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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
Vachellia farnesiana
Although drought-tolerant, this shrub/small tree may benefit from a few deep, thorough soakings during extremely dry periods. When young, it tends to
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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, Thorns on trunks and branches. Place where flowers and fragrance can be enjoyed, but away from walkways. Can suffer from root rot if too wet.
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Wildlife, The thorny branches make good cover for birds and other wildlife. Fruits are not generally valued. Attracts pollinators.
There are 2 subspecies, V. fa
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Habitat, Coastal uplands, ruderal, shell middens
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns
Attracts pollinators and uses ants both for protection against unwanted insects.
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Very rare
- Prominant olive crownshaft
- Grows tall, but not massive
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
- Intoxicating fragrance
Asclepias tomentosa
Predominantly a Florida plant, but it has also been recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas.
The species name "tomentosa" refer
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Tolerance, Unknown
Unknown
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Habitat, Scrub, sandhill, edges of xeric hammocks, scrubby flatwoods
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for monach (Danaus plexippus) , queen (Danaus gilippus) and soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies.
Nectar plant for many b
- Unique, fern-like leaves
- Striking symmetrical appearance
- Available single or multi-stalked
- Susceptible to breakage, even in moderate winds
Ficus citrifolia
Use as a specimen tree. May be large. May produce aerial roots, but less frequently than F. aurea.
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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, Many birds and other wildlife consume the fruit and find cover in this plant.
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Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Tropical hammocks.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Interesting foliage
Larval host for ruddy daggerwing (Marpesia petreus) butterflies, Edwards' wasp (Lymire edwardsii) and fig sphin
- Extremely popular
- Available single or multi-stalked
- Requires ample space and light
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Wide umbrella-shaped canopy
Quercus stellata
Shade tree. Branches may be quite twisty giving it an interesting form. Can also be used as a street tree and for ecosystem restoration.
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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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Considertions, Acorn drop can be a maintenance issue.
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Wildlife, Acorns appreciated by squirrels and other wildlife including some birds.
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Habitat, Sandhill, pine-oak-hickory woods.
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Did You Know?, Larval host for the white-M butterfly and Horace's duskywing.
- Requires shade when young
- No longer recommended
- Very showy clusters of red flowers
Philadelphus inodorus
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
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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, Hammocks, near limestone.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers
Pollinated by bees.
- Showy display of fruit
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Unique, stout pineapple-like trunk when young
- Drought tolerant
- Clusters of tubular flowers
Heliopsis helianthoides var. gracilis
Informal wildflower gardens.
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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, Seeds eaten by birds.
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Habitat, Pine-oak-hickory woods, longleaf pinelands, bluffs.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and bees but the list of insects is diverse and includes hoverflies and soldier beetles. The ground nesting bee,
- Unique swollen blue-green to silver trunk
- Colorful new leafs
- Beautiful, natural globe shape
Rudbeckia spp.
Multiple species are native to Florida. Most are attractive and many are easy to grow. This is a catch-all for species not listed individually. Ple
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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, Small seed-eating birds pick out the seeds from the mature flower heads.
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Habitat, Vary by species. Mostly sandhills, bogs, roadsides, ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attract butterflies, bees and wasps.
- Long emerald crownshaft
- Can be grown indoors
- Somewhat drought tolerant
- Colorful new leafs
- No longer recommended
Prunus caroliniana
The range extends from Texas to North Carolina mostly in the coastal plan and adjacent areas of sandy hills. In Florida, the range is continuous down
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Considertions, This plant can be too prolific as the many seedlings that come up both around the plant and under bird perching sites can become problematic. Also spr
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Wildlife, Seed is spread by birds.
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Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Upland hardwood forests, upland mixed forest, secondary woods, riverine swamps, disturbed areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts bees.
- Symmetrical shape
- Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Wonderfully fragrant flowers
Eragrostis elliottii
Wildflower garden. Mass plantings.
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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
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Wildlife, Small birds and other wildlife consume the seed.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, sandhill, wet prairie, cutthroat seeps, dry hammocks, disturbed sites.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Larval host for zabulon skipper (Poanes zabulon).
- Elegant
- Elegant and stately
- Wonderfully fragrant, carries a great distance
Asimina obovata
Understory shrub.
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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, Difficult to transplant because of long taproot.
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Wildlife, Small mammals and birds harvest the fruit.
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Habitat, Dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests, sandhill, clayhill, scrub
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host for zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) and pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus).
Pollinated by flies and
- Tall and romantic
- Relatively uncommon in South Florida
- Beautiful rounded canopy
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
