This is one of Florida's most showy and most under-appreciated wildflowers. Look for it along disturbed roadsides in mid-late winter and early spring. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp thorn-like prickles cover most of the plant. Highly toxic. , Habitat, Ruderal areas. Common on dry roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Attracts pollinators including bees, flies, and beetles.  Documented bee species include  Apis mellifera (honeybee), Dialictus

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

This plant is listed as Endangered in Florida where the southern limit of its range barely makes it into the state. Moist site garden though will tol , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Floodplains, moist deep woods, thickets. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Attracts bees.

May be semi-parasitic on the roots of other plants which makes it challenging to grow. Best planted near a potential host such as an oak. May die back , 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 , Considertions, Has thorns. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife will eat the fruit. , Habitat, Scrub, xeric hammocks, swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns Attracts pollinators, especially bees.  Documented bees in clude Agapostemon splendens, Augochloropsis sumptuosa,

Groundcover. Foliage is low and neat even during periods when there are no flowers (flowers in mid-spring). Plant not visible in winter. Can be natura , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Cutthroat seeps, moist roadsides, hammocks, bogs, river banks. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Beneficial sweat bees, bumble bees, bee flies, and syrphid flies are attracted to nectar and pollen.

Specimen plant, screen plant, understory tree/shrub. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts pollinators. Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , 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

Fruits are magenta. There is a white-fruited/white-flowered variety, uncommonly found naturally in Florida, that is sold occasionally. Specimen plant , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Cut back in winter to encourage blooming and good form. , Wildlife, Many bird species consume the fruit. including catbirds, mockinbirds, and robins. , Habitat, Dry mesic hardwoods, xeric hammock, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, disturbed dry-moist woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for for spring azure butterflies and snowberry clearwing moths. Attracts various p

Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Foliage and seeds are food source for birds and mammals. , Habitat, Seeps, wet prairies, wet flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators, especially bees.

The cream-colored petals are crimped at the margins with numerous dark-purple stamen filaments and bluish anthers. Silky hairs cover the lower leaf su , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Slope forest, upland hardwood forest, baygall. On acidic soils. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers

Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds and small mammals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Flatwoods. Moist to dry roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts a variety of pollinators including bees.   Attracts butterflies.

Predominantly a Florida plant, but it has also been recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas. The species name "tomentosa" refer , Tolerance, Unknown Unknown , Habitat, Scrub, sandhill, edges of xeric hammocks, scrubby flatwoods , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for monach (Danaus plexippus) , queen (Danaus gilippus) and soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies.  Nectar plant for many b

This is a rare species and it should only be acquired from reputable plant nurseries. Some botanists have declared this endemic species to be a synony , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby sandhill. In open areas and along cleared roadsides. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts many pollinators, especially bees.

Emerald ash borer is a problem in the northeast, and if it reaches Florida, it would likely be lethal to this species. Specimen tree where a small dr , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Flowers and leaves emerge late in the spring and leaves fall early in the fall. When not blooming, it's not outstanding. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds and small mammals. , Habitat, Moist hammocks, but adaptable to many situations. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for rustic sphinx (Manduca rustica), waved sphinx (Ceratomia undulosa), and laurel s

Can be cut back to improve appearance, but should not be severely pruned more than once a year. Spores cover undersides of leaves giving them a bi-col , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. , Considertions, Not drought tolerant. , Wildlife, Used as cover. , Habitat, Brackish and freshwater marshes, swamps, river floodplains. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

The genus name honors the English botanist William Vernon, who did fieldwork in North America. Moist wildflower garden. Also useful to naturalize alo , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Hydric to moist savannas, openings along streams, wet pastures, floodplains, bluffs, bay swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar attracts native bees and butterflies.  Larval host for Spring azure.

The shiny green leaves, gently fragrant flowers and glossy berries make this a charming plant. Can occasionally be subject to defoliation by the moth , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Berries eaten by many species of bids and other wildlife. , Habitat, Dry sites. Pinelands, maritime and sub-tropical or tropical hammocks , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for fiddlewood leafroller moth (Epicorsia oedipodalis) (Institut

Wildflower garden.  Low borders. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Pinelands, flatwoods, open hammocks, roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees.