- Easily trimmed for smaller spaces
- Attractive light to medium green crownshaft
- Grows tall, but not massive
Silphium asteriscus
The bloom period is relatively long - lasting from early spring, well into fall.
Wildflower garden.
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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, Seeds eaten by birds.
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Habitat, Moist roadsides, flatwoods, sandhill, scrub.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
- Fragrant clusters of flowers in fall
- Striking and exotic
- Requires occassional fertalization
- Does poorly in very wet soil
- Year-round blooms
- Lush, dense shade tree
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
