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 , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Exposed sand and gravel bars of streams during low water, stream banks, hydric to wet mesic pine flatwoods. Rich soils. Ruderal. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar attracts butterflies and native beens.  Larval host for spring azure butterfly.

Flowers tend to appear in spring or after a significant rainfall. Otherwise inconspicuous. Small wildflower or plant in with other low groundcovers. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dome swamp, wet flatwoods, wet prairie. In ditches, wet pastures, roadsides. Often in burned areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators.

Natural landscapes including meadows and butterfly gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Purple thistle is a thorny plant - be very careful when handling. , Wildlife, The seeds are rich in oil, an important food source for seed-eating birds. , Habitat, Coastal plain, edges of salt marshes, pinewoods, prairies and disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns Larval host to little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis) and painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterflies. N

Range includes areas usually relatively near the coast in Southeastern United States west to Texas, north to North Carolina, and south to the Monroe C , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Tends to be weedy in behavior and appearance. , Wildlife, Likely used as forage by species such as deer.  Good cover. , Habitat, Coastal areas, flatwoods, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius), dorantes longtail (Urbanus dorantes), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and long-tail

Primarily useful for coastal restoration projects. , Tolerance, Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation) High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and , Wildlife, Attracts birds.  Nesting and resting habitat. , Habitat, Salt marshes, dunes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Large clump-forming grass with uses as tall groundcover, specimen plant, or border plant. Nice along edges of ponds and water features. , 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 , Habitat, Wet prairie, edges of marshes, but mostly inland--rarely coastal. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Wildflower garden. This is a small but pretty little plant. Grow it in a moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, It may be necessary to re-seed to keep this in the garden. Seed is not generally commercially available. This is the most toxic of the milkweeds and i , Habitat, Flatwoods , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Attracts various pollinators.

Both male and female plants required for pollination and seed set. Specimen tree.  Screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp spines (teeth) on leaves. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds. , Habitat, Upland woods, second bottom but will not tolerate long flooding. Often an understory plant. Documented in Lee County in a site likely to be natural. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Bees pollinate flowers.

Moist wildflower garden, wetland garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Humminbirds are attracted to the nectar. , Habitat, Wet prairie, wet savannas, hydric pine flatwoods, cypress sloughs, marl prairies, marshes, ditches. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Generally pollinated by bumblebees.  Other long tongued bees, hummingbirds and the occasional butterfly sip nectar from the flowers (Ne

This  little plant produces two flowers with ovaries that fuse into a single fruit. Typically grown as a curiosity. This is a very small plant that a , 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 consume the berries which mature in the fall and are retained through the winter and spring. , Habitat, Hammocks, upland hardwood forests, upland mixed forest, seep slopes, second bottom and levees in floodplains. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Bumblebees pollinate the flowers. Cross-pollination, required for seed set, is controlled by factors

Fruit is a white berry with indigo pulp. Specimen plant. Shrub border or foundation plant. Will tolerate shearing. Valued for its shiny foliage and d , 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, Often produces spines at the bases of leaves. , Wildlife, Fruits attract birds. Also used for cover. , Habitat, Edges of coastal hammocks, pine rocklands, rocky flats. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Thorns Nectar plant for Schaus' swallowtail (Heraclides aristodemus) and other butterflies. Larval host plant for

This plant is rare in Florida. It is much more common further north where it is absolutely spectacular in early spring. Specimen plant. It can be pru , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Seep stream (banks). Further north, it also occurs along lake edges. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Mining bees are known to be frequent pollinators of ninebark flowers.  Both short and long-tongu

Multi-stemmed. A single stem is a curiosity. A large multi-stemmed plant is a long-blooming wonder. Despite the common name, this species has sweet-sm , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Hammocks, near limestone. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Pollinated by bees.

Foliage has a strong minty smell. Dry wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Some birds consume consume the seeds . , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia). Attracts pollinators, especially bees.  Documented native bees inc

It is listed as Endangered by the state of Florida. Shade tree. Can be used as a specimen tree for its light colored bark. Slow growing. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , Habitat, Rockland hammock. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark Larval host for Florida white (Appias drusilla) butterfly.

This is one of the few Florida oaks that looks like an oak to most people from the eastern US north of Florida. Tends to be smaller toward the souther , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Difficult to transplant once it has formed its tap root. , Wildlife, Used by woodpeckers and wild turkey Valued by squirrels and other mammals including white tailed deer Used by birds for resting and nesting , Habitat, Sandhill, scrub, scrubby sandhill. Increases in sandhill where long leaf pines were removed and where burns are restricted to winter. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant forHorace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), red-banded hairstreak (Calycop

This plant is considered to be Threatened in Florida. Please preserve in the landscape and acquire new plants in an environmentally sound manner (seed , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon ( , Wildlife, Wildlife food and shelter. , Habitat, Coastal scrub, hammocks, pine rocklands, coastal flats. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage

Flowers open white and rapidly turn pink. Use as a specimen plant. Can also be used as a hedge. , 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 , Wildlife, Attracts birds , Habitat, Dry sites. Coastal hammocks. Disturbed sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts various pollinators. Larval host for Florida white (Appias drusilla) butterfli

Forming a thicket for wildlife protection. , 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, It has thorns, but they are rather small. The seeds of Cherokee bean are poisonous and purportedly used for rat poison in Mexico. , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. Due to its dense foliage and thorny stems, coral bean serves as a refuge for small birds and animals. , Habitat, Dry sites. Upland mixed forest, thickets, tropical hammocks, coastal dunes, sandhill, flatwoods, tropical hammock, pine rocklands. This species can b , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns Attracts long-tongued pollinators.

Specimen tree. Use only where roots will be undisturbed. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Nuts and leaf litter can be messy. , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by small mammals. , Habitat, Sandhill, clayhill, scrub , Did You Know?, Fall color, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for many moths including; luna moth (Actias luna), hickory leafroller moth (Argyrotaenia juglandana

This naturally occurring hybrid has become a landscaping favorite. Ilex x attenuata is a natural hybrid originally found growing in the wild in Florid , 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. , Habitat, Freshwater and brackish marshes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Bees visit the flowers, but all plants are female.  This is apparently one of the few hollies where