Slower growing and generally smaller than live oak. Extremely drought tolerant. In environments where there is fire, this is often a small clonal shru , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Valued by the Florida scrub-jay for its acorns which are relatively low in tanins and often used as a nesting tree. Acorns used by woodpeckers and wil , Habitat, Scrub, sandhill, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, coastal hammocks. Increases in flatwoods under winter burn management. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant for oak hairstreak (Fixsenia favonius), Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), red-b

Endemic to western peninsular Florida from Tampa south to Charlotte County. Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sometimes the flower stalks are too tall and heavy to stand. Can be cut back mid-summer to reduce height. In a large garden, the twisted fallen stalks , Habitat, Flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees.

Given that this is short-lived (biennial) and difficult to transplant or grow from seed, this is perhaps best encouraged in places where it grows natu , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Hard to establish. Biennial, though may reseed. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host for  frosted elfin (Callophyris irus) butterfly, which is listed as  Endangered in Flori

Small tree appropriate to moist areas. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Small mammals and birds harvest the fruit. , Habitat, Floodplains. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) and pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus). Pollinated by flies and

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 , 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 , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten (and spread) by  squirrels, opossums, and birds including quail, and turkey. , Habitat, Slope forest, dry-mesic to mesic upland hardwood forest. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Beetles are the primary pollinators. The flowers have a hardened carpel t

Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Wet and coastal sites. Coastal scrub. Bogs, hydric and wet mesic flatwoods, ditches, coastal marshes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus) and other butterflies.  Attracts pollinators including native bees.  The goldenrod soldier

The range of this species is primarily the coastal plain from Texas to North Carolina. A second subspecies (subsp. greenmanii) occurs in the Florida P , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Unknown , Considertions, All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested.  Bruised leaves may produce a rash on bare skin , Habitat, Marshes, wet flatwoods, wet prairies, seepage slopes, edges of cypress wetlands, ditches , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Host plant for black swallowtail. Attracts generalist pollinators.

The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)is a very destructive wood-boring beetle native to Asia. It was discovered in North America in July 2002, a , 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 , Wildlife, Fruits consumed by squirels and other rodents and some songbirds (cardinals). , Habitat, Dry sites. Upland dry mesic forests. Well drained, rich soils. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval host for eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) and viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

Rarely grown, likely since it is a poisonous annual with prickles.  Invasive in parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia. This is a personal favorite of o , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Prickles can be an issue in some gardens. All parts of this plant are extremely toxic. , Habitat, Rurderal areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators including bees, flies, and beetles.

This plant is a legume and its roots have nitrogen-fixing nodules on them. It is useful on nutrient poor soils. Treat as a small shrub or use as a ba , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Toxic to livestock and humans. , Wildlife, Deer and rabbits browse the foliage, and as a legume it provides nutritious, protein-rich food. , Habitat, Sandhill , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for wild indigo duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae) and Zarucco duskywing (Erynnis zarucco) butterflies. Pollinated by bumble bee

Range includes most of eastern and central north Ameria west to the prairie region and north into southeastern Canada.  The southern range limit is in , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Rich woods, calcareous hammocks (in FL) but frequently in acid soils elsewhere. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees -- only butterflies and long-tongued bees can reach the nectar but other insects are attracted to the flo

Climbs by twining. Train on a fence or arbor, allow to climb trees. Can be used as a groundcover but does not bloom well with that use. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.  Birds attracted to the fruits include warblers, grosbeaks, cardinals, mockinbirds, titmice, chickadees, and thrashers. , Habitat, Mesic to xeric hardwood forests and upland mixed forests, secondary woods, bluffs, floodplains, flatwoods, ruderal. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Flowers attract bees and butterflies.  Bees include Habropoda laboriosa, Bornbus griseocollis, B