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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
Rhododendron minus var. chapmanii
Endemic to Florida
Listed as Endangered by the USFWS and FL
Specimen plant. Screen plant. Can be grown in a mass under trees.
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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, including hummingbirds.
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Habitat, Mesic flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, seep slope. Ecotone between flatwoods and edges of titi swamps.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts insects. Apparently important to bumble bees.
- Killed by citrus greening (HLB)
- Elegant and compact
- Colorful new leafs
- Excellent edible fruit
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
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
Viburnum acerifolium
Specimen shrub, woodland understory shrub, screen, shrub border, mass 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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Considertions, Clonal: sends out many suckers.
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Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit.
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Habitat, Upland woods. Bluffs.
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Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host for the spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).
Both native and non-native viburnums (Viburnum
- Can be trimmed into manicured shapes
- Beautiful sweeping fronds with drooping leaflets
- Narrow canopy
- Narrow crown
- Relatively uncommon in South Florida
- Pyramidal crown
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
Vernonia gigantea
The genus name honors the English botanist William Vernon, who did fieldwork in North America.
Back of a moist wildflower garden. Can also use on the
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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, Exposed sand and gravel bars of streams during low water, stream banks, hydric to wet mesic pine flatwoods. Rich soils. Ruderal.
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Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Nectar attracts butterflies and native beens.
Larval host for spring azure butterfly.
- Colorful new leafs
- Rare, despite being a South Florida native
- Beautiful rounded dense canopy
Aristida stricta
Typically not used in landscape settings. However, if appropriate management can be provided (fire), then seed-bearing plants have considerable landsc
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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 birds consume seeds.
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Habitat, Open seepage areas, forested seepage areas, flatwoods, sandhill, clayhill, scrub, coastal uplands
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Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
Wind pollinated.
- Adequate fertalization required
- Clusters of tubular flowers
- Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
- Excellent small to medium hedge
