Works well to control erosion (wind and water) on dunes. Hedge or specimen plant in coastal areas. , 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 , Habitat, Dunes, beaches, coastal scrub, sandy thickets. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Host plant for Martial Scrub Hairstreak (Strymon martialis) and Mallow Scrub Hairstreak

Wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. , Habitat, Sandhill, secondary woods, flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees.

Range includes most of eastern and central north Ameria west to the prairie region and north into southeastern Canada.  The southern range limit is in , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Rich woods, calcareous hammocks (in FL) but frequently in acid soils elsewhere. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees -- only butterflies and long-tongued bees can reach the nectar but other insects are attracted to the flo

This species is almost always coastal occupying only a strip along the coastline and not entire counties. Wildflower garden or tall-growing groundcov , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. , Considertions, Becomes weedy-looking after flowering. , Habitat, Depression and basin marshes, wet prairies, pine rocklands, edges of mangrove swamps, disturbed areas such as berms and dikes near the coast, edges of , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius), Dorantes longtail (Urbanus dorantes), eufala skipper (Lerodea eufala), field skipper

Small specimen plant in wet areas.  Does well in bog gardens and rain gardens or bioswales. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Toxic. , Habitat, Marshes, swamps , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host to the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus), and soldier butterfly, (Danaus eresimus). A

While native in Florida, this species is invasive in other areas, especially the Pacific Northwest. Aquatic species with floating leaves and flowers. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Could overrun small ponds or water features. , Habitat, Aquatic. Marshes, swamps in openings, still water. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Flies, bees, and beetles have been recorded.

Listed as Endangered by the State of Florida and the USFWS.  This is a rare plant endemic to one panhandle county and should only be acquired from rep , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Sandhill. Seen in open sandhill at Appalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve. Upper edges of steepheads in the transition to sandhills, edges of pin , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts many pollinators, especially bees.

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.

Leaves are glaucous and appear to be blue-green sometimes with pink-violet overtones. The range includes the Florida panhandle and much of the pennins , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Must have acidic soil. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit. , Habitat, Moist sites. Flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Attracts various pollinators, especially native bees.   Documented bee species include Agapostemon s

Rarely planted and hence likely to be difficult to acquire. This sprawling vine has the potential to be used as a groundcover. It also could be trai , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dry, sandy ruderal sites, dry flatwoods, sandhill, relatively open xeric to dry mesic hammocks. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees including Halictus ligatus, Nolnia maneei, Megachile exilis parexilis, M. georgica, M. rnendica and M. petzclans (Deyrup

Interesting silky-looking foliage. Tallish groundcover in mesic (moist) areas. Can be planted in groupings in shady areas. Despite the name, the leav , 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, Dispersed by birds. , Habitat, Dry mesic to mesic and hydric hammock, second bottom, shell mounds, floodplains. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Attracts bees and butterflies.

Specimen or hedge plant. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Birds and other animals use the fruits , Habitat, Tropocal hammocks, pine flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Attracts bees and wasps, some flies, and other pollinators.

Typically grown in the background of a wildflower garden as its tall flower stalks are only visible in fall. The remainder of the year is looks like a , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, In the landscape will need annual cutting back. , Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Flatwoods, secondary pinelands, sandhill. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host for "grass skippers" including swarthy skipper (Nastra lherminier), Delaware skipper (Anatrytone arogos), Euf

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

Flowers are fragrant. Specimen shrub. Border plant or low screen plant. , 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, Attracts pollinators. , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock, pine rockland, coastal berm. In disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Interesting foliage

Is being replaced  by S. lancifolia in Louisiana where there is salt water intrusion into wetlands.  Apparently much less salt tolerant that S. lancif , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds are attracted to the fruits. , Habitat, Marshes, wetter portions of wet prairies, swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts insect pollinators.

Wildflower gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Not drought tolerant. , Habitat, Hydric to mesic pine flatwoods, cutthroat seeps, bogs. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts many butterflies (NSIS), bees and other pollinators.

Interesting red stems. Makes a good specimen plant in an informal garden. Weedy in appearance if in large numbers and stems tend to split when branche , 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, The roots and seeds are poisonous. , Wildlife, Birds eat the berries. , Habitat, Flatwoods, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Attracts bees including Augochlora pura, Augochloropsis metallica, A. sumptuosa, Dialictus miniatulus, D. nymphalis, D. p

In the opinion of this author, this species has a weedy look.  Occurs throughout Florida but is more frequent in flatwoods pond settings and small flo , 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, An aggressive grower. Plant where that characteristic is appropriate. , Habitat, Riverine forests, flatwoods, beaches, fresh and brackish marshes, disturbed sites. , Did You Know?, Larval host for tawny edged skipper.

Fragrant flowers and crushed foliage smells like limes. Dioecious: male and female flowers are on separate plants. Hedge, buffer or screen plant wher , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Very sharp thorns. , Wildlife, Provides wildlife cover. Fruit is used by birds and other wildlife. , Habitat, Hammocks. Scrub. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Interesting foliage, Thorns Larval host for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) and Schaus' swallowtail (Heraclides aristodemus

Borders, foundation plantings, underplantings for trees and larger shrubs. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Foliage and nectar poisonous to humans and many mammals. , Habitat, Low mixed forest, streambanks, somewhat seepy areas near springs , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Pollinated by bees.