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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
Gordonia lasianthus
Makes a good specimen tree or a cluster of in wet areas along margins of lakes and ponds.
This tree is columnar in form and can make a formal-looking
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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, Sensitive to drying. Difficult to grow unless its moisture requirements are met.
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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Seepage swamps, bay swamps, edges of cypress domes, low flatwoods. This species is likely restricted to wetland edges both by its ne
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Flowers attract a variety of insects including bees and flies.
- Heavy feeder
- Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
- Beloved in South Florida
Mosiera longipes
It is listed as threatened by the state of Florida.
Groundcover or border plant. This is a low spreading shrub. Shiny foliage.
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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, Rockland hammock, pine rockland.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts bees and butterflies.
- Striking symmetrical appearance
- Tiered branches
- Prominent blue-gray crownshaft
- Stately and uncommon
- Unique, sweet almond flavor
- Heavy feeder
Pinus palustris
Highly tolerant of fire once established.
Shade tree. Woodland tree.
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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, Huge pine cones litter the ground, so not a good tree for a lawn.
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Wildlife, Known for its use by squirrels, especially fox squirrels. Birds also eat the nuts.
Old trees in well managed (properly burned) natural sandhill and fl
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Habitat, Sandhill, mesic to dry flatwoods.
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Did You Know?, Hurricane wind resistance
- Rapid growth
- Dark green leaves
- Colorful new leafs
- Requires shade when young
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
Liatris savannensis
Endemic to western peninsular Florida from Tampa south to Charlotte County.
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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Considertions, Sometimes the flower stalks are too tall and heavy to stand. Can be cut back mid-summer to reduce height. In a large garden, the twisted fallen stalks
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Habitat, Flatwoods.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and bees.
- Salt tolerant
- Very slow growth
- Does best in warmer areas of South Florida
- Sprawling and informal shrub
Cladium jamaicense
Sawgrass is a sedge, not a grass. It was this plant that Marjory Stoneman Douglas referred to in her seminal work: "The Everglades: River of Grass."
A
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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, Blades have sharp edges...hence the common name. Best planted where people will not brush by it.
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Habitat, Swamps, marshes, shores of water bodies, common in coastal marsh, glades, cypress prairie.
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Did You Know?, Larval host of the Palatka skipper (Euphyes pilatka).
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
- Very showy clusters of flowers
- Unique fluffy fronds
- Massive stature
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
Vachellia farnesiana
Although drought-tolerant, this shrub/small tree may benefit from a few deep, thorough soakings during extremely dry periods. When young, it tends to
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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, Thorns on trunks and branches. Place where flowers and fragrance can be enjoyed, but away from walkways. Can suffer from root rot if too wet.
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Wildlife, The thorny branches make good cover for birds and other wildlife. Fruits are not generally valued. Attracts pollinators.
There are 2 subspecies, V. fa
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Habitat, Coastal uplands, ruderal, shell middens
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns
Attracts pollinators and uses ants both for protection against unwanted insects.
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Very rare
- Prominant olive crownshaft
- Grows tall, but not massive
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
- Intoxicating fragrance
Carya aquatica
Specimen tree in wet settings. This is a good plant to grow in floodplains.
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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, Nut and leaf drop can be messy in a home landscape.
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Wildlife, Ducks and other wildlife consume nuts.
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Habitat, Swamps
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Larval host for many moths including; luna moth (Actias luna), hickory leafroller moth (Argyrotaenia juglandana), royal walnut mo
- Available multi-stalked
- Elegant and stately
- Extremely popular
- Completely bare in winter
- Attractive light to medium green crownshaft
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
