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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
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
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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, If growing on a trellis, will need to be trimmed back annually.
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Wildlife, Flowers attract hummingbirds.
Birds, especially cardinals, eat the seeds - digesting the outer flesh of the fruit and aiding in distribution of the
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Habitat, Upland hardwood forests, floodplains, secondary woods.
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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
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
Galactia striata
Host plant for Zestos Skipper butterfly which is believed to be extirpated (extinct) in FLorida. Also used by Cassius blue, longtailed skipper, and Za
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
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Considertions, Scrambling vine likely best suited to informal settings. Individual stems may be up to 10 ft long.
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Habitat, Hammocks
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Did You Know?, Larval host plant for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius), long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus), zestos skipper (Epargyreus zestos) and zarucco duskywing
- Narrow canopy
- Elegant
- Unique fluffy fronds
- Wide umbrella-shaped canopy
- Striking symmetrical appearance
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
Brickellia cordifolia
This is a rare plant. Please acquire responsibly (don't steal from the wild).
Not common in the nursery trade (we are aware of one North Florida nurs
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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, Open woodlands
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Especially attractive to butterflies.
- Attractive symmetrical appearance
- Beautiful rounded canopy
- Very rare
- Slender and elegant
- Easy/Carefree
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
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
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)
Gordonia lasianthus
Makes a good specimen tree or a cluster of in wet areas along margins of lakes and ponds.
This tree is columnar in form and can make a formal-looking
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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, Sensitive to drying. Difficult to grow unless its moisture requirements are met.
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Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Seepage swamps, bay swamps, edges of cypress domes, low flatwoods. This species is likely restricted to wetland edges both by its ne
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Flowers attract a variety of insects including bees and flies.
- Heavy feeder
- Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
- Beloved in South Florida
Pinus palustris
Highly tolerant of fire once established.
Shade tree. Woodland tree.
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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, Huge pine cones litter the ground, so not a good tree for a lawn.
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Wildlife, Known for its use by squirrels, especially fox squirrels. Birds also eat the nuts.
Old trees in well managed (properly burned) natural sandhill and fl
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Habitat, Sandhill, mesic to dry flatwoods.
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Did You Know?, Hurricane wind resistance
- Rapid growth
- Dark green leaves
- Colorful new leafs
- Requires shade when young
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
Thelypteris spp.
These are generally moist site ferns though some (T. kunthii, T. ovata) grow in mesic uplands. Most are similar in appearance, and all will grow in a
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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, The native range varies by species. Please use species appropriate to your area.
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Wildlife, Cover for many ground-dwelling species.
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Habitat, Hydric and mesic hammocks, shallow swamps and swamp edges, floodplains.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Tiered branches
- Very showy bright yellow flowers
- Will not tolerate frost
- Somewhat salt tolerant
- Formal, old-world appearance
- Elegant and stately
