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Cornus alternifolia
Small specimen tree. Can also work as an understory 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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Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit.
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Habitat, Slope forest, upland hardwood forest. Bluffs, creek forests.
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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
Iva frutescens
Retain in the landscape for coastal protection where present. Used for dune restoration.
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Tolerance, Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation)
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and
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Wildlife, Provides some cover for wildlife and maybe some foods.
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Habitat, Salt marsh, dunes.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
- Highly nutritious fruit
- Abundance of orange-red flowers in summer
- Unique, sweet, almond-like flavor
- Pineapple-like showy fruits (female plants)
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
Bidens laevis
Depending on the weather, this may be either an annual or perennial in Florida.
Informal gardens in wet sites.
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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 fruits stick to pant legs and animal fur leading to moniker beggarticks. Generally no an issue in the wetland sites where this will grow.
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Habitat, Swamps, river edget
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts native bees and butterflies
- Tall and romantic
- Fruit attracts wildlife
- Striking symmetrical appearance
- Unique and prized
- Beloved in South Florida
- Grows tall, but not massive
Ilex ambigua
Plant as a small understory tree. Good as a general background plant that is appropriate to wildlife.
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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's dioecious; so make sure you have at least one male plant in the vicinity to produce berries on the females.
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Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds and small mammals.
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Habitat, Dry hammocks, sandhills, scrub, dunes.
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Did You Know?, Showy fruits
Bees pollinate flowers.
- Moderately slow growth
- Attractive flowers, typically deep orange
- Critically endangered
- Stunning
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
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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, Prairies, rocky glades
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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
Coleataenia longiflora
Restoration proects and casual moist-site plantings.
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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, Provides cover for invertebrates.
Seeds eaten by some birds and small animals.
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Habitat, Wetland edges and low adjacent uplands.
- Magnificent showy flowers in summer
- Elegant and compact
- Will not tolerate frost
- Symmetrical shape
- Attractive symmetrical appearance
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
Echinacea purpurea
Requires a reliable cold period to persist. In most of Florida it can be treated as an annual in gardens.
Listed as Endangered by the State of Florida
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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, The further south you go, the more short-lived this species gets. Except in extreme north Florida, treat as an annual or at least don't assume that i
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Wildlife, Small birds and small mammals consume the seed.
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Habitat, Upland glades, openings in upland mixed forests on calcareous soils.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts many pollinators, especially bees.
- Not recommended
- Unique, sweet almond flavor
- Attractive and unique swollen trunk
Symphyotrichum elliottii
Moist wildflower garden. Wetland garden. Plant in full sun and give it plenty of room and plant behind shorter plants.
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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, Clonal--it aggressively sends out suckers. If grown in shady areas, it tends to fall over.
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Habitat, Swamps, brackish and freshwater marshes. Wet flatwoods.
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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
Eragrostis elliottii
Wildflower garden. Mass plantings.
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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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Wildlife, Small birds and other wildlife consume the seed.
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Habitat, Flatwoods, sandhill, wet prairie, cutthroat seeps, dry hammocks, disturbed sites.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Larval host for zabulon skipper (Poanes zabulon).
- Elegant
- Elegant and stately
- Wonderfully fragrant, carries a great distance
Amorpha fruticosa
Multistemmed shrub that can form small thickets. Plant as a screen, hedge, or background plant.
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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, Can become aggressive in some habitats.
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Habitat, Moist hammocks, dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests
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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
