Multistemmed shrub that can form small thickets. Plant as a screen, hedge, or background plant. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Can become aggressive in some habitats. , Habitat, Moist hammocks, dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreu

Given that this is short-lived (biennial) and difficult to transplant or grow from seed, this is perhaps best encouraged in places where it grows natu , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Hard to establish. Biennial, though may reseed. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host for  frosted elfin (Callophyris irus) butterfly, which is listed as  Endangered in Flori

The range of this species barely makes it into north Florida but extends north to southern Canada. Shade tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen/falling acorns can be a maintenance issue. , Wildlife, Acorns appreciated by squirrels, deer, turkey and other wildlife Used by birds for resting and nesting Larval host for gray hairstreak butterfly , Habitat, Mesic calcareous hammocks. , Did You Know?, Larval host for the white-M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album).

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

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.

Listed as Threatened by the Florida FDACS. Host plant for mahogony mistletoe,Phoradendron rubrum, which is listed as Endangered by the Florida FDAS. T , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock, coastal hammocks. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts a diverse community of small butterflies and moths. Many spec

Understory tree. Can be trimmed to keep sized as a shrub. Accent shrub or can be trained as a hedge. , 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, Slow growing. , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruit. , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock (borders), coastal berm. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits Insect pollinated.

Small specimen tree or an understory tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Small mammals and larger birds eat the berries. , Habitat, Dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract native Andrenid bees (Andrena spp.), Halictid bees (Halictus spp., Lasioglossu

Because it's a legume it can grow in poor soils, but does better with added organic matter. Specimen shrub. , 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, Hammock edges, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host plant for cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae), sleepy orange (Eurema nicippi) and the introduced orange-barred sulphur (Phoe

Specimen plant. Forms a large rosette of spine-tipped leaves. Flower stalks rise to 6-8 ft. , 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, Spine-tipped leave are very sharp. , Wildlife, Provides wildlife cover , Habitat, Cultivated. Dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Pollinated by moths though hummingbirds may be attracted to the nectar.  Larval host plant for cofaqui giant skipp

This is a narrow endemic found only in the southern parts of Wakulla and Franklin Counties.  It is listed as Endangered  by the State of Florida. Wil , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Coastal scrubs and sandhills especially in the transition zone to coastal flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees.

This species can be distinguished from related non-natives by its trailing stems and lance-shaped leaves. Stachytarpheta urticifolia, commonly sold by , 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  hummingbirds. , Habitat, Coastal strand, open areas in dry mesic hardwood forests, sometimes nestled under trees along sandy roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for tropical buckeye (Junonia genoveva) butterfly.  Nectar plant for many butterflies and moths including: Bahamian swallow

Not readily available from nurseries but said to be easy to grow. Palafoxia feayi is a related species, also beautiful, but harder to row and even les , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dry or scrubby flatwoods and , coastal hammocks. Common after fire. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees, butterflies and moths.  Said to attract scarab beetles.

Listed as endangered in Florida. Please retain in the natural landscape and acquire in an environmentally conscientious manner. Small specimen tree o , 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, Shell mound, rockland hammock. Also in disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators.

Citrus County specimen does not come up in the FLAS database search, so the County is not included on our map. Specimen plant in moist shade gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Hammocks. Epiphytic on trees, and also occurs on fallen logs and on rocks. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

There is potential name confusion with this species since it was formerly considered to be a subspecies of O. hirtellus (Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. s , 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, Unfortunately, this low growing grass is not visible during winter-spring, so its use is somewhat restricted to areas where this is not an issue. , Habitat, Moist sites. Shade. Moist hammocks. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval host for Carolina satyr (Hermeuptychia sosbius) butterfliy (IRC)

Specimen tree. Red to yellow in the fall. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Steep stream banks and ridges, hammocks, bluffs. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Attracts bees and other 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

Background shrub. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Can become weedy in the right conditions. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume food. Attracts various pollinators especially bees and butterflies. , Habitat, Old fields, open areas, edges of hammocks. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Attracts butterflies including malachite, atala, and daggerwinds (Haehle and Brookstone 1999).

There are three subspecies included in this description.  Together, they are found in all coastal counties of Florida and many inland ones.  As a gras , 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, Muhly grass forms a low canopy that small animals can use for shelter and refuge. Small birds eat the seeds. , Habitat, Flatwoods, marshes, scrub. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage

Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Fatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, scrub, dunes, beach strands, sand ridges, fields and roadsides, sandhill. Pyrophytic. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees. Leafcutting bees from the family Megachilidae have been observed visiting the flowers at the Archbold Bi