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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
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
Taxus floridana
This tree has male and female plants. Females have red berry-like cones.
This species is extremely rare. Be sure to obtain this plant from properly l
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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, Poisonous seeds and foliage for both humans and livestock.
Difficult to establish in general landscapes.
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Wildlife, Birds and other animals eat the fruit. Poisonous to humans and livestock.
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Habitat, Slope forest. Rich wooded ravines and cedar swamps. It typically grows in groups of small trees (clones). This species can be seen planted at Torreya
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Did You Know?, Showy fruits
- Magnificent showy flowers in summer
- Hummingbird favorite
- Distinctive-looking fruit with spiked exterior
- Massive, nutrient-dense edible fruit
- Unique foliage and silhouette
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
Rhus aromatica
Range barely reaches north Florida.
Specimen shrub, border, windbreak. This is a spreading, somewhat sprawling shrub.
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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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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
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Habitat, Dry, somewhat open woods.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Primarily pollinated by bees.
- Formal, old-world appearance
- Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
- Drought tolerant
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
Phlebodium aureum
This is a native that makes Florida look tropical.
Herbarium specimens from Leon County say that the fern was likely brought in. Otherwise, the north
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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, Hammocks. Epiphytic on cabbage palm. Occasionally in humus at ground level.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Highly nutritious fruit
- Wonderfully fragrant flowers
- Wonderfully fragrant
- Colorful older leaves
- Attractive mottled bark
- Beautiful rounded canopy
Celtis occidentalis
Further north, this can be a moderately large tree.
Not typically grown but worth retaining if present 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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Considertions, Has a shallow root system that may prevent plants from growing under it.
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Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by a number of birds and small mammals.
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Did You Know?, Larval host for hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) butterflies. Sole larval host plant for American snout
- Attractive variegated foliage
- Elegant
- Cold tolerant
- Fast growth
Chrysopsis gossypina
Three subspecies occur in Florida. The subspecies ranges somewhat overlap. Subspecies cruiseana is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida.
In
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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, Becomes less than attractive after flowering.
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Wildlife, Primarily wind dispersed, but small birds consume seed.
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Habitat, Scrub, sandhills.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Butterflies and bees including green metallic, sweat, leafcutter, bumble and mining bees (Florida Wildflower Foundation).
- Clusters of tubular flowers
- Wonderfully fragrant
- Showy red berries
- Easy/Carefree native
- Swollen, succulent branches
- Prominant olive crownshaft
Ilex glabra
Rarely planted.
Good background plant. Can make a good screen. Becomes scraggly if overly shaded, but may be trimmed back for bushier growth. Clonal.
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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, Fruits are eaten by birds though it is bitter and often eaten as a last resort.
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Habitat, Low flatwoods, cutthroat seeps, dry prairie, coastal swales, bogs, sinks.
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Did You Know?, Bees pollinate flowers. Documented bees include Colletes banksi, C. brimleyi, C. inandibularis, C. nudus, Perdita floridensis, Agapostemon splendens,
- Slow Growth
- Massive stature when mature
- Majestic
- Highly wind tolerant
Coreopsis lanceolata
In central Florida, lanceleaf has a relatively short blooming period compared to Leavenworth's tickseed - wrapping things up by mid-summer, whereas C.
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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, Will self-seed and so could become weedy.
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Habitat, Sandhills, edges of cypress swamps and marshes, ruderal areas.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies and pollinators.
- Unique foliage and silhouette
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Elegant, dense canopy
Dirca palustris
The common name refers to the pliable twigs.
Use as a border plant, foundation plant, or understory shrub in a shady, moist setting.
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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, Can cause serious skin irritation and is somewhat toxic to ingest.
A rare shrub, so may not adapt well into home landscapes.
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Habitat, Mesic slope forests, ravines and bluffs.
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Insects visit the flowers, but likely the plant does not rely upon them. Visits apparently opportunistic. (Williams, 2004).
- Showy display of fruit
- Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
- Attractive tiered canopy
- Ringed trunk
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
