Wild cotton is a rare plant; it needs protection against missuses and protection against removal from natural populations. Use as a short-lived "shru , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, It is not legal to plant this plant, but the reasons are very dated. A Florida law was passed in the early 1900s banning the growing of wild cottons, , Habitat, Dry sites. Tropical hammock, coastal berm, shell mound. Disturbed area. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host plant for gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) butterflies. Flowers attract bees, flies, thrips, grass hoppers,

Fragrant. Evergreen screen, evergreen shrub to small tree. , 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 , Wildlife, Larger birds and small mammals eat the fruit. , Habitat, Moist sites. Coastal hammocks, floodplains, bulffs, flatwoods, bay swamps. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts bees.

The range of this tree barely makes it into north Florida. It is much more common in the remainder of the southeast. Shade tree. The root system is f , 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 , Considertions, Fallen/falling acorns may be an issue. , Wildlife, Acorns are eaten by woodpeckers, songbirds, ducks, small mammals, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, quail and black bears Provides cover and nesting ar , Habitat, Floodplains, hardwood swamp borders. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Hurricane wind resistance Host plant for the banded hairstreak, Edward's hairstreak, gray hairstreak, white-M hairstreak, Horace's duskyw

Typically not used in landscape settings. However, if appropriate management can be provided (fire), then seed-bearing plants have considerable landsc , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Small birds consume seeds. , Habitat, Open seepage areas, forested seepage areas, flatwoods, sandhill, clayhill, scrub, coastal uplands , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Wind pollinated.

Moist wildflower garden. Makes a good mass planting on the edge of a pond or ditch. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, This plant will spread to form a large colony in moist areas. Plant where this is an asset. , Wildlife, Occasionally visited by humminbirds (Wikipedia) , Habitat, Swamps, floodplains, marshes, wet meadows, wet pastures, margins of lakes and ponds, cypress domes, ditches, disturbed sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Pollinators include bumblebees, honey bees, digger bees, cuckoo bees and megachilid bees.  Nectar plant for butterflies and (occasional

Bloom period can be prolonged by removing flowers as they wither. It does not compete well with aggressive plants. Wildflower garden. Blooms best in , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds which are the primary pollinator. , Habitat, Upland woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers

Specimen plant, screen plantings, sometimes with unusual or weeping form. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Thorns. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit.  Used as browse by deer and rabbits. , Habitat, Dry sites. Open woods, mixed woods, sandy pinelands. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Larval food for hummingbird clearwing moth(Hemaris thysbe), striped hairstreak butterfly(Satyrium liparops), and blinded sphinx