Filters
Sort
Sort
Sort By :
By :
Grid View
List View
Cornus alternifolia
Small specimen tree. Can also work as an understory tree.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit.
,
Habitat, Slope forest, upland hardwood forest. Bluffs, creek forests.
,
Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host for cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia) and spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).
- Smaller stature
- Imposing stature
- Does best with periodic fertalization
- Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
- Susceptible to breakage, even in moderate winds
- Not a true pine
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
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Small seed-eating birds pick out the seeds from the mature flower heads.
,
Habitat, Vary by species. Mostly sandhills, bogs, roadsides, ruderal.
,
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
,
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
,
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
,
Wildlife, Birds that eat the seeds include chickadees, titmice, and warblers.
,
Habitat, Dry sites, often near the coast.
,
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 austrina
Relatively small for an oak. Use as specimen tree or in a grove.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Birds, squirrels, racoons, deer and other wildlife eat the seeds.
,
Habitat, Well drained bottomlands and bluffs.
,
Did You Know?, Larval host for brown duskywing butterfly (Erynnis horatius), and gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).
- Damaged by citrus canker
- Uncommon edible fruit
- Rapid growth
- Unique foliage and silhouette
- Very fast growth rate
Asclepias tuberosa
Sometimes difficult to establish in new areas, but definitely worth the effort.
Wildflower garden, meadow.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Reported to attract hummingbirds.
,
Habitat, Sandhill, clayhill, scrub, ruderal
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies, bees, other insects.
Larval host to the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) a
- Pineapple-like showy fruits (female plants)
- Retains leaves until just before blooming
- Long emerald crownshaft
- Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
- Beautiful purple-brown crownshaft
- Attracts butterflies
Delphinium carolinianum
This species is more common in adjacent states and occurs broadly in mid-western prairies. Its range barely makes it into Florida.
The southern end
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Habitat, Prairies, rocky glades
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
- Formal, old-world appearance
- Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
- Unusually shaped, asymmetrical tree
- Requires ample space and light
- Showy red berries
Lonicera sempervirens
Coral honeysuckle's bark exfoliates.
Climbs by twining
Given a trellis or fence this plant makes a great hedge. It can also make a good groundcover t
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Considertions, If growing on a trellis, will need to be trimmed back annually.
,
Wildlife, Flowers attract hummingbirds.
Birds, especially cardinals, eat the seeds - digesting the outer flesh of the fruit and aiding in distribution of the
,
Habitat, Upland hardwood forests, floodplains, secondary woods.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) and Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) butterflies.
- Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Swollen, succulent branches
- Mostly bare in the coldest months
- Stately and uncommon
- Showy creamy white flowers
- Prominent blue-gray crownshaft
Aralia spinosa
FNPS Blog article
Specimen plant or background hedge.
,
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
,
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'
,
Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. Birds include nuthatches, orioles, chickadees, titmice, and warblers.
,
Habitat, The edges of dry hammocks and dry hardwood forests.
,
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
Iris verna var. smalliana
Noted for fragrance.
Casual shade garden. It spreads, so eventually acts as a groundcover.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees, esp. bumblebees.
- Stunning
- Wonderfully fragrant, carries a great distance
- Arched, recurving fronds
- Colorful older leaves
- Slow Growth
Amsonia tabernaemontana
Wildflower garden. Also useful as a cut flower.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Considertions, Poisonous foliage.
,
Wildlife, Avoided by mammalian herbivores.
,
Habitat, Moist hammocks, ruderal.
,
Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers
he flowers attract long-tongued insects such as carpenter bees, hummingbird moths, and butterflies. Ruby-throated hummingbi
- Produces aromatic flowers year-round
- Relatively uncommon in South Florida
- Unusually shaped, asymmetrical tree
- Bright red fruits
- Thick branching into attractive silouttes
- Elegant
Symphyotrichum elliottii
Moist wildflower garden. Wetland garden. Plant in full sun and give it plenty of room and plant behind shorter plants.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Considertions, Clonal--it aggressively sends out suckers. If grown in shady areas, it tends to fall over.
,
Habitat, Swamps, brackish and freshwater marshes. Wet flatwoods.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies, bees and other pollinators
- Elegant and stately
- Requires shade when young
- Excellent choice for narrow spaces
- Imposing stature
- Stunning colorful foliage
Amorpha fruticosa
Multistemmed shrub that can form small thickets. Plant as a screen, hedge, or background plant.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Considertions, Can become aggressive in some habitats.
,
Habitat, Moist hammocks, dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests
,
Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers
Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreu
- Requires shade when young
- Colorful older leaves
- Symmetrical shape
