The range of this plant appears to encompass most of Florida with actual occurrances having been found in streams with appropriate water chemistry (ap , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Aquatic. Quiet pools in spring-run streams, spring-fed lakes and ponds, still water. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Everything from flies, to beetles, and various sorts of bees have been recorded on water lilies (In Defense of Plants blog).  Given the

FNPS Blog article Specimen plant or background 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 , Considertions, When its huge triply compound leaves are shed in the fall, only the main thorny stem is left standing through the winter months--hence the name devil' , Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. Birds include nuthatches, orioles, chickadees, titmice, and warblers. , Habitat, The edges of dry hammocks and dry hardwood forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns Attracts butterflies and bees.  Documented bee species include Colletes mandibularis, Hylaeus confluens, Augochlo

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

Cover plant, hedge plant, screen. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits.  Occasionally attracts hummingbirds. , Habitat, Coastal dunes. Disturbed areas in tropical hammocks (needs light) and pine rocklands. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts butterflies and other pollinators  including ants and bees (IRC).

Three species occur in Florida. Please plant your local variety. Wildflower garden where it is very showy in late summer/early fall. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Some birds and small mammals consume consume the seeds (https://flawildflowers.org/). , Habitat, Dry flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. This species can be seen at the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia). Attracts insects, especially bees.

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).

The silvery undersides of the leaves are striking. Erroneously listed as a host for palamedes swallowtail butterflies. Palamedes swallowtails only fee , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by woodpeckers, kingbirds, red-eyed vireos, mockingbirds, robins, thrushes, crows, cardinals, squirrels, mice among others. Deer brows , Habitat, Bay swamp, forested seep slopes, floodplains of small streams, low flatwoods where fire has been excluded. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant for Eastern tiger swallowtail (Pterou

Note: There are cultivars, such as "Little Gem" sold in nurseries that originate from non-Florida stock (Little Gem is a North Carolina tree). Suitabi , 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, Fruits are eaten (and spread) by  squirrels, opossums, and birds including quail, and turkey. , Habitat, Slope forest, dry-mesic to mesic upland hardwood forest. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Beetles are the primary pollinators. The flowers have a hardened carpel t