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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
Bletia purpurea
Retain if present in natural setting. Can be grown in a wildflower garden.
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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, Pine rocklands, swampy forests on stumps and logs just above high water levels, in humus.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
The flowers do not produce nectar but use food deception to attract various bees including Euglossa, Thygater and Melipona, a genus of
- Width often exceeds height
- Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Colorful older leaves
- Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
Phytolacca americana
Interesting red stems. Makes a good specimen plant in an informal garden. Weedy in appearance if in large numbers and stems tend to split when branche
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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, The roots and seeds are poisonous.
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Wildlife, Birds eat the berries.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, disturbed areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Attracts bees including Augochlora pura, Augochloropsis metallica, A. sumptuosa, Dialictus miniatulus, D. nymphalis, D. p
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Elegant
- Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
- Attractive dark green leaves
- Available single or multi-stalked
- Attracts butterflies and bees
Taxodium ascendens
This is a deciduous conifer.
Specimen tree. Mass plantings in moist areas. Wetland restoration and enhancement.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Considertions, May produce knees (roots that poke up above ground level) even if grown in uplands. This species is less prone to knees than bald cypress(T. distchum)
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Wildlife, Seeds are used by some mammals and seed-eating birds.
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Habitat, Usually found in smaller wetlands that historically burned. Restricted to areas that dry out periodically (for reproduction) and naturally found in a
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
- Unique, sweet almond flavor
- Prefers acidic soil
- Iconic symbol of the south
- Adequate fertalization required
Pinus serotina
Rarely grown. This tree occurs predominantly in the coastal plain (withoutliers) from eastern Alabama north to southern New Jersey.
Shade tree for m
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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, Birds, squirrels and other animals eat the seeds.
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Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Hydric to mesic seep slopes, fringes of cypress and mixed hardwood swamps, wet flatwoods, mesic flatwoods.
- Dense attractive foliage
- Fragrant clusters of flowers in fall
- Iconic symbol of the south
- Unique and prized
- Recently classified invasive
- Prefers acidic soil
Litsea aestivalis
Litsea aestivalis is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. Since that listing, the laurel wilt disease has come to Florida, and is known to k
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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, Fruits eaten by birds and mammals.
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Habitat, Near the edges of forested wetlands and some seasonal ponds wtih open centers.
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Did You Know?, Attracts flies and small bees.
A likely host for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly.
- Highly nutritious fruit
- Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
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
Ratibida pinnata
Its range in Florida is limited to only a couple of northern counties,.
Wildflower garden.
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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, Attracts birds.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees and butterflies.
- Native
- Attractive symmetrical appearance
- Relatively uncommon in South Florida
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
- Fragrant in the evening
Iris savannarum
This iris and I. hexagona were considered to be a single species until recently. I. savannarum is the most common iris species in Florida.
Moist wil
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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, Marshes, wet prairie, dome swamps, riverine swamps in openings.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees esp. bumblebees.
- Sprawling and informal shrub
- Beautiful silhouette
- Highly wind tolerant
- Not recommended
- Excellent small to medium hedge
Senna ligustrina
Because it's a legume it can grow in poor soils, but does better with added organic matter.
Specimen shrub.
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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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Habitat, Hammock edges, disturbed areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host plant for cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae), sleepy orange (Eurema nicippi) and the introduced orange-barred sulphur (Phoe
- Requires ample space and light
- Adequate moisture required
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
Eragrostis spectabilis
Makes a good border plant that becomes a pink haze in the 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, Birds and other wildlife consume seed.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, sandhills, lake shores, disturbed sites.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host for zabulon skipper (Poanes zabulon).
- Massive, breathtaking and impressive
- Very fast growth rate
- Width often exceeds height
Cirsium horridulum
Natural landscapes including meadows and butterfly gardens.
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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, Purple thistle is a thorny plant - be very careful when handling.
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Wildlife, The seeds are rich in oil, an important food source for seed-eating birds.
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Habitat, Coastal plain, edges of salt marshes, pinewoods, prairies and disturbed areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns
Larval host to little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis) and painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies.
N
- Swollen, succulent branches
- Attracts butterflies and bees
- Readily pruned into attractive shapes
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Mostly bare in the coldest months
