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Senna ligustrina
Because it's a legume it can grow in poor soils, but does better with added organic matter.
Specimen shrub.
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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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Habitat, Hammock edges, disturbed areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host plant for cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae), sleepy orange (Eurema nicippi) and the introduced orange-barred sulphur (Phoe
- Requires ample space and light
- Adequate moisture required
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
Heliotropium gnaphalodes
Is listed as Endangered in Florida.
Hedges; small specimen plants; mass planting; ground cover; large planters. Dune reclamation.
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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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Considertions, A beautiful shrub for oceanfront gardens, but susceptible to diseases inland.
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Habitat, Coastal uplands, dunes.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) and other butterfly speci
- Beloved in South Florida
- Does poorly oceanside
- Attracts butterflies
- Relatively compact and narrow canopy
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
Dalea pinnata
Three species occur in Florida. Please plant your local variety.
Wildflower garden where it is very showy in late summer/early fall.
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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 birds and small mammals consume consume the seeds (https://flawildflowers.org/).
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Habitat, Dry flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. This species can be seen at the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia).
Attracts insects, especially bees.
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
- Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
- Tiered branches
Magnolia virginiana
The silvery undersides of the leaves are striking.
Erroneously listed as a host for palamedes swallowtail butterflies. Palamedes swallowtails only fee
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
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Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by woodpeckers, kingbirds, red-eyed vireos, mockingbirds, robins, thrushes, crows, cardinals, squirrels, mice among others.
Deer brows
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Habitat, Bay swamp, forested seep slopes, floodplains of small streams, low flatwoods where fire has been excluded.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Larval host plant for Eastern tiger swallowtail (Pterou
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Attractive silver-gray foliage
- Heavy feeder
Magnolia tripetala
The plant is listed as Endangered by the FDACS. Please acquire from reputable nurseries with appropriate permits for propagating and selling this spe
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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, Good wildlife shelter. Fruits eaten and dispersed by birds and small mammals.
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Habitat, Slope forest on steep north-facing slopes.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Beetles are the primary pollinators of magnolia flowers. The flowers have a hardened carpel to avoid
- Elegant
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Retains leaves until just before blooming
- Year-round blooms
Lantana involucrata
Cover plant, hedge plant, screen.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits. Occasionally attracts hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Coastal dunes. Disturbed areas in tropical hammocks (needs light) and pine rocklands.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance
Attracts butterflies and other pollinators including ants and bees (IRC).
- Highly versatile
- Excellent edible fruit
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
- Moderately slow growth
Nymphaea mexicana
The range of this plant appears to encompass most of Florida with actual occurrances having been found in streams with appropriate water chemistry (ap
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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, Aquatic. Quiet pools in spring-run streams, spring-fed lakes and ponds, still water.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Everything from flies, to beetles, and various sorts of bees have been recorded on water lilies (In Defense of Plants blog). Given the
- Attractive and unique swollen trunk
- Often draped with Spanish moss
- Handsome
- Attractive dark green leaves
- Elegant appearance
- Distinctive-looking fruit with spiked exterior
Varronia globosa
Background shrub.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Considertions, Can become weedy in the right conditions.
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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume food. Attracts various pollinators especially bees and butterflies.
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Habitat, Old fields, open areas, edges of hammocks.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Attracts butterflies including malachite, atala, and daggerwinds (Haehle and Brookstone 1999).
- Not recommended
- Readily pruned into attractive shapes
- Elegant and compact
- Salt tolerant
Quercus muehlenbergii
The range of this species barely makes it into north Florida but extends north to southern Canada.
Shade tree.
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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, Fallen/falling acorns can be a maintenance issue.
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Wildlife, Acorns appreciated by squirrels, deer, turkey and other wildlife
Used by birds for resting and nesting
Larval host for gray hairstreak butterfly
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Habitat, Mesic calcareous hammocks.
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Did You Know?, Larval host for the white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).
- Elegant
- Towering
- Extremely versatile
Aralia spinosa
FNPS Blog article
Specimen plant or background hedge.
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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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Considertions, When its huge triply compound leaves are shed in the fall, only the main thorny stem is left standing through the winter months--hence the name devil'
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Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. Birds include nuthatches, orioles, chickadees, titmice, and warblers.
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Habitat, The edges of dry hammocks and dry hardwood forests.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns
Attracts butterflies and bees. Documented bee species include Colletes mandibularis, Hylaeus confluens, Augochlo
- Slow Growth
- Wonderfully fragrant at night
- Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
- Symmetrical shape
- Narrow enough for tight spaces
- Fragrant clusters of flowers in fall
Peperomia obtusifolia
Most plants sold as P. obtusifolia are from tropical American stock; local sources are recommended both to protect the genome and to enhance your like
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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, Swamps (epiphytic on trees/logs).
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
The floral morphology of Peperomia species suggests wind- and/or insect pollination, but not much is known.
- Pleasant rounded shape
- Relatively compact and narrow canopy
- Susceptible to breakage, even in moderate winds
- Often hosts orchids, ferns and bromiliads
