Don't confuse this native with the two highly invasive ardisias: coral ardisia (A. crentata) and shoebutton ardisia (A. elliptica). While this will grown in full shade, it blooms better in part sun to sun. Specimen plant or hedge.

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 production.

Small to medium tree often with somewhat scruffy form. Retain in a natural setting if present.

Restoration. Backdrop for a pond. Useful for water quality treatment.

Endemic to Florida. Wildflower garden,

Shade tree. Forest tree.

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, the Florida Plant Atlas shows two outlying collections.  One (Alachua County) appears to have been removed by the herbarium that "has" the specimen, the other (St. Lucie County) is a 1980 literature citation with apparently no specimen.   Neither is shown on our map. Bog gardens, sunny areas with moist soil.  Only likely to be noticed when blooming.

Blooms all year. Recruits readily in the garden from seed. Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also butterfly gardens.

Bloom can be long lasting relative to other early spring blooming trees -- as long as a month. Duration is dependent on temperature. Flowers grow directly from the trunk. Moderate-sized specimen tree.

For best results, use species naturally found in your area Wildflower garden. Most species bloom best if in light shade or sun, though it does depend on species.

Each stem has soft, fleshy green flanges running longitudinally down its length. When winter weather brings ice, the stems exude water that freezes into fascinating shapes, hence its common name frostweed. Background plant in a wildflower garden. Also useful as a mass planting along a forest edge. This plant is best used in informal settings and does well if allowed to naturalize.

This is a wetland plant, but it will do well once established in a moist garden setting. Moist wildflower gardens. Easily grown along streams.

Requires a reliable cold period to persist. In most of Florida it can be treated as an annual in gardens. Listed as Endangered by the State of Florida.  While this is a common garden plant in the north, its range barely reaches Florida, and it is rare and exists only in a highly specific habitate in the wild. Works well in almost any garden with mixed wildflower species. North of Florida, this species is sometimes planted as single-species mass plantings.

Sawgrass is a sedge, not a grass. It was this plant that Marjory Stoneman Douglas referred to in her seminal work: "The Everglades: River of Grass." A second species (C. mariscoides) occurs in a limited area in north Florida.  Its uses and culture are similar. Typically used in wetland restoration. Also useful for planting in brackish settings where an emergent aquatic is desired. Spreads rapidly to cover large areas.

This fern is listed as Threatened by the FDACS.  Where is it, however, it is highly robust. Borders, groundcover on wooded edges. This is a very tall fern, so best planted toward the back of a garden.

Night blooming, fragrant.

Foliage has a strong minty smell. Dry wildflower garden.

Fall foliage color is yellow. While used extensively as a street tree in the north, this fast growing species is relatively weak. Specimen tree. Frequently used as a street tree as tolerant of root disturbance. Fall color is yellow.

Bahama ladder brake hybridizes with the non-native and invasive China brake (P. vittata) forming Delchamps' ladder brake (P. x delchampsii). Bahama ladder break is threatened with extinction due to this hybridization. Because of this, we do not recommend planting Bahama ladder break -- if we plant it and there is any China brake around, we exacerbate the problem. When you find this plant in nature, please enjoy it there. Listed as threatened by the state of Florida. Grows in clumps. Unusual in that it thrives in high light, but needs moist soil.

The wood is noted as being very strong, hence the common name "ironwood" Does not do well much south of its natural range. Small specimen tree. Also good as an understory tree. While rarely grown, this plant is very worth of use in the landscape.

Endemic to western peninsular Florida from Tampa south to Charlotte County. Wildflower garden.