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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
Quercus austrina
Relatively small for an oak. Use as specimen tree or in a grove.
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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, racoons, deer and other wildlife eat the seeds.
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Habitat, Well drained bottomlands and bluffs.
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Did You Know?, Larval host for brown duskywing butterfly (Erynnis horatius), and gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).
- Damaged by citrus canker
- Uncommon edible fruit
- Rapid growth
- Unique foliage and silhouette
- Very fast growth rate
Amorpha fruticosa
Multistemmed shrub that can form small thickets. Plant as a screen, hedge, or background plant.
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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, Can become aggressive in some habitats.
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Habitat, Moist hammocks, dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers
Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreu
- Requires shade when young
- Colorful older leaves
- Symmetrical shape
Lantana depressa var. depressa
This is a rare South Florida native that has entered the nursery trade. A major concern is hybridization with Lantana strigocamara, a multicolored inv
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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, Birds eat the fruits and spread the seeds.
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Habitat, Pine rockland. On limestone. Vacant lots.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
May be pollinated by butterflies during the day and by moths at night (Osorio 2012). Also visited by bees.
- Forms an open canopy
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Attractive mottled bark
- Narrow canopy
- Beautiful rounded dense canopy
- Wonderfully fragrant, carries a great distance
Lupinus diffusus
Given that this is short-lived (biennial) and difficult to transplant or grow from seed, this is perhaps best encouraged in places where it grows natu
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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, Hard to establish. Biennial, though may reseed.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host for frosted elfin (Callophyris irus) butterfly, which is listed as Endangered in Flori
- Very full crown
- Attractive symmetrical appearance
- Majestic and graceful
Helianthus agrestis
This is Florida's only native annual sunflower. The Bradford County location is near both a major road and a railroad and may be a waif.
Moist wildf
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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 small mammals eat the seeds.
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Habitat, Pinelands, savannas, ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Primarily pollinated by bees. The goldenrod soldier beetle (a.k.a. leatherwing beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) is a goldenrod pol
- Showy reddish peeling bark
- Very showy clusters of red flowers
- Grows tall, but not massive
Vernonia gigantea
The genus name honors the English botanist William Vernon, who did fieldwork in North America.
Back of a moist wildflower garden. Can also use on the
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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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Habitat, Exposed sand and gravel bars of streams during low water, stream banks, hydric to wet mesic pine flatwoods. Rich soils. Ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Nectar attracts butterflies and native beens.
Larval host for spring azure butterfly.
- Colorful new leafs
- Rare, despite being a South Florida native
- Beautiful rounded dense canopy
Gossypium hirsutum
Wild cotton is a rare plant; it needs protection against missuses and protection against removal from natural populations.
Use as a short-lived "shru
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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, It is not legal to plant this plant, but the reasons are very dated.
A Florida law was passed in the early 1900s banning the growing of wild cottons,
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Habitat, Dry sites. Tropical hammock, coastal berm, shell mound. Disturbed area.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host plant for gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) butterflies.
Flowers attract bees, flies, thrips, grass hoppers,
- Easily trimmed for smaller spaces
- Elegant and stately
- Tall and stately
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
