Specimen plant for floodplain or mist settings. , 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 the fruit, but not as popular as other haws. , Habitat, Moist sites. Riverine forests, moist wooded slopes such as ravines and bluffs, stream banks. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage, Thorns Attracts pollinators, especially important for native bees. Larval food for hummingbird clearw

Its small to medium size make it appropriate for small landscapes as a specimen tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and other wildlife. , Habitat, Pine rockland, hammocks. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Nectar plant for Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), red-banded hairstreak (C

Fruits are showy from mid-distance until spring. Salt tolerance is unknown but given known locations for the plant, we assume it is likely to be low. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Sandhill, open areas in xeric hammock, scrub, scrubby-sandhill, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Attracts butterflies and moths, bees, and other insects.  Documented bees include Colletes mandibularis, Agaposternon spl

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.

Widespread but sparse distribution in Florida largely based on where limestone is exposed at the surface.  If you have limestone it is appropriate to , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Said to be resistant to deer. , Habitat, Moist hammocks and can grow attached to rock outcroppings if moisture is consistently present in the area. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Many spleenworts are rare. Please do not harvest from the wild. Most spleenworts have very narrow ranges and narrow environmental tolerances. Don't co , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Around sinkholes and on rocks. Epiphytic on logs and trees. Moist sites. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

This tree is subject to Dutch elm disease. Dutch elm disease has not been detected in Florida (IFAS 2008). In most of eastern North America, this tree , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, While Dutch elm disease has not been detected in Florida (IFAS, 2018), the planting practices that result in massive losses of street trees north of F , Wildlife, Seeds used by birds in spring when little else is available. Used for nesting. , Habitat, Floodplain forest, wet mesic forests, hardwood swamps. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Interesting foliage Larval host for: Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma), Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis), Painted Lady (Vanessa ca

Grows well well north of its native range.  Documented in very southern counties with an outlier in Martin County -- that outlier is also unique in th , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can get messy after cold spells. , Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by birds.  Provides cover for lizzards and other small animals. , Habitat, Pine rockland. Also cultivated. Dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host for Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus).

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.

There is a natural dwarf form that is associated with xeric uplands.  I makes a nice, low-growing shrub in casual gardens. Good as a background or he , 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, It is flammable, so plant away from buildings in fire-prone areas. It fixes nitrogen with its roots like a legume, so it tolerates poor soils. , Wildlife, Good wildlife cover. Seeds eaten by birds. , Habitat, Wet-dry sites. Upland mixed forest, floodplains, wetland edges, cutthroat seeps, old fields, scrub, fencerows , Did You Know?, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) and red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)butterflies.

Keep it if you have it. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Wet hammocks, meadows, fence rows, roadsides, open and dense woods, wet flatwoods, floodplain forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Pollinated by moths.

Fall foliage color is yellow. While used extensively as a street tree in the north, this fast growing species is relatively weak. Specimen tree. Freq , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Its prolific root system is notorious for invading and clogging leaky underground drainage and water lines. Susceptible to wind or ice damage due to i , Wildlife, The  are important food for squirrels during late winter/early spring. Budburst comes during the critical late winter-spring period when stored food s , Habitat, Floodplains. , Did You Know?, Fall color Attracts bees. Larval host for Cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia).

Based on the BONAP range map, this species is a "near endemic" -- it occurs only in the panhandle and a 3 counties in southern Alabama. At this time, , Tolerance, Unknown Unknown , Wildlife, Small birds eat the seed. , Habitat, Wet flatwoods, bogs, savannahs, prairies , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for many butterfly species but also visited by other native insect pollinators.

Shade tree. Screen along wetland edges. Street tree for use in parking lots and median strips. Many acres have been planted to attract bees for honey , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen fruits can be mildly messy. , Wildlife, Seeds eaten by birds. , Habitat, Stream banks, swamps, pond and lake margins. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits Pollinated by bees.

Night blooming, fragrant. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds. , Habitat, Dry sites. Coastal hammocks. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Larval host for Florida White (Appias drusilla) and Great Southern White (Ascia monuste).

Litsea aestivalis is listed as Endangered by the State of Florida.  Since that listing, the laurel wilt disease has come to Florida, and is known to k , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and mammals. , Habitat, Near the edges of forested wetlands and some seasonal ponds wtih open centers. , Did You Know?, Attracts flies and small bees.  A likely host for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly.

The showy part of the flower is the white, pink or rose bracts that become petal-like. This species is listed as Threatened by the State of Florida. P , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Edges of bayheads, swamps; bogs; steepheads; wet flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts bees and butterflies.

While generally a swamp plant, this tree can grow in uplands.  Stems root readily and most of the stems stuck in a moist substrate will survive withou , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Weak wood, easily broken. , Habitat, Swamps, marshes, floodplains, glades around gator holes. Open, wet, sunny areas. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host plant for Viceroy (Basilarchia archippus).  The species is wind pollinated, but bees harves

Wildflower garden.  Low borders. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Pinelands, flatwoods, open hammocks, roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees.

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

This is a sedge. Most Rhynchospora species are wind pollinated. The white bracts of this species attract insects. Can use as a groundcover in moist s , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Wet flatwoods, wet prairie. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees and butterflies.  This is a sedge, and most sedges are wind pollinated, so having a showy "flower" and attracting insects