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Seymeria spp.
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.
  • Compact size
  • Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
  • Colorful new leafs
  • Tropical silhouette
  • Excellent small to medium hedge
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Ilex opaca
Both male and female plants required for pollination and seed set. Specimen tree.  Screen. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Sharp spines (teeth) on leaves. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds. , Habitat, Upland woods, second bottom but will not tolerate long flooding. Often an understory plant. Documented in Lee County in a site likely to be natural. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Bees pollinate flowers.
  • Fruit eaten by birds
  • Does best in warmer areas of South Florida
  • Moderately slow growth
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Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum
Some literature sources suggest that this species may have some salt tolerance as it apparently grows along the upper edges of some salt marshes, but , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Wet flatwoods, roadside ditches in former flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers This plant is an insect magnet! It attracts insects including long-tongued bees, green metallic bees, bee flies, butterflies, and skipp
  • Ideal for smaller spaces
  • Abundance of orange-red flowers in summer
  • Long-lasting year-round blooms
  • Extremely versatile
  • Elegant appearance
  • Somewhat drought tolerant
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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 , 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
  • Somewhat drought tolerant
  • Narrow enough for tight spaces
  • Attractive variegated foliage
  • Prominent pale green crownshaft
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Taxodium distichum
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.
  • Not as popular as it once was
  • Very full crown
  • Often draped with Spanish moss
  • Iconic symbol of the south
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Aesculus pavia
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
  • Requires protection from strong winds
  • Unique and prized
  • Attractive blue-green to silver leaflets
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Morus rubra
Wind pollinated.  Dioecious.  According to Huegel (2010), the flowers attract insects. Plant tree in areas where fallen fruit will not be an issue. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen fruits are messy. , Wildlife, Fruits are very popular with birds and mammals and some reptiles (for example, Eastern box turtle ) , Habitat, Upper floodplains, hammocks, mesic forests.. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
  • Smaller stature
  • Imposing stature
  • Highly nutritious fruit
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Sassafras albidum
Red/orange fall color is excellent. Leaves have three separate shapes: ovoid, tri-lobed, or mitten-shaped (left or right). Mature trees tend to have f , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Like other members of this family, sassafras trees are threatened by the spread of the redbay ambrosia beetle and the laural wilt fungus it carries. M , Wildlife, Birds consume fruit. , Habitat, Dry sites. Dry mesic forests. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Fall color, Interesting foliage Larval food for spicebush butterfly(Papilio troilus), tiger swallow-tail(papilio glaucus), palamede
  • Healthy edible fruit
  • Handsome
  • Breathtaking and memorable
  • Highly salt tolerant
  • Unique purple-brown crownshaft
  • Excellent small hedge
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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 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.
  • Highly nutritious fruit
  • Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
  • Cornerstone plant in South Florida
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Conradina brevifolia
This is a rare species and it should only be acquired from reputable plant nurseries. Some botanists have declared this endemic species to be a synony , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Scrub, scrubby sandhill. In open areas and along cleared roadsides. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts many pollinators, especially bees.
  • Elegant appearance
  • Majestic, sprawling canopy
  • Will not tolerate frost
  • Attracts butterflies and bees
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Hibiscus grandiflorus
This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites. Specimen plant or background screen for wet places. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts butterflies, bees, beetles, and birds. , Habitat, Depressions in pine flatwoods, brackish and freshwater marshes, edges of lakes and ponds, along rivers, swamps, canals, ditches. Commonly in water bu , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host of  Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies and  four
  • Prolific fruiter
  • Extremely popular
  • Colorful older leaves
  • Beautiful pinwheel flowers, often multicolored
  • Recently classified invasive
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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. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dome swamp, wet flatwoods, wet prairie. In ditches, wet pastures, roadsides. Often in burned areas. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts pollinators.
  • 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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Eriogonum tomentosum
Rarely grown but of good potential for a dry native wildflower garden. Wildflower garden. When not flowering, the plant is a low-growing rosette of l , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Sandhill, scrubby sandhill, disturbed sandhill, xeric roadsides in areas of sandhill soils. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts bees and other pollinators.  Does not attract many butterflies.
  • Sprawling and informal shrub
  • Arched, recurving fronds
  • Requires occassional fertalization
  • Thick branching into attractive silouttes
  • Highly salt tolerant
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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 , 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, Attracts hummingbirds. Birds and other small wildlife consume the seed (https://wildflower.org) , Habitat, Moist-wet areas, acid soils. Wet flatwoods, savannas, swamps, stream banks, bogs, other wet areas. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees which have evolved to take advantage of narrow, tubular flowers.
  • Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
  • Attractive contrast between flowers and foliage
  • Magnificent showy flowers in summer
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Funastrum clausum
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
  • Majestic, sprawling canopy
  • Prominent pale green or blue-gray crownshaft
  • Very showy bright yellow flowers
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Gaylussacia mosieri
Rarely gown likely because of its need for moist sites. Shrub in an informal, moist garden and would make a good backdrop for a bog garden, or a good , 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 a variety of birds and mammals. , Habitat, Bogs, wet savannas, edges of bayheads, mesic to hydric flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Pollinated by native bees.
  • Excellent edible fruit
  • Stunning long emerald crownshaft
  • Not a true jasmine
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Scirpus cyperinus
Background plant in a wetland garden. Wetland creation and restoration projects. , 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, Cover for water birds and other wildlife. Birds eat the seeds. , Habitat, Wet prairie, river floodplain. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
  • Very full crown
  • Stunning colorful foliage
  • Rapid growth
  • Compact size
  • Highly wind tolerant
  • Beautiful sweeping fronds with drooping leaflets
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Ptelea trifoliata
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.
  • Very showy bright yellow flowers
  • Slender trunk, 4" in diameter
  • Relatively uncommon in South Florida
  • Native
Common Hoptree
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Argemone mexicana
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
  • Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
  • Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
  • Very showy clusters of red flowers
  • Thrives only briefly, about 1 year
  • Fruit eaten by birds
  • Fragrant in the evening
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Eryngium aquaticum
Moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Wet prairie, wet pine flatwoods, fresh to brackish marshes, bogs, ditches, swamps. Especially in areas where limestone is close to the surface. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts many pollinators; is especially important for native bees.
  • Rapid growth
  • Stout, swollen trunk
  • Will not tolerate frost
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Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis
Used extensively in Indian cultures. Fruits are very high in Vitamin C. Casual settings, wetland edge or screen plant. Rain gardens and bioswales. Lo , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Many would consider this plant weedy: it does self seed and spread via rhizomes. It's wood is weak; stems break easily. Use where these characteristic , Wildlife, Fruits popular with birds. , Habitat, Disturbed wetland edges, wet roadsides, etc. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Flowers attract many pollinators.
  • Damaged by citrus canker
  • Recently classified invasive
  • Very showy bright yellow flowers
  • Relatively compact and narrow canopy
  • Requires ample space and light
American Elder