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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
Gaillardia pulchella
It is difficult to know the native range of this plant in Florida as it has been widely planted on roadsides across much of the state at least since t
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Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without i
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Considertions, A series of studies in the last 10 years are suggesting that Gaillardia pulchella is likely not native to Florida. It is widely grown and naturaliz
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Wildlife, Birds that eat the seeds include chickadees, titmice, and warblers.
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Habitat, Dry sites, often near the coast.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts many pollinators including native bees, honeybees, butterflies, butterflies and wasps.
- Attractive silver-gray foliage
- Tiered branches
- Showy red berries
- Native
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
Quercus chapmanii
This is a small clonal oak that can be used in a thicket as a screen.
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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, Valued by the Florida scrub-jay for its acorns which are relatively low in tanins
Used by woodpeckers and wild turkey
Valued by squirrels, racoons and
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Habitat, Scrub, dunes, scrubby flatwoods, scrubby high pine.
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Did You Know?, Fall color
Larval host plant for Horace's duskywing Erynnis horatius), Juvenal's duskywing (Erynnis juvenalois), red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cec
- Colorful fall foliage
- Stunning during brief late spring bloom
- Self-shedding fronds
- Prominant olive crownshaft, slightly buldging
Aralia spinosa
FNPS Blog article
Specimen plant or background hedge.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t
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Considertions, When its huge triply compound leaves are shed in the fall, only the main thorny stem is left standing through the winter months--hence the name devil'
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Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. Birds include nuthatches, orioles, chickadees, titmice, and warblers.
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Habitat, The edges of dry hammocks and dry hardwood forests.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns
Attracts butterflies and bees. Documented bee species include Colletes mandibularis, Hylaeus confluens, Augochlo
- Slow Growth
- Wonderfully fragrant at night
- Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
- Symmetrical shape
- Narrow enough for tight spaces
- Fragrant clusters of flowers in fall
Each stem has soft, fleshy green flanges running longitudinally down its length. When winter weather brings ice, the stems exude water that freezes in
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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, Moist forest edges.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts native bees.
Nectar source for butterflies.
- Long-lived perennial
- Flowers year round
- Tall and stately
- Narrow crown
Marshallia graminifolia
Small wildflower in moist areas.
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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, Mesic to wet flatwoods, wet prairies, seep slopes, cutthroat seep, wet prairie, bogs.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees and butterflies.
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
- Wind tolerant
- Flowers profusely year round
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
- Pyramidal crown
- Narrow crown
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
Persea humilis
Do not plant this plant unless you are absolutely sure that it is not infected by laurel wilt disease. In general, this small bay seems to be escapin
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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, This small tree appears to less likely to be killed by laurel wilt than Florida's other bays.. It is likely that it is too small to attract the beetle
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Wildlife, Fruits eaten and dispersed by birds.
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Habitat, Dry sites. Scrub, high pine, scrubby sandhill.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Larval host plant for palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) and spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) butterflies.
Attracts
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Very fast growth rate
- Attractive light to medium green crownshaft
Crinum americanum
This is a wetland plant, but it will do well once established in a moist garden setting.
Moist wildflower gardens. Easily grown along streams.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Habitat, Riverine swamps, riverine marshes, open wet prairies.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers
Pollinated by sphinx moths. Larval host for Spanish moth a.k.a. convict caterpillar (Xanthopastis timais)
- Easily trimmed for smaller spaces
- Elegant
- Adequate fertalization required
- Tall and romantic
- Can be trimmed into manicured shapes
Persea palustris
This species and other members of the Lauraceae are being attacked by a serious, fatal disease. Do not plant this plant unless you are absolutely sure
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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, Do not move deadwood. It will spread the disease.
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Wildlife, Seed eaten and dispersed by birds.
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Habitat, Shallow areas in swamps, hydric savannas, seep slopes including cutthroat seeps, wet flatwoods, sloughs.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance
Larval host plant for palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) and spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) butterflies.
Attracts be
- Unusually shaped, asymmetrical tree
- Symmetrical shape
- Not a true pine
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
Amyris elemifera
Fragrant.
Noted for its 3-parted glossy leaves. Can be used as as a specimen plant, screen, or possibly a hedge.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Wildlife, The fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals. Also used for cover or nesting by birds.
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Habitat, Coastal uplands
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host plant for Bahamian swallowtail (Heraclides andraemon), giant swallowtail (Papilio cre
- Huge extremely fragrant flowers
- Cold tolerant
- Highly nutritious fruit
