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North Of Lake Okeechobee South Of Lake O Coastal Areas And The Keys Clear all
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Spartina alterniflora
Used for shoreline protection. A major saltmarsh plant. Useful for erosion control.
  • Stunning
  • Long emerald crownshaft
  • Beautiful purple-brown crownshaft
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Clethra alnifolia
The herbarium specimen from Polk County almost certainly has a wrong location.  Lithia is in Hillsborough County and the most likely translation of a wrongly written latitude and longitude is also in Hillsborough County -- but the exact location would have been agricultural in 1962. Hedges, back borders. Blooms in summer.
  • Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
  • Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
  • Magnificent showy flowers in summer
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Forestiera segregata
Hedges, screens.
  • Formal appearance
  • Classic Southern tree
  • Unique flowers, with petals like banana peels
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Pinus clausa
Foliage is fine-textured. Fast growing. Subject to root problems in poorly drained areas. Highly flammible and old trees are weak.  Think twice about placing a building in a sand pine forest. Forest plantings for dry sites, specimen tree. Best not planted adjacent to buildings.
  • Slender profile
  • Does poorly oceanside
  • Showy clusters orange-yellow fruits in spring
  • Formal, old-world appearance
  • Often draped with Spanish moss
  • Magnificent showy flowers in summer
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Tripsacum floridanum
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 that it was collected near a cypress dome. Closely related to corn, this species has been crossed with maize to produce a corn that is resistant to Helminthosporium turcicum, the fungus that causes northern leaf blight  (Wikipedia). Listed as Threatened in Florida. Informal borders.
  • Susceptible to breakage, even in moderate winds
  • Highly wind tolerant
  • Symmetrical shape
  • Sometime grows horozontially
  • Elegant appearance
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Melanthera nivea
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 florets that look like petals. All the florets in the flower head are fertile. Use in a butterfly garden or informal wildflower garden.
  • Unique fluffy fronds
  • Can be kept narrow
  • Not a true jasmine
  • Attractive blue-green to silver leaflets
  • Slow Growth
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Erithalis fruticosa
This plant is considered to be Threatened in Florida. Please preserve in the landscape and acquire new plants in an environmentally sound manner (seed or nursery-grown plants). Good as a buffer plant. Could be used as an informal hedge.
  • Somewhat drought tolerant
  • Narrow enough for tight spaces
  • Attractive variegated foliage
  • Prominent pale green crownshaft
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Spartina spartinae
Primarily useful for coastal restoration projects.
  • Ringed trunk
  • Colorful fall foliage
  • Ideal with Mediterranean architecture
  • Adequate moisture required
  • Distinctive-looking fruit with spiked exterior
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Pityopsis graminifolia
Minimize competition especially if it is over-topping the Pityopsis. Wildflower garden. Foliage can be attractive year-round as silvery-gray green. Also suitable for naturalizing. The foliage will spread into a small mat which can be used to some extent as a groundcover.
  • Ringed trunk
  • Pleasant rounded shape
  • Long-lasting year-round blooms
  • Readily pruned into attractive shapes
  • Stunning colorful foliage
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Ptelea trifoliata
Understory tree, use as a background plant or screen.
  • Very showy bright yellow flowers
  • Slender trunk, 4" in diameter
  • Relatively uncommon in South Florida
  • Native
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Liriodendron tulipifera
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 nature of the light-colored wood. Noted as a good honey plant. Its range in Florida appears to be disjunct.  However, there is no reason to believe that this plant would cause issues if planted outside of that range.  It is said not to perform well to the south of its range. Large shade tree.
  • Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
  • Sometime grows horozontially
  • Prominent pale green crownshaft
  • Arched, recurving fronds
  • Beautiful exotic foliage
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Sabal minor
Use as a small specimen shrub in moist areas. Can also be used in floodplains.
  • Often hosts orchids, ferns and bromiliads
  • Does best in warmer areas of South Florida
  • Tall and romantic
  • Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
  • Wonderfully fragrant
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Tripsacum dactyloides
In a managed garden, gamagrass can be trimmed back at the end of winter. Hedge, foundation planting, individual large grass clump, background screen for a flower garden. Rain garden or bioswale.
  • Requires protection from strong winds
  • Unique and prized
  • Attractive flowers, typically deep orange
  • Handsome
  • Highly nutritious fruit
  • Wonderfully fragrant at night
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Litsea aestivalis
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 kill this species.   It is likely best to plant this plant only if the stock is known to be disease free, and only if planting it is not likely to provide new hosts for the disease.  As with any Endangered species, please acquire only from reputable nurseries with appropriate licences to grown and sell this species. The documented range of this species suggests that the occurrence is sparse, but fairly broad in the northern half of Florida.  It is also a plant that is easily overlooked and that may have a wider range than that suggested by documentation from herbarium specimens given that much of its habitat has likely been eliminated by forestry practices.  It is also probably that the range is becoming sparser due to laurel wilt. Wetland areas where the goal is to attract birds.
  • Highly nutritious fruit
  • Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
  • Cornerstone plant in South Florida
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Fraxinus pennsylvanica
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, and has become established in Michigan, New York, Ohio and Ontario (Canada). Millions of ash trees have been killed in the northeastern US. Although the borer has not been detected in Florida (Dec. 2011), the presence of ash trees and the ongoing movement of wood, trees and cargo into the state make Florida an area where the beetle could potentially become established. Your help is needed to detect possible infestations so they can be quickly eradicated...if you see it, contact the Florida Division of Forestry. Appropriate for edges of lakes and ponds. Will also grow as a shade tree in uplands, but white ash has better form. Can be used in settings with soil disturbance.
  • Attractive symmetrical appearance
  • Extremely versatile
  • Fruit eaten by birds
  • Delicious edible fruit
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Penstemon laevigatus
Informal shady semi-shady gardens.
  • Prominent blue-gray crownshaft
  • Prized scent, used in commercial perfumes
  • Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
  • Raised diamond-shaped trunk pattern
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Liatris elegans
Wildflower garden.
  • Year-round blooms
  • Attracts butterflies
  • Unique foliage and silhouette
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Zephyranthes simpsonii
Flowers tend to appear in spring or after a significant rainfall. Otherwise inconspicuous. Small wildflower or plant in with other low groundcovers. Foliage is very fine and the plant is inconspicuous except when in bloom.
  • Often draped with Spanish moss
  • Magnificent
  • Stunning and colorful while in bloom
  • Delicious edible fruit
  • Prolific fruiter
  • Does best with periodic fertalization
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Vaccinium stamineum
Specimen shrub. Fine foliage. Does well adjacent to structures or woods.
  • Slow Growth
  • Excellent small hedge
  • Abundance of orange-red flowers in summer
  • Showy creamy white flowers
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Coreopsis grandiflora
Wildflower garden or butterfly garden. A number of cultivars exist, but none are grown widely in Florida.
  • Moderately rapid growth
  • Requires shade when young
  • Unique, sweet, almond-like flavor
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Mitchella repens
This  little plant produces two flowers with ovaries that fuse into a single fruit. Typically grown as a curiosity. This is a very small plant that acts as a groundcover with the caveat that the plants are very small. Keep it in a natural forested setting or establish in such an area.
  • Lush, dense shade tree
  • Wonderfully fragrant, carries a great distance
  • Fruit eaten by birds