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

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 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.

Rarely grown, likely since it is a poisonous annual with prickles.  Invasive in parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia. This is a personal favorite of o , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Prickles can be an issue in some gardens. All parts of this plant are extremely toxic. , Habitat, Rurderal areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts pollinators including bees, flies, and beetles.

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

Would be nice to see this used more in restoration, but the hydrology and substrate need to be correct. Adapted to edge of marshes. Suited for use on , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Foliage and seeds are food source for birds and mammals. , Habitat, Cutthroat seeps, wet prairie, flatwoods marshes, margins of cypress swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.  Bees include Colletes nudus and Coelioxys sayi plus the non-native Apis mellifera (honey

The showy part of this plant is the bracts which are pink to lavender. Flowers are actually small, whitish to yellowish, with purple spots. Wildflowe , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Can get rangy and fall over, but trimming in early summer will keep it bushier. , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. , Habitat, Dry disturbed areas, old fields, and upper sand dunes. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts many bees, butterflies, and moths.

Wildflower garden, meadow. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Sandhills, flatwoods, pine-oak-hickory woods, floodplains, secondary woods, cutthroat seep. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators, especially native bees. Larval host plant for pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos) butterflies.

It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida and as critically imperiled in South Florida by The Institute for Regional Conservation. Specimen , 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 rock barren, beach dune, coastal strand. Lower Keys only. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage

Retain in the landscape for coastal protection where present. Used for dune restoration. , Tolerance, Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation) High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and , Wildlife, Provides some cover for wildlife and maybe some foods. , Habitat, Salt marsh, dunes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance

Occurs naturally at the edges of wooded areas and creates a hedge-like appearance. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, It's dioecious; so make sure you have at least one male plant in the vicinity to produce berries on the females. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds. , Habitat, Wet flatwoods, titi swamps, bogs. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Bees pollinate flowers.

Mass plantings, small specimen shrubs , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Foliage and seeds are food sources for birds and mammals. , Habitat, Hammock,mesic to dry mesic hardwood or mixed pine forest, flatwoods, floodplains, ruderal areas, sandhill, wet calcareous hammocks, secondary woods. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.

Specimen plant. Slow growing. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Leaves have sharp spines. It's dioecious; so make sure you have at least one male plant in the vicinity to produce berries on the females. , Wildlife, Fruits principally eaten by birds. , Habitat, Scrub. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Thorns Pollinated by bees.  Documented bee species include Augochloropsis sumptuosa, Megachilepetulans and Xylocop

Listed as Endangered in Florida. Rarely planted.  Given the proper support this plant could likely be used as a climbing vine hedge. , 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 eat the fruits. , Habitat, Rockland/tropical hammocks , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host plant for julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia) butterflies and likely other species. Pollinate

Younger specimens have a conical shape, but older trees tend to flatten out at the top. In some areas, the strangler fig (Ficus aurea)has strangled ma , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can produce knees, even if grown in uplands. , Wildlife, Attracts seed-eating birds. Valuable as roosting and nesting areas for colonial wading birds. , Habitat, Riverine swamps, large swamps around lakes. Inundated areas associated with some form of flowing water. Floodplains, sloughs, strands. May be assoc , Did You Know?, Fall color, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for baldcypress sphinx (Isoparce cupressi) moth.

The inflorescence consists of a few long-stalked flowers with 6 tepals and many bulblets that tend to sprout in place. The first leaf from the bulblet , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Ruderal, especially roadside ditches. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Pollinated by bees and other insects.

It is listed as Endangered by the state of Florida. Understory tree. Use as screen or specimen plant. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and small mammals. Hummingbirds visit the flowers. , Habitat, Rockland hammock in coastal areas. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Nectar plant for Schaus' swallowtail (Heraclides aristodemius) and other butterflies.

The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)is a very destructive wood-boring beetle native to Asia. It was discovered in North America in July 2002, a , 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 consumed by squirels and other rodents and some songbirds (cardinals). , Habitat, Dry sites. Upland dry mesic forests. Well drained, rich soils. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval host for eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) and viceroy (Limenitis archippus)

If grown in a freshwater environment, S. patens will grow much bigger. Use as a shoreling stabilization plant on edges of sand beaches and saltmarsh. , 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 other animals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Salt and brackish water of shores, farmlands, marshes, dunes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance

Bahama ladder brake hybridizes with the non-native and invasive China brake (P. vittata) forming Delchamps' ladder brake (P. x delchampsii). Bahama la , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Needs periodic removal of old fronds -- cut the clumps back in winter or early spring. , Habitat, Pine rockland, sinkhole (edges). On limestone. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage