Three subspecies occur in Florida.  The subspecies ranges somewhat overlap.  Subspecies cruiseana is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. In , 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, Becomes less than attractive after flowering. , Wildlife, Primarily wind dispersed, but small birds consume seed. , Habitat, Scrub, sandhills. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Butterflies and bees including green metallic, sweat, leafcutter, bumble and mining bees (Florida Wildflower Foundation).

Sprawling. Best used as a wildflower. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Flatwoods near edges of open wetlands; roadsides through such places. Coastal thickets. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts a variety of pollinators, especially butterflies.

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

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).

Minimize competition especially if it is over-topping the Pityopsis. Wildflower garden. Foliage can be attractive year-round as silvery-gray green. A , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Cut back after flowering to keep it neat. , Habitat, Sandhill, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, dry prairie, disturbed areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts bees and butterflies. A pollinator study at the Archbold Biological Station documented over 30 species of

Hedge plant. Screen plant. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon ( , Considertions, Thorns. , Wildlife, Fruit are eaten by birds and mammals. It provides nesting sites and cover. . , Habitat, Coastal hammocks, salt flats. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns, Hurricane wind resistance Appreciated by a variety of insects as a nectar source.

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

Shrub for woodland edge or casual garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits are prized by a variety of birds and mammals. , Habitat, Sandhills, scrub, flatwoods, cypress swamp margins. Acid soils. Mesic to dry-mesic flatwoods, edges of bayneads, cypress depressions, cutthroat seeps. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Pollinated primarily by native bees.

Low ground-hugging ground cover in restoration areas, in ditches, and on wetland edges. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, It can become aggressive in the right conditions. , Habitat, Lakes edges, stream floodplains, marshes, swamps , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host plant for white peacock (Anartia jatrophae) butterflies. Insect pollinated. Attracts low-flying butter

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 Threatened by the FDACS. Specimen tree, edge plant, or part of a clump of trees. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Primarily dispersed by birds but other animals also eat the fruit. , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammock, pine rockland. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Pollinated by bees.

Blooms open late in the day and remain open through the night. Fragrant. Can be agrown as an anuual north of its native range.  Considered to be invas , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Extremely vigorous, may overtop other plants. Can be planted further north but should be treated as an annual. , Habitat, Disturbed wetland and lake edges, mangrove fringes. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Pollinated by moths.

Choose a species that grows naturally in your area. Wildflower garden. Rarely grown, mostly small wildflowers. Plant near the front of the garden s , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Mostly in open, relatively dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers The primary pollinator is bees, including bumblebees,  though at least for some species, flies and beetles visit some Crocanthemum spec

The range includes all of peninsular Florida and the southern parts of Georgia, and Alabama. Best used as a wildflower as it has a relatively short l , 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 wildlife consume the fruit. , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, high pine, cutthroat seep. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators.  Documented bee species include Augochlorella aurata, A. gratiosa, Augochloropsi

Wildflower garden. Could be naturalized in moist flatwoods that is kept low (burned). , 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, Poisonous. , Habitat, Wet flatwoods, wet prairie, cutthroat seep, roadside ditches. This species is particularly noticable after burns. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts a variety of insect pollinators

Very thorny. In the northern parts of its range, a thornless cultivar is planted. Specimen tree. To avoid insect issues, best not to plant in large n , 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, Very sharp thorns. Tree is short-lived in the southern parts of its range (includes Florida). , Wildlife, The seed pods have edible sweet pulp and are eaten by deer, opossums, squirrels, crows, starlings, and  quail. , Habitat, Upper portions of riverine floodplains, fertile uplands, stream banks. Planted in upland areas. , Did You Know?, Thorns Larval host for Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and several moths including Catocala innubens (The Betrothed), Catocala minuta (Lit

Natural range is restricted to coastal areas. Native borders, foundation plant, especially in salty environments. Can be trimmed. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. , Considertions, Suckers heavily forming large patches. , Wildlife, Birds and small mammals use the seeds. , Habitat, Salt marsh, tidal flats. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste), gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), so

This species is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida.  Please acquire only from reputable sources with proper permits. Grow as a sprawling vi , 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, Provides food for birds. , Habitat, Coastal hammocks esp. on dunes. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts a variety of insect pollinators including the Nessus sphinx (Amphion floridensis), Tantalus sphinx (Aellopus tantalus) and Ter

This subspecies has a broad distribution that extends west into Texas and north into northern New England.  It is found broadly but sporatically in Fl , 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, Birds and small mammals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Beach dune. Disturbed sandy areas both near the coast and inland. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Primarily pollinated by bees.

Often grows with ink berry and palmettos. Beautiful early spring-blooming shrub. Grow at edge of wooded areas or as a specimen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Various birds eat the berries including titmice, nuthatches, warblers, chickadees, cardinals, grosbeaks, and orioles. , Habitat, Wet sites. Seep slopes, wet flatwoods, edges of swamps. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Flowers attract bees and butterflies.  Pollinated by bees.

Sunny garden where a large, clumping grass is an asset. Noted for silvery-blue foliage that turns bronze in fall. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, If used in a garden, too much water, shade, or fertilizer can cause it to get top-heavy and fall over. , Wildlife, Provides cover and seed for many species of songbirds. , Habitat, Flatwoods, prairies. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval host for the Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan) and the dusted skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna).