Natural landscapes including meadows and butterfly gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Purple thistle is a thorny plant - be very careful when handling. , Wildlife, The seeds are rich in oil, an important food source for seed-eating birds. , Habitat, Coastal plain, edges of salt marshes, pinewoods, prairies and disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns Larval host to little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis) and painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies. N

This plant is rare in Florida. It is much more common further north where it is absolutely spectacular in early spring. Specimen plant. It can be pru , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Seep stream (banks). Further north, it also occurs along lake edges. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Mining bees are known to be frequent pollinators of ninebark flowers.  Both short and long-tongu , Tolerance , Habitat , Did You Know?

Low specimen plant, mass plantings. Can be used as a low hedge, even sheared. Useful for beach dune stabilization. , 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 , Considertions, Clonal. , Wildlife, Provides food for birds. , Habitat, Dunes, coastal areas with rocky soils (sunny, open areas), pine rockland , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Flowers attract butterflies.

This is a rare plant. Please acquire from a reputable nursery. It is close kin to an invasive exotic (S. frutescens)from Australia -- be sure you are , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without i , Wildlife, Fruits attract birds. , Habitat, Coastal sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Bees are believed to be the primary pollinators.  Also attracts wasps, moths, and ants.

Retain in the landscape for coastal protection where present. Used for dune restoration. , Tolerance, Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation) High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and , Wildlife, Provides some cover for wildlife and maybe some foods. , Habitat, Salt marsh, dunes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance

Its twisting shape makes it an interesting specimen tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fast growing, fairly weak hence somewhat prone to breaking. , Wildlife, Squirrels and other rodents eat the seeds. , Habitat, Found naturally in floodplains. Has become widely established in ruderal settings. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators, particularly native bees.   Larval host for Cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia).

Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Fatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, scrub, dunes, beach strands, sand ridges, fields and roadsides, sandhill. Pyrophytic. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees. Leafcutting bees from the family Megachilidae have been observed visiting the flowers at the Archbold Bi

Specimen plant or rock garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, If conditions are right, it's a prolific reseeder. , Wildlife, Blooms attract hummingbirds. Seeds consumed by small birds. , Habitat, Bluffs and rock outcrops in moist deciduous forests. May also be found on shallow loamy soils over rock. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Blooms attract bees, butterflies, and hawk moths

Flowers range from maroon to maroon and white, to maroon and green mixed. One common name is gopherberry - because golpher tortoise eat the fruit. Sp , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, difficult to establish because of long taproot. , Wildlife, Birds and small wildlife consume the fruit. The fruit of dwarf pawpaw is sometimes called gopherberry because the fruit is eaten by gopher tortoises. , Habitat, Flatwoods, scrub, sandhill , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host to the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus)and pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus). Pollinated by flie

Listed as Threatened by the State of Florida.  Please acqure from reputable sources. Screen or hedge plant. Informal foundation shrub. Blooms profuse , 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 , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits and the red&black arils. , Habitat, Tropical/coastal hammock edges, dunes, fields. Dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host  for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), and Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi be

Can be cut back to improve appearance, but should not be severely pruned more than once a year. Spores cover undersides of leaves giving them a bi-col , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. , Considertions, Not drought tolerant. , Wildlife, Used as cover. , Habitat, Brackish and freshwater marshes, swamps, river floodplains. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Three subspecies occur in Florida.  The subspecies ranges somewhat overlap.  Subspecies cruiseana is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. In , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without i , Considertions, Becomes less than attractive after flowering. , Wildlife, Primarily wind dispersed, but small birds consume seed. , Habitat, Scrub, sandhills. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Butterflies and bees including green metallic, sweat, leafcutter, bumble and mining bees (Florida Wildflower Foundation).