Wild cotton is a rare plant; it needs protection against missuses and protection against removal from natural populations. Use as a short-lived "shru , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, It is not legal to plant this plant, but the reasons are very dated. A Florida law was passed in the early 1900s banning the growing of wild cottons, , Habitat, Dry sites. Tropical hammock, coastal berm, shell mound. Disturbed area. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host plant for gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) butterflies. Flowers attract bees, flies, thrips, grass hoppers,

Fruits are edible. Hedge or screen. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Some say that it has a skunky odor, others cannot smell it. , Wildlife, Provides cover for wildlife (https://www.regionalconservation.org/). , Habitat, Coastal hammocks. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts pollinators, especially bees and moths. Larval host for tant

Has shiny, stiff leaves 2.5 to 5 inches long. Often used as a hedge plant. Fast growing. Can also work as an individual specimen. A good choice for d , 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 , Wildlife, Dense foliage can be good bird nesting habitat.  Fruits are dispersed by wind. , Habitat, Dry sites near the coast. Hammocks and pinelands. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts pollinators.

Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Difficult to establish because of long tap root. , Wildlife, Small mammals and birds harvest the fruit. , Habitat, Flatwoods, ruderal (pastures), scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) and pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus). Pollinated by flies and beetles.

Specimen plant, hedge plant. Large shrub to small tree. Large, showy, shiny leaves. , 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, Dioecious (separate male and female plants), so both male and female are required to get fruits. Mature fruits are not attractive (young fruits are ni , Wildlife, Fruit is eaten by birds and mammals.  Mockingbirds specifically are reported to enjoy the fruits. , Habitat, Coastal hammocks. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant for tantalus sphinx (Aellopus tantalus) moths. Nectar plant for mangr

Wildflower garden, meadow. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Sandhills, dry flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts generalist pollinators.

Climbs by twining. Train on a fence or arbor, allow to climb trees. Can be used as a groundcover but does not bloom well with that use. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.  Birds attracted to the fruits include warblers, grosbeaks, cardinals, mockinbirds, titmice, chickadees, and thrashers. , Habitat, Mesic to xeric hardwood forests and upland mixed forests, secondary woods, bluffs, floodplains, flatwoods, ruderal. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Flowers attract bees and butterflies.  Bees include Habropoda laboriosa, Bornbus griseocollis, B

While occurring naturally in wetlands, this plant makes a good shrub in reasonably moist uplands. Use as a background plant in moist, shady areas. Ch , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dome swamps, riverine swamps, seep slopes. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Attracts a wide variety of insect pollinators.

Typically not used in landscape settings. However, if appropriate management can be provided (fire), then seed-bearing plants have considerable landsc , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Small birds consume seeds. , Habitat, Open seepage areas, forested seepage areas, flatwoods, sandhill, clayhill, scrub, coastal uplands , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Wind pollinated.

Mass plantings, small specimen shrubs , 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 sources for birds and mammals. , Habitat, Hammock,mesic to dry mesic hardwood or mixed pine forest, flatwoods, floodplains, ruderal areas, sandhill, wet calcareous hammocks, secondary woods. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.

Blooms all year. Recruits readily in the garden from seed. Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also butterfly gard , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Larval host plant for Miami blue (Hemiargus thomasi) and silver-banded hairstreak (Chlorostrymon simaethis) butterflies; occasional larval host for th , Habitat, Coastal hammocks. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host plant for Miami blue (Hemiargus thomasi) and silver-banded hairstreak (Chlorostrymon sim

Blooms mid- summer into fall. Wildflower garden, border plant, rain gardens, containers. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Small birds eat the seed. Deer tend to avoid this. , Habitat, Flatwoods, open pine/oak forests, ruderal areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bumble bees, butterflies Larval host for the silvery checkerspot, found only in extreme north Florida.

Moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Wet prairie, wet pine flatwoods, fresh to brackish marshes, bogs, ditches, swamps. Especially in areas where limestone is close to the surface. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts many pollinators; is especially important for native bees.

Host plant for Zestos Skipper butterfly which is believed to be extirpated (extinct) in FLorida. Also used by Cassius blue, longtailed skipper, and Za , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Scrambling vine likely best suited to informal settings. Individual stems may be up to 10 ft long. , Habitat, Hammocks , Did You Know?, Larval host plant for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius), long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus), zestos skipper (Epargyreus zestos) and zarucco duskywing

Wet garden. Rain garden. Shade tree for wet areas and along wetland edges. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Slow growing. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and smal mammals. , Habitat, Floodplain forests , swamps, usually in water. , Did You Know?, Fall color Visited by bees and valued by commercial bee keepers as a source of exceptionally sweet honey.  Also said to be wind pollinated.