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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
Rhus aromatica
Range barely reaches north Florida.
Specimen shrub, border, windbreak. This is a spreading, somewhat sprawling shrub.
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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, Provides nesting, roosting and loafing cover for a variety of songbirds and game birds.
Its fruit may not be the first choice of many kinds of wildlif
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Habitat, Dry, somewhat open woods.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Primarily pollinated by bees.
- Formal, old-world appearance
- Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
- Drought tolerant
Colubrina arborescens
Listed as endangered in Florida. Please acquire from appropriate sources.
Large tree or small shrub. Buffer planting or specimen tree.
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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, Seeds. Can become a weed.
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Wildlife, Birds and other small wildlife consume seed.
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Habitat, Rockland hammocks and understory of pine rocklands.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Pollinated by bees (http://tropical.theferns.info/).
- Native
- Narrow canopy
- Abundance of orange-red flowers in summer
- Lush, dense shade tree
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Wood is quite soft and weak. This author had one break in a storm. It did however resprout from low on the trunk and the sprout is now about 15 ft t
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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, Quite thorny.
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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife eat the fruit.
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Habitat, Hammocks, wet woods, dunes, shell middens.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns
Larval host for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes).
- Attracts butterflies and bees
- Showy display of fruit
- Beautiful sweeping fronds with drooping leaflets
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
Helianthus carnosus
This species is rare and listed as endangered by the State of Florida. It is endemic to several counties along the northeast coast of Florida. Please
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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, Wet flatwoods, savannas, roadside ditches.
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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
- Striking and exotic
- Grows tall, but not massive
- Uncommon edible fruit
- Showy red berries
Saururus cernuus
Both the common and scientific genus names refer to the lizard-like shape of the drooping flower head.
This is a wetland plant. It can form dense pat
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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, Eaten by wood ducks and other foraging birds.
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Habitat, Shallow water of streams, swamps, wet forests, ditches.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Nectar plant for hairstreaks and other insects esp. bees and flies, but apparently mostly wind p
- Fragrant in the evening
- Tall and romantic
- Pyramidal crown
Tradescantia ohiensis
Adaptable to the casual or wildflower garden. Can be used as groundcover or border plant. Naturalizes.
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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, Can spread overly quickly.
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Habitat, Open sites, deciduous woods.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts pollinators, especially bees.
- Unusual deep green leaves with bronze underside
- Unique, sweet almond flavor
- Attracts butterflies and bees
- Drought tolerant
- Attractive light to medium green crownshaft
- Medium stature
Diospyros virginiana
Persimmon wood is very hard and nearly black--it's in the ebony family.
Typically grown for its fruit. Plant in full sun. Also useful as an early suc
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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, Tent caterpillars can be an aesthetic issue and fruit drop can be messy. Persimmons are dioecious, so if you wish to have fruit, make sure that you ha
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Wildlife, Fruits are used by a broad array of small mammals and some birds.
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Habitat, Dry-moist-wet sites. Disturbed sites, wetland edges, old fields, sandhill.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance
Larval host for royal walnut moth (Citheronia regalis), pecan carpenterworm moth (Cossula magnifi
- Very showy clusters of red flowers
- Tall and romantic
- Formal appearance
- Dense, full crown
- Wonderfully fragrant
Clusia rosea
This Florida native has been introduced into Hawaii where it is extremely invasive. In fact, it has earned the distinction of being listed in the Glob
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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, Easily spread by birds so it can become somewhat of a pest.
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Wildlife, Dense foliage creates cover for birds and other wildlife (https://www.plantcreations.com/).
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Habitat, Cultivated. According to Wunderlin (1998), probably native, but may not exist outside of cultivation today. Xeric and dry mesic hammocks, scrub.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Can produce seed without pollination.
- Showy fall color
- Showy creamy white flowers
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Width often exceeds height
- Wonderfully fragrant at night
- Dark green leaves
Spartina bakeri
Large clump-forming grass with uses as tall groundcover, specimen plant, or border plant. Nice along edges of ponds and water features.
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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, Wet prairie, edges of marshes, but mostly inland--rarely coastal.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Magnificent
- Adequate moisture required
- Requires protection from strong winds
- Beloved in South Florida
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
Telmatoblechnum serrulatum
This is one of the most common ferns in central-southern Florida and potentially one of the most beautiful.
Ground cover for moist, shady sites. Also
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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, Will spread unless contained by physical or environmental limits. Periodic removal of old fronds is recommended.
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Habitat, Marshes, swamps
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Unique swollen blue-green to silver trunk
- Requires high humidity
- Tropical silhouette
- Unique foliage
- Beautiful purple-brown crownshaft
- Moderately drought tolerant
