Three species occur in Florida. Please plant your local variety. Wildflower garden where it is very showy in late summer/early fall. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Some birds and small mammals consume consume the seeds (https://flawildflowers.org/). , Habitat, Dry flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. This species can be seen at the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia). Attracts insects, especially bees.

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 , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds love the seeds. , Habitat, Flatwoods, woodlands, ruderal areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Bees and butterflies are attracted to sunflowers. The goldenrod soldier beetle (a.k.a. leatherwing beetle(, Chauliognathus pensylvanicu

This species and other members of the Lauraceae are being attacked by a serious, fatal disease. Do not plant this plant unless you are absolutely sure , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Do not move deadwood. It will spread the disease. , Wildlife, Seed eaten and dispersed by birds. , Habitat, Shallow areas in swamps, hydric savannas, seep slopes including cutthroat seeps, wet flatwoods, sloughs. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance Larval host plant for palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) and spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) butterflies. Attracts be

Use in moist areas as a wildflower. It is semi-woody, and if given adequate moisture can be a specimen plant. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees and solitary anthophorid bees (Ptilithrix bombiformis).  Butterflies are attracted to the nector. , Habitat, Wet sites. Wet pine flatwoods, edges of sloughs, swamps, bogs, brackish and freshwater marshes and ditches. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host of  Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies and  four

Use along streams or edges of retention areas. Can be a screen or specimen tree in moist areas. Blooms better in moderate to high light settings. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. , Habitat, Riverine swamps, bluffs, bluffs, gum swamps. Typically in areas of relatively brief, shallow inundation. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and butterflie

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.

Restoration of savannas. Curiosity in the wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Small birds consume seed. , Habitat, Cutthroat seeps, wet flatwoods, savannas. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits it is the larval host plant of arogos skipper (Atrytone arogos) butterflies.

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

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 , 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, Fruit is used by generalists. , Habitat, Open sandy areas. Often coastal. , Did You Know?, Attracts bees.

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.

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.