Red/orange fall color is excellent. Leaves have three separate shapes: ovoid, tri-lobed, or mitten-shaped (left or right). Mature trees tend to have f , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Like other members of this family, sassafras trees are threatened by the spread of the redbay ambrosia beetle and the laural wilt fungus it carries. M , Wildlife, Birds consume fruit. , Habitat, Dry sites. Dry mesic forests. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Fall color, Interesting foliage Larval food for spicebush butterfly(Papilio troilus), tiger swallow-tail(papilio glaucus), palamede

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 , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and mammals. , Habitat, Near the edges of forested wetlands and some seasonal ponds wtih open centers. , Did You Know?, Attracts flies and small bees.  A likely host for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly.

Because it's a legume it can grow in poor soils, but does better with added organic matter. Specimen shrub. , 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 , Habitat, Hammock edges, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host plant for cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae), sleepy orange (Eurema nicippi) and the introduced orange-barred sulphur (Phoe

Is listed as Endangered in Florida. Hedges; small specimen plants; mass planting; ground cover; large planters. Dune reclamation. , 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 , Considertions, A beautiful shrub for oceanfront gardens, but susceptible to diseases inland. , Habitat, Coastal uplands, dunes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) and other butterfly speci

Natural range is restricted to coastal areas. Native borders, foundation plant, especially in salty environments. Can be trimmed. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. , Considertions, Suckers heavily forming large patches. , Wildlife, Birds and small mammals use the seeds. , Habitat, Salt marsh, tidal flats. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste), gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), so

Flowers tend to appear in spring or after a significant rainfall. Otherwise inconspicuous. Small wildflower or plant in with other low groundcovers. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dome swamp, wet flatwoods, wet prairie. In ditches, wet pastures, roadsides. Often in burned areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators.

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

This is a wetland plant, but it will do well once established in a moist garden setting. Moist wildflower gardens. Easily grown along streams. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Riverine swamps, riverine marshes, open wet prairies. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Pollinated by sphinx moths. Larval host for Spanish moth a.k.a. convict caterpillar (Xanthopastis timais)

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.

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 , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Exposed sand and gravel bars of streams during low water, stream banks, hydric to wet mesic pine flatwoods. Rich soils. Ruderal. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar attracts butterflies and native beens.  Larval host for spring azure butterfly.

Multi-stemmed. A single stem is a curiosity. A large multi-stemmed plant is a long-blooming wonder. Despite the common name, this species has sweet-sm , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Hammocks, near limestone. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Pollinated by bees.

The silvery undersides of the leaves are striking. Erroneously listed as a host for palamedes swallowtail butterflies. Palamedes swallowtails only fee , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by woodpeckers, kingbirds, red-eyed vireos, mockingbirds, robins, thrushes, crows, cardinals, squirrels, mice among others. Deer brows , Habitat, Bay swamp, forested seep slopes, floodplains of small streams, low flatwoods where fire has been excluded. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant for Eastern tiger swallowtail (Pterou