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Phlox spp.
Florida has a number of Phlox species, almost all found in forested settings. The common roadside species (Phlox drummondii) is not a Florida native (
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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 phlox species attract hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Open woods.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and bees.
- Very full crown
- Smaller stature
- Wonderfully fragrant
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
Magnolia pyramidata
Any pruning should happen during the growing season, not when the plant is dormant.
This small tree is listed as Endangered by the FDACS. Please acqu
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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 are eaten and dispersed by birds and small mammals.
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Habitat, Slope forest, upland mixed forest. Rare.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Beetles are the primary pollinators of magnolia flowers. The flowers have a hardened carpel to avoid damage by the
- Excellent choice for narrow spaces
- Pleasant rounded shape
- Moderately drought tolerant
Pinus clausa
Foliage is fine-textured. Fast growing. Subject to root problems in poorly drained areas.
Highly flammible and old trees are weak. Think twice about
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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, Roots are sensitive to disturbance.
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Wildlife, Squirrels and other animals eat the seeds.
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Habitat, Dry sites. Scrub, scrubby flatwoods.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Slender profile
- Does poorly oceanside
- Showy clusters orange-yellow fruits in spring
- Formal, old-world appearance
- Often draped with Spanish moss
- Magnificent showy flowers in summer
Borrichia frutescens
Natural range is restricted to coastal areas.
Native borders, foundation plant, especially in salty environments. Can be trimmed.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury.
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Considertions, Suckers heavily forming large patches.
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Wildlife, Birds and small mammals use the seeds.
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Habitat, Salt marsh, tidal flats.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Nectar plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste), gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), so
- Will not tolerate frost
- Relatively uncommon in South Florida
- Very full crown
Chamaecrista fasciculata
Sources disagree on the salt tolerance of this species.
Sometimes used for erosion control. Good in casual garden settings, especially useful for but
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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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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume seed which is reported to be particularly important for the bobwhite.
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Habitat, Scrub, high pine (sandhill, clayhill), dry flatwoods, dunes, open disturbed areas where seed is available.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for cloudless sulfur (Phoebis senna), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme), sleepy orange (
- Falls over easily, may require staking
- Beautiful sweeping fronds with drooping leaflets
- Beautiful, natural globe shape
- Arched, recurving fronds
- Slender and elegant
- Attractive silver-gray foliage
Hypericum hypericoides
Mass plantings, small specimen shrubs
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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, Foliage and seeds are food sources for birds and mammals.
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Habitat, Hammock,mesic to dry mesic hardwood or mixed pine forest, flatwoods, floodplains, ruderal areas, sandhill, wet calcareous hammocks, secondary woods.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.
- Stout, swollen trunk
- Beautiful exotic foliage
- Beautiful silhouette
- No longer recommended
Physalis walteri
Based on BONAP maps and the ISB website, the range of Physalis walteri likely includes the entire peninsula of Florida but becomes restricted to areas
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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, Fruit is used by generalists.
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Habitat, Open sandy areas. Often coastal.
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Did You Know?, Attracts bees.
- Highly salt tolerant
- Unique and prized
- Underutilized
- Available multi-stalked
Ulmus alata
May need trimming to form a single trunk tree for landscaping.
Makes an excellent specimen tree due to the corky wings on its twigs. Older speciments
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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, Susceptible to the Dutch elm disease (not a problem in Florida). Has a shallow root system
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Wildlife, Important early spring food for songbirds.
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Habitat, Floodplains, slopes, well-drained forests.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Larval host for the question mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)
- Stunning during brief late spring bloom
- Swollen, succulent branches
- Symmetrical shape
Amsonia ciliata
The blue tubular flower opens into 5 petal-like lobes with a white center. Several blossoms grow in a loose cluster. Narrow seed pods and dark yellow
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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, Ruby-throated hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar.
Avoided by mammalian herbivores.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, chalky hills.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers
The flowers attract long-tongued insects such as carpenter bees, hummingbird moths, and butterflies. Not known to be a lar
- Healthy edible fruit
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Width often exceeds height
- Slow Growth
- Dark green leaves
Thelypteris kunthii
Groundcover recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restoration.
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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, Cover for many ground-dwelling species.
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Habitat, Hydric and mesic hammocks, shallow swamps and swamp edges, floodplains, limerock, concrete, ditches.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Does best with periodic fertalization
- Extremely versatile
- Can be grown indoors
- Showy red berries
- Often draped with Spanish moss
Lyonia fruticosa
Retain if present. Can be used as part of a screen in a dry site setting.
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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, Slow growing.
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Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Cutthroat seeps, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, scrub.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees. The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Lyonia fruticosa at Archbold Biologica
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Heavy feeder
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
