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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
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
Solidago odora var. chapmanii
This forms clumps but does not form large clones, which means it will not take over a garden.
Wildflower garden
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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, Songbirds such as goldfinches and sparrows eat the seeds, and mice and deer browse the foliage and flowers.
Provides cover for many small animals inc
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Habitat, Typically a plant of mesic to dry flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods. Can be ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Used for nectar by butterflies.
Attracts a wide variety of pollinators, especially bees. Documented bee visitors include Colletes maiz
- Not as popular as it once was
- Slow Growth
- Long-lived perennial
- Native
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
Helenium autumnale
Wildflower garden.
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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, Bluffs, swamps, floodplains, wet flatwoods, bogs, savannas.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts bees and butterflies.
- Stunning long emerald crownshaft
- Cold tolerant
- Showy display of fruit
- Christmas tree shape
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)
Crataegus michauxii
Not much information is available on growing this species. Likely to be somewhat difficult to establish but very durable once established.
Specimen p
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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, especially important for native bees. Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit. Larval food for hummingbird clearwing moth(Hem
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Habitat, Dry, sandy, well-drained sites including scrub and sandhill.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
- Not recommended
- Readily pruned into attractive shapes
- Showy creamy white flowers
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
Clusia rosea
This Florida native has been introduced into Hawaii where it is extremely invasive. In fact, it has earned the distinction of being listed in the Glob
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt
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Considertions, Easily spread by birds so it can become somewhat of a pest.
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Wildlife, Dense foliage creates cover for birds and other wildlife (https://www.plantcreations.com/).
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Habitat, Cultivated. According to Wunderlin (1998), probably native, but may not exist outside of cultivation today. Xeric and dry mesic hammocks, scrub.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Can produce seed without pollination.
- Showy fall color
- Showy creamy white flowers
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Width often exceeds height
- Wonderfully fragrant at night
- Dark green leaves
Viburnum rufidulum
Specimen plant, screen plant, understory tree/shrub.
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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. Birds and other wildlife consume fruit.
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Habitat, Upland hardwood forests, bluffs, secondary woods.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host for the spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).
Both native and non-native viburnums (Viburnum spp.) attra
- Flowers year round
- Imposing stature
- Silvery blue-green fronds
- Highly wind tolerant
- Lovely deep green, glossy leaves
- Unique, stout pineapple-like trunk when young
Eugenia foetida
Used as a foundation or hedge plant. Large shrub to small tree. Can also be used as a specimen plant.
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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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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. Provides good cover.
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Habitat, Coastal hammocks, hammocks.
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Attracts pollinators.
- Swollen, succulent branches
- Produces aromatic flowers year-round
- Somewhat salt tolerant
- Tall and stately
- Pyramidal crown
- Bright red fruits
Telmatoblechnum serrulatum
This is one of the most common ferns in central-southern Florida and potentially one of the most beautiful.
Ground cover for moist, shady sites. Also
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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 spread unless contained by physical or environmental limits. Periodic removal of old fronds is recommended.
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Habitat, Marshes, swamps
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Unique swollen blue-green to silver trunk
- Requires high humidity
- Tropical silhouette
- Unique foliage
- Beautiful purple-brown crownshaft
- Moderately drought tolerant
Vachellia farnesiana
Although drought-tolerant, this shrub/small tree may benefit from a few deep, thorough soakings during extremely dry periods. When young, it tends to
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Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt
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Considertions, Thorns on trunks and branches. Place where flowers and fragrance can be enjoyed, but away from walkways. Can suffer from root rot if too wet.
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Wildlife, The thorny branches make good cover for birds and other wildlife. Fruits are not generally valued. Attracts pollinators.
There are 2 subspecies, V. fa
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Habitat, Coastal uplands, ruderal, shell middens
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Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns
Attracts pollinators and uses ants both for protection against unwanted insects.
- Briefly bare for about a month in the winter
- Very rare
- Prominant olive crownshaft
- Grows tall, but not massive
- Prominent pale green crownshaft
- Intoxicating fragrance
