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,

This species is listed as Threatened in Florida. Please acquire plants only from a reputable nursery. This small plant could make a good border along , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Scrub in disturbed areas, sandhill. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts a variety of insects and mostly pollinated by bees.   Documented bees include Agapostemon splendens, Augochl

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.

Salt tolerance has not been studied but it has been recorded (in New England) in salt marshes, suggesting tolerance of at least brackish water and lik , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, It's a prolific reseeder. , Habitat, Upland mixed forests, flatwoods, sandhill, ruderal areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Flowers attract pollinators, likely bees, flies, and/or butterflies and moths.

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

A profuse bloomer. Use for natural landscapes and wildlife habitat areas. Does well under a high pine canopy. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Fruit is consumed by birds and other wildlife. , Habitat, Dry sites. Xeric hammock, dryf mesic hardwoods, may be in upper edges of floodplains, overgrown flatwoods, coastal dunes, sandhill, scrubby sandhill. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Fall color, Showy flowers Larval host for striped hairstreak (Satyrium liparops). Attracts many pollinators; especially valuable to

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

Grow on a trellis, fence, or post. , 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, The sap is an irritant to the skin and poisonous if ingested. , Wildlife, Said to attract hummingbirds. , Habitat, Pine woods, coastal hammocks, edges of coastal marshes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host of the polka dot wasp moth (Syntomeida epilais), but there is a question whether or not that's a nativ

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.

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.

Wood is dense (hard). Listed as Threatened by the FDACS. Screen plant. Specimen shrub or small tree -- you can choose based on how you opt to prune ( , 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, Cover and food primarily for birds. , Habitat, Coastal hammocks.

Shade tree. Forest tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Birds, squirrel and other wildlife consume the acorns. , Habitat, Xeric to dry-mesic pine-oak-hickory woods, sometimes on bluff microsites. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for the white-M hairstreak.

Forms thickets. Best used as a screen or buffer plant. , 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 fruit. , Habitat, Dry woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia) and spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).  Attracts long-tongued bees, sho