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

Leaves have sharp spiny tips. Specimen plant. Low hedge. , 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, The leaves have hard, sharp points. , Wildlife, Provides wildlife cover , Habitat, Dry sites. Scrub, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host plant for cofaqui giant skipper (Megathymus cofaqui) and yucca giant skipper (Megathymus yuccae) butte

Shade tree. It is known for its smooth light gray bark. Its leaves turn yellow and then light brown remaining on the tree until nearly spring and prov , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, This is a large tree that will produce dense shade and many root suckers. Take this into consideration when deciding where to plant it. Slow growing. , Wildlife, Fruits (a nut in a bur) are valued by wildlife.  Tree valued for nesting by some songbirds. , Habitat, Upland, mesic to dry mesic hardwood forests. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Fall color, Interesting foliage Larval host for walnut sphinx (Amorpha juglandis).

Shrub for woodland edge or casual garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits are prized by a variety of birds and mammals. , Habitat, Sandhills, scrub, flatwoods, cypress swamp margins. Acid soils. Mesic to dry-mesic flatwoods, edges of bayneads, cypress depressions, cutthroat seeps. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Pollinated primarily by native bees.

Small tree in sandhill and other sandy-loam settings. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Does not handle root disturbance well (is noted for disappearing if land is managed by rollerchopping) , Wildlife, Acorns provide food for selected birds, squirrels, raccoons, and deer. , Habitat, Sandhill , Did You Know?, Importnt food source for some species of moths and butterflies.

This is a narrow endemic found only in the southern parts of Wakulla and Franklin Counties.  It is listed as Endangered  by the State of Florida. Wil , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Coastal scrubs and sandhills especially in the transition zone to coastal flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees.

Depending on who you ask, there are two laurel oaks in Florida.  Q. laurifolia (swamp laurel oak) and Q. hemisphaerica (Darlington oak, sand laurel oa , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Somewhat weak, and compared to live oak, short-lived. , Wildlife, Produces acorns that are used by rodents, including squirrels, and other mammals Acorns used by woodpeckers, jays, and wild turkeys. High in tannins. , Habitat, River floodplains, secondary woods. , Did You Know?, Larval host for Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) and White M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album). Larval host for several moth species (some of the c

Citrus County specimen does not come up in the FLAS database search, so the County is not included on our map. Specimen plant in moist shade gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Hammocks. Epiphytic on trees, and also occurs on fallen logs and on rocks. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Wind pollinated.  Dioecious.  According to Huegel (2010), the flowers attract insects. Plant tree in areas where fallen fruit will not be an issue. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen fruits are messy. , Wildlife, Fruits are very popular with birds and mammals and some reptiles (for example, Eastern box turtle ) , Habitat, Upper floodplains, hammocks, mesic forests.. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Forms thickets. Best used as a screen or buffer plant. , 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, Dry woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia) and spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).  Attracts long-tongued bees, sho

Endemic to the sand ridges of  central and northern peninsular Florida. Forms a thicket with many sprouts from  underground stems. , 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, Small mammals use the acorns.  Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. The acorns are utilized by squirrels. An important food source for th , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, scrubby sandhill. , Did You Know?, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host  for Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) and white-M hairstreak (P

Can be pruned. Works well as a specimen plant. Its thick, large leaves make it stand out from most other plants in the landscape. Very useful in sett , 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, Fast growing, tends to sprawl. Very cold sensitive if planted inland from the coast even in the counties noted as its range. Unless cold is extreme, i , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , Habitat, Coastal uplands , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Nectar plant for Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), julia (Dryas iulia