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Attractive Butterflies Clear all
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Ilex opaca
Both male and female plants required for pollination and seed set. Specimen tree.  Screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp spines (teeth) on leaves. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds. , Habitat, Upland woods, second bottom but will not tolerate long flooding. Often an understory plant. Documented in Lee County in a site likely to be natural. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Bees pollinate flowers.
  • Fruit eaten by birds
  • Does best in warmer areas of South Florida
  • Moderately slow growth
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Seymeria spp.
They are included here because they are valuable to insects and because they are lovely and good to have in a native garden if you are lucky enough to , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Both species are hemi-parasitic (semi-parasitic) and difficult to grow without appropriate host plants. , Habitat, Open upland woods and disturbed edges. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for  black buckeye. Attracts insects.
  • Compact size
  • Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
  • Colorful new leafs
  • Tropical silhouette
  • Excellent small to medium hedge
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Tripsacum floridanum
Grows well well north of its native range.  Documented in very southern counties with an outlier in Martin County -- that outlier is also unique in th , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can get messy after cold spells. , Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by birds.  Provides cover for lizzards and other small animals. , Habitat, Pine rockland. Also cultivated. Dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host for Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus).
  • Susceptible to breakage, even in moderate winds
  • Highly wind tolerant
  • Symmetrical shape
  • Sometime grows horozontially
  • Elegant appearance
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Symphyotrichum concolor
Benefits from controlled burns. There are contradictions in herbarium databases, and reliable observations in counties where there are no herbarium sp , 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 , Wildlife, Used as browse by deer to the extent that in some states, browsing is an issue. , Habitat, Dry, sandy , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for many butterfly species but also visited by other native insect pollinators.
  • Tiered branches
  • Wind tolerant
  • Sometime grows horozontially
  • Massive stature
  • Width often exceeds height
  • Slender and elegant
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Eugenia confusa
Listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. Please acquire in an environmentally conscientious manner. Retain in the natural landscape if present. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Slow growing. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , Habitat, Rockland hammock. Coastal hammock. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Insect pollinated.
  • Sometime grows horozontially
  • Does poorly in very wet soil
  • Elegant and stately
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Eutrochium fistulosum
Mass planting or specimen plant in moist areas. Best for informal gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , Habitat, Moist hammocks, flatwoods, stream banks. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies. Attracts many pollinators including bees. Larval host plant for clymene moth (Haploa clymene).
  • Magnificent when flowering
  • Deciduous
  • Does best with periodic fertalization
  • Unusually shaped, asymmetrical tree
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Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum
Some literature sources suggest that this species may have some salt tolerance as it apparently grows along the upper edges of some salt marshes, but , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Wet flatwoods, roadside ditches in former flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers This plant is an insect magnet! It attracts insects including long-tongued bees, green metallic bees, bee flies, butterflies, and skipp
  • Ideal for smaller spaces
  • Abundance of orange-red flowers in summer
  • Long-lasting year-round blooms
  • Extremely versatile
  • Elegant appearance
  • Somewhat drought tolerant
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Zephyranthes simpsonii
Flowers tend to appear in spring or after a significant rainfall. Otherwise inconspicuous. Small wildflower or plant in with other low groundcovers. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dome swamp, wet flatwoods, wet prairie. In ditches, wet pastures, roadsides. Often in burned areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators.
  • Often draped with Spanish moss
  • Magnificent
  • Stunning and colorful while in bloom
  • Delicious edible fruit
  • Prolific fruiter
  • Does best with periodic fertalization
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Clethra alnifolia
The herbarium specimen from Polk County almost certainly has a wrong location.  Lithia is in Hillsborough County and the most likely translation of a , 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 , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. Birds and other small wildlife consume the seed (https://wildflower.org) , Habitat, Moist-wet areas, acid soils. Wet flatwoods, savannas, swamps, stream banks, bogs, other wet areas. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees which have evolved to take advantage of narrow, tubular flowers.
  • Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
  • Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
  • Magnificent showy flowers in summer
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Ptelea trifoliata
Understory tree, use as a background plant or screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Floodplains, rich woodlands, upland mixed forest. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits Larval host for the giant swallowtail. Carrion flies pollinate the flowers.
  • Very showy bright yellow flowers
  • Slender trunk, 4" in diameter
  • Relatively uncommon in South Florida
  • Native
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Viburnum obovatum
The name Walter's viburnum honors Thomas Walter (1740-89), English-born planter of South Carolina, who described this species in his Flora Caroliniana , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit. , Habitat, Riverine forests, swamp borders, hydric hammocks. Also cultivated as an ornamental. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for the spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon). Both native and non-native vibu
  • Unusual stilt roots
  • Slender profile
  • Requires protection from strong winds
  • Often hosts orchids, ferns and bromiliads
  • Excellent hedge choice
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Argemone mexicana
This is one of Florida's most showy and most under-appreciated wildflowers. Look for it along disturbed roadsides in mid-late winter and early spring. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp thorn-like prickles cover most of the plant. Highly toxic. , Habitat, Ruderal areas. Common on dry roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Attracts pollinators including bees, flies, and beetles.  Documented bee species include  Apis mellifera (honeybee), Dialictus
  • Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
  • Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
  • Very showy clusters of red flowers
  • Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
  • Fruit eaten by birds
  • Fragrant in the evening