This can be a love-it-or-hate-it plant.  It is robust and can cover a large area.  Consider where you are going to plant it, and avoid planting in are , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can be aggressive. This is not a plant for small places. , Wildlife, The seeds of this wildflower are consumed by the Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, and probably other waterfowl. (Illinois Wildfllowers).  Bea , Habitat, Ponds, lakes, rivers still or slow moving water in areas not subject to substantial wave action. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage The flowers are cross-pollinated by bees which collect pollen for their larvae.  Two bee species  th

Natural areas with some trees and vines for support , Tolerance, Unknown Unknown , Habitat, Mesic forests , Did You Know?, Larvel host for monarch and queen butterflies Pollinated by flies

This plant is considered to be Threatened in Florida. Please preserve in the landscape and acquire new plants in an environmentally sound manner (seed , 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 ( , Wildlife, Wildlife food and shelter. , Habitat, Coastal scrub, hammocks, pine rocklands, coastal flats. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage

Specimen plant, typically forms clumps of stems,the young fan-shaped fronds hide the principal stems. The lower fronds can be removed so that the trun , 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, Leaf stalks bear spines. , Wildlife, Fruits spread by birds. , Habitat, Moist hammocks, swamps, but can adapt to drier sites. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Thorns, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts bees.

Used for wetland restoration. Attractive for planting in surface water management ponds. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Dies back in the winter. , Wildlife, Provides hiding areas for water birds some of which hide their nests in patches of this tall plant. , Habitat, Marshes, swamps, roadside ditches. Usually in areas with relatively high nutrients and relatively high light. Rarely under a dense canopy. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Host plant for Brazilian Skipper (Calpodes ethlius).   Single gray eggs are laid on the leaves. After emerging, Br

Wildflower garden or butterfly garden. A number of cultivars exist, but none are grown widely in Florida. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Self-seeds, so it can become weedy. , Habitat, Dry sites. Ruderal. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts many butterflies and  pollinators.

They are included here because they are valuable to insects and because they are lovely and good to have in a native garden if you are lucky enough to , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Both species are hemi-parasitic (semi-parasitic) and difficult to grow without appropriate host plants. , Habitat, Open upland woods and disturbed edges. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for  black buckeye. Attracts insects.

Use as a specimen plant or understory tree. May be single or multi-stemmed. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Toxic fruits and foliage. Leaves drop earlier than other deciduous trees. , Habitat, Upland hardwood forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage

Used for shoreline protection. A major saltmarsh plant. Useful for erosion control. , Tolerance, Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation) High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and , Wildlife, Birds and other animals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Salt marsh, tidal flats, beaches. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval food for Louisiana eyed silkmoth (Automeris louisiana)

Foliage is fine-textured. Fast growing. Subject to root problems in poorly drained areas. Highly flammible and old trees are weak.  Think twice about , 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, Roots are sensitive to disturbance. , Wildlife, Squirrels and other animals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Dry sites. Scrub, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Although it has square stems and opposite leaves like members of the mint family (Lamiaceae), this is a member of the daisy family, but it has no ray , 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 may need pruning. Reseeds, so plant it where that's not a problem. , Habitat, Edges of upland hardwood forests, hydric hammocks, maritime hammocks, pine flatwoods, pine-oak-hickory woods, calcareous hammocks, coastal hammocks, o , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Heavily used by butterflies, skippers, bees, and wasps for nectar.  This plant is an insect magnet.

While its common name is tulip poplar, it is not related to poplars--it is a member of the magnolia family. Source of the name probably comes from the , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Not particularly wind tolerant as a stand-alone specimen because of brittle wood and shallow root system. , Wildlife, Provides cover for birds and mammals. Said to attract hummingbirds. , Habitat, Mesic forests, 2nd bottom, upland hardwood forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) Attracts bees.

Trellis or fence , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, This is an extremely aggressive vine. It can grow into mats that cover shrubs and small trees. , Habitat, Moist sites such as edges of wetlands. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for monarch (Danaus plexippus), queen (Danaus gilippus), and soldier (Danaus eresimu) butterflies.  Apparently not a monarc

Based on BONAP maps and the ISB website, the range of Physalis walteri likely includes the entire peninsula of Florida but becomes restricted to areas , 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, Fruit is used by generalists. , Habitat, Open sandy areas. Often coastal. , Did You Know?, Attracts bees.

Understory tree, use as a background plant or screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Floodplains, rich woodlands, upland mixed forest. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy fruits Larval host for the giant swallowtail. Carrion flies pollinate the flowers.

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 is one of Florida's most showy and most under-appreciated wildflowers. Look for it along disturbed roadsides in mid-late winter and early spring. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp thorn-like prickles cover most of the plant. Highly toxic. , Habitat, Ruderal areas. Common on dry roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Attracts pollinators including bees, flies, and beetles.  Documented bee species include  Apis mellifera (honeybee), Dialictus

Wet garden. Rain garden. Shade tree for wet areas and along wetland edges. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Slow growing. , 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 smal mammals. , Habitat, Floodplain forests , swamps, usually in water. , Did You Know?, Fall color Visited by bees and valued by commercial bee keepers as a source of exceptionally sweet honey.  Also said to be wind pollinated.

This plant is believed to be extirpated in the wild in Florida.  According to most sources, it was known from a single area south of Miami near Biscay , 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 , Habitat, Coastal areas. Dunes and limerock and said to like hollows near mangroves. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Nectar attracts  butterflies.

In a managed garden, gamagrass can be trimmed back at the end of winter. Hedge, foundation planting, individual large grass clump, background screen , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Can die back and become messy during cold winters, but new growth covers it in the spring. , Wildlife, Even when trimmed occasionally, Gama Grass will provide cover for small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Deer eat the seeds. , Habitat, Wet bogs, roadsides, ditches, wet hammocks, river banks, low thickets, pine woods, open swamps, open habitats, flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. Also culti , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host for three-spotted skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus), clouded skipper (Lerema accius) and Byssusskipper (Problema

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).