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

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

Wetland wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon ( , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. , Habitat, Salt, brackish, or fresh water marshes, sloughs, ditches, borders of mangrove and other swamps, wet forest clearings. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and various pollinators. , Propagation, Fruit ones don't come true from seed so propagate vegetatively with either cuttings or by grafting onto a hardy rootstock. , Did You Know?, The plant is smaller, typically a large shrub, and more cold hardy. The fruits are sweet, with a thinner, edible red skin and the white flesh interior

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?

The showy part of this plant is the bracts which are pink to lavender. Flowers are actually small, whitish to yellowish, with purple spots. Wildflowe , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Can get rangy and fall over, but trimming in early summer will keep it bushier. , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. , Habitat, Dry disturbed areas, old fields, and upper sand dunes. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts many bees, butterflies, and 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

This naturally occurring hybrid has become a landscaping favorite. Ilex x attenuata is a natural hybrid originally found growing in the wild in Florid , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds. , Habitat, Freshwater and brackish marshes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Bees visit the flowers, but all plants are female.  This is apparently one of the few hollies where

Interesting silky-looking foliage. Tallish groundcover in mesic (moist) areas. Can be planted in groupings in shady areas. Despite the name, the leav , 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, Dispersed by birds. , Habitat, Dry mesic to mesic and hydric hammock, second bottom, shell mounds, floodplains. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Attracts bees and butterflies.

Noted for fragrance. Casual shade garden. It spreads, so eventually acts as a groundcover. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees, esp. bumblebees.

Used extensively in Indian cultures. Fruits are very high in Vitamin C. Casual settings, wetland edge or screen plant. Rain gardens and bioswales. Lo , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Many would consider this plant weedy: it does self seed and spread via rhizomes. It's wood is weak; stems break easily. Use where these characteristic , Wildlife, Fruits popular with birds. , Habitat, Disturbed wetland edges, wet roadsides, etc. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Flowers attract many pollinators.

This species is listed as invasive in parts of the world where it is not native. Water garden, planting of surface water management pond. Often used , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Water. Ponds, lakes, quiet streams, swampa, ditches, canals. This species can be seen in the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area in Hillsborough , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Pollinated by bees and flies.

Toxic  to humans. and some animals. Specimen plant, foundation planting, screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Old stems should be pruned. Plant tends to sucker, so plant where suckers are an asset. , Wildlife, Some birds and other wildlife consume fruit.  Foliage is poisonous. , Habitat, Seepage areas, moist hammocks, swamps, river floodplains , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts bees and butterflies.