Range barely reaches north Florida. Specimen shrub, border, windbreak. This is a spreading, somewhat sprawling shrub. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Provides nesting, roosting and loafing cover for a variety of songbirds and game birds. Its fruit may not be the first choice of many kinds of wildlif , Habitat, Dry, somewhat open woods. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Primarily pollinated by bees.

Three subspecies occur in Florida.  The subspecies ranges somewhat overlap.  Subspecies cruiseana is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. In , 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, Becomes less than attractive after flowering. , Wildlife, Primarily wind dispersed, but small birds consume seed. , Habitat, Scrub, sandhills. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Butterflies and bees including green metallic, sweat, leafcutter, bumble and mining bees (Florida Wildflower Foundation).

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 , 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, Quite thorny. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife eat the fruit. , Habitat, Hammocks, wet woods, dunes, shell middens. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns Larval host for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes).

Rarely planted. Good background plant. Can make a good screen. Becomes scraggly if overly shaded, but may be trimmed back for bushier growth. Clonal. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds though it is bitter and often eaten as a last resort. , Habitat, Low flatwoods, cutthroat seeps, dry prairie, coastal swales, bogs, sinks. , Did You Know?, Bees pollinate flowers. Documented bees include Colletes banksi, C. brimleyi, C. inandibularis, C. nudus, Perdita floridensis, Agapostemon splendens,

Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Seeds eaten by birds , Habitat, Sandhills, flatwoods, ruderal. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees and butterflies.

The common name refers to the pliable twigs. Use as a border plant, foundation plant, or understory shrub in a shady, moist setting. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can cause serious skin irritation and is somewhat toxic to ingest. A rare shrub, so may not adapt well into home landscapes. , Habitat, Mesic slope forests, ravines and bluffs. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Insects visit the flowers, but likely the plant does not rely upon them.  Visits apparently opportunistic.  (Williams, 2004).

Both the common and scientific genus names refer to the lizard-like shape of the drooping flower head. This is a wetland plant. It can form dense pat , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Eaten by wood ducks and other foraging birds. , Habitat, Shallow water of streams, swamps, wet forests, ditches. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Nectar plant for hairstreaks and other insects esp. bees and flies, but apparently mostly wind p

Keep it if you have it. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Wet hammocks, meadows, fence rows, roadsides, open and dense woods, wet flatwoods, floodplain forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Pollinated by moths.

It's quite hardy and tolerant of difficult environments. The herbarium specimen from Wakulla County is from a natural area.  It is a 2012 specimen and , 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, Good wildlife shelter.  Birds eat the fruits. , Habitat, Hammocks, pinelands, sloughs, seasonally flooded marshes in pine rocklands. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Meadow or wildflower garden. , 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, Can become weedy. , Wildlife, Attracts pollinators. , Habitat, Pine flatwoods and disturbed areas , Did You Know?, Showy flowers

Adaptable to the casual or wildflower garden. Can be used as groundcover or border plant. Naturalizes. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can spread overly quickly. , Habitat, Open sites, deciduous woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators, especially bees.

The entire state excepting the keys falls within the range of this plant which extends from North Carolina to Texas.   Herbarium specimens document oc , Tolerance, Unknown Unknown , Habitat, Wet flatwoods, savannas, acidic swamps , Did You Know?, Showy flowers