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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
Solidago odora var. chapmanii
This forms clumps but does not form large clones, which means it will not take over a garden.
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, Songbirds such as goldfinches and sparrows eat the seeds, and mice and deer browse the foliage and flowers.
Provides cover for many small animals inc
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Habitat, Typically a plant of mesic to dry flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods. Can be ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Used for nectar by butterflies.
Attracts a wide variety of pollinators, especially bees. Documented bee visitors include Colletes maiz
- Not as popular as it once was
- Slow Growth
- Long-lived perennial
- Native
Polystichum acrostichoides
The range of this species includes much of eastern North America up into southern Canada. Its occurrence in Florida is sparse with appropriate substr
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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, Benefits from periodic removal of old fronds.
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Habitat, Rocky hammocks and upper margins of swamps.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- No longer recommended
- Highly wind tolerant
- Stately and uncommon
- Unusual stilt roots
- Beloved in South Florida
Cercis canadensis
Bloom can be long lasting relative to other early spring blooming trees -- as long as a month. Duration is dependent on temperature. Flowers grow dire
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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, At the extreme south end of its range, it may not bloom well. The wood is weak and is likely to break off during a high wind event unless grouped with
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Habitat, Upland hardwood forests. Bluffs, hammocks, secondary woods.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host for Henry's elfin (Callophrys henrici) and io moth (Automeris io).
Popular with bees including bumbleb
- Highly versatile
- Ideal with Mediterranean architecture
- Ideal for smaller spaces
- Unique foliage and silhouette
Clematis reticulata
Grow on a fence, trellis, or arbor. In informal settings, allow to twine around tree or shrub stems. Interesting bell-shaped flowers and whorled white
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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 small wildlife consume seed.
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Habitat, Dry mesic upland mixed forest, sandhill.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host for mournful thyris (Thyris sepulchralis).
Attracts various pollinators, especially bees.
- Adequate fertalization required
- Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
- Showy red berries
- Elegant appearance
- Swollen, succulent branches
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
Jacquemontia pentanthos
This species is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. Please acquire only from reputable sources with proper permits.
Grow as a sprawling vi
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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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Wildlife, Provides food for birds.
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Habitat, Coastal hammocks esp. on dunes.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts a variety of insect pollinators including the Nessus sphinx (Amphion floridensis), Tantalus sphinx (Aellopus tantalus) and Ter
- Elegant and compact
- Dense, full crown
- Cornerstone plant in South Florida
- Imposing 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
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
