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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
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis
This species can be distinguished from related non-natives by its trailing stems and lance-shaped leaves.
Stachytarpheta urticifolia, commonly sold by
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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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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Coastal strand, open areas in dry mesic hardwood forests, sometimes nestled under trees along sandy roadsides.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host for tropical buckeye (Junonia genoveva) butterfly.
Nectar plant for many butterflies and moths including: Bahamian swallow
- Highly nutritious fruit
- Rapid growth
- Towering
- Iconic symbol of the south
Zigadenus glaberrimus
Moist wildflower garden, especially acidic gardens oriented toward sphagnum, pitcher plants, and similar bog species.
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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, Attracts pollinators.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, wet prairie, savanna.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
- Recently classified invasive
- Pleasant rounded shape
- Often draped with Spanish moss
- Smaller stature
- Stunning long emerald crownshaft
Nephrolepis biserrata
This fern is listed as Threatened by the FDACS. Where is it, however, it is highly robust.
Borders, groundcover on wooded edges. This is a very tall
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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, Swamps, hammocks.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Somewhat salt tolerant
- No longer recommended
- Available single or multi-stalked
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis
Wood is quite soft and weak. This author had one break in a storm. It did however resprout from low on the trunk and the sprout is now about 15 ft t
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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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Considertions, Quite thorny.
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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife eat the fruit.
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Habitat, Hammocks, wet woods, dunes, shell middens.
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Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns
Larval host for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes).
- Attracts butterflies and bees
- Showy display of fruit
- Beautiful sweeping fronds with drooping leaflets
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
Woodwardia areolata
This colony-forming fern is well-behaved in the landscape.
Use as a groundcover in moist areas, rain gardens, or bioswales.
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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, It grows best in drier areas if there is some shade. In full sun, it requires reliable moisture.
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Wildlife, Provides cover for small wildlife such as toads.
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Habitat, Dome swamp, hydric hammock, seep slopes over limestone, hydric pine flatwoods.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Edible, healthy fruit
- Unusual deep green leaves with bronze underside
- Excellent small hedge
- Moderately slow growth
- Elegant and stately
- Compact size
Symphyotrichum adnatum
Wildflower garden, meadow.
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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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Habitat, Sandhills, dry flatwoods.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts generalist pollinators.
- Requires protection from strong winds
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Breathtaking and memorable
- Attractive tiered canopy
- Prominant olive crownshaft
- Easy/Carefree native
Acer saccharinum
Fall foliage color is yellow. While used extensively as a street tree in the north, this fast growing species is relatively weak.
Specimen tree. Freq
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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, Its prolific root system is notorious for invading and clogging leaky underground drainage and water lines. Susceptible to wind or ice damage due to i
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Wildlife, The are important food for squirrels during late winter/early spring. Budburst comes during the critical late winter-spring period when stored food s
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Habitat, Floodplains.
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Did You Know?, Fall color
Attracts bees.
Larval host for Cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia).
- Relatively uncommon in South Florida
- Magnificent
- Narrow enough for tight spaces
- Susceptible to breakage, even in moderate winds
- Grows tall, but not massive
Pentalinon luteum
Grow on a trellis, fence, or post.
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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, The sap is an irritant to the skin and poisonous if ingested.
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Wildlife, Said to attract hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Pine woods, coastal hammocks, edges of coastal marshes.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host of the polka dot wasp moth (Syntomeida epilais), but there is a question whether or not that's a nativ
- Attracts butterflies and bees
- Prized scent, used in commercial perfumes
- Uniquely shaped with a muscular look
- Towering
- Slender profile
- Highly salt tolerant
Ilex verticillata
Rarely grown in Florida.
In wet places, it can be planted as a specimen plant for winter interest. When it loses its leaves in the fall, just the ber
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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, Various bird species eat the fruit.
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Habitat, Floodplains, creek swamps.
,
Did You Know?, Showy fruits
Pollinated by bees.
- Forms an open canopy
- Attractive flowers, typically deep orange
- Self-shedding fronds
- Critically endangered
- Elegant, dense canopy
- Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
