Annuals & Perennials
white yarrow
Achillea millefolium
- Evergreen perennial wildflower
- Clustering rosettes of feathery leaves when not in flower
- Size: 1 foot wide to 6 inches tall, white flowers up to 2 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: most soil types except extreme wet or dry
- Notes: Attractive wildflower with many landscape uses. Flowers attractive to pollinators and leaves have medicinal qualities
false foxglove
Agalinis fasciculata
- Annual re-seeding meadow wildflower
- Tall, open growth habit
- Size: 3 feet wide to 4 feet tall, purple flowers in fall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: most soil types, likes to grow with grasses
- Notes: Excellent re-seeding wildflower for medium height meadows and open areas. Host plant for Common Buckeye Butterfly.
wild columbine
- Evergreen perennial herb with attractive foliage
- Red/orange/yellow flowers on tall stalks in spring
- Size: 2 feet wide by 2 feet tall
- Light: part sun to high shade
- Soil: average to moist
- Notes: Attractive year-round, showy flowers and leaves, flowers attract birds, butterflies and moths
pink swamp milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
- Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Clusters of pink flowers in late summer
- Size: 3-5 feet tall by 2-3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Moist to average soil
- Notes: Flowers attractive to pollinators; nectar source and larval host plant for Monarch and Queen butterflies
aquatic milkweed
Asclepias perennis
- Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Clusters of white flowers throughout summer and fall
- Size: 1-2 feet tall by 1-2 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Moist to average soil
- Notes: Flowers are attractive to pollinators; nectar source and larval host plant for Monarch and Queen butterflies
butterfly weed
Asclepias tuberosa
- Herbaceous annual or perennial wildflower
- Bright orange flowers in summer
- Size: 1 foot wide by 2 feet tall
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: Showy flowers are attractive to many pollinators; larval host plant for Monarch butterfly
white wild indigo
Baptisia alba
- Deciduous, perennial, shrub-like wildflower
- Tall, showy, white flower spikes in spring. Compact, rounded form and interesting foliage all summer. Dies back in winter
- Size: 2-3 feet wide, 2-3 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Sturdy and drought tolerant plant with beautiful flowers. Easy to grow, and first to flower in spring! Early nectar source for pollinators.
soft greeneyes
Berlandiera pumila
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Size: Up to 2 feet tall, narrow profile, multiple stems
- Light/Soil: Prefers open, meadows in upland soil, some shade tolerance, high drought tolerance
- Notes: Producing flowers all summer, this lovely native wildflower has high wildlife value and is easy to care for.
dolls daisy
Boltonia diffusa
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Size: Up to 2 feet tall, narrow profile, multiple stems
- Light/Soil: Prefers open, meadows in upland soil, some shade tolerance, high drought tolerance
- Notes: White daisy flowers on tall open stalks in late summer provide a lovely fall look for a wildflower meadow or a filler in a managed bed. Pairs well with grasses
partridge pea
Chamaecrista fasciculata
- Re-seeding annual wildflower
- Yellow flowers all summer
- Size: 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall
- Light: Full sun to shade
- Soil: any soil type except extremely wet
- Notes: Showy flowers are attractive to many pollinators, including butterflies. Plant with grasses and groundcover for best management.
cruise’s goldenaster
Chrysopsis cruiseana
- Evergreen perennial, forms a basil rosette of leaves after flowering
- Bright yellow flowers in fall
- Size: Variable, 1-3 feet tall 1-3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Dry
- Notes: Showy flowers are attractive to many pollinators; flower stalks provide winter interest. Very drought tolerant
browne’s savory
Clinopodium brownei
- Evergreen to semi-evergreen groundcover
- Small purple flowers all year
- Size: 6"- 1 foot tall, stems produce roots at nodes, spreading along the ground
- Light: Part-sun to high shade
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types, prefers wet to average moisture
- Notes: Excellent evergreen groundcover for lower-light areas. Handles full sun where moisture is present. Fragrant leaves can be made into tea or used as a seasoning
blue mistflower
Conoclinium coelestinum
- Deciduous perennial wildflower. Beautiful blue flowers attract many insects and butterflies!
- Size: 1-2 feet tall, spreading
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average soil
- Notes: Excellent wildflower meadow or container plant, will spread without competition or containment
chipola coreopsis
Coreopsis integrifolia
- Deciduous perennial with yellow flowers in fall
- Size: 1-2 feet tall, spreading by rhizomes
- Light: Part sun to shade
- Soil: Moist to average soil moisture
- Notes: Listed at endangered in Florida, attractive foliage, nice fall flowers. Attracts bees and butterflies
lance-leaf coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
- Evergreen, low growing perennial
- Bright yellow flowers in early spring through late fall if adequate moisture
- Size: 1.5 feet wide by 1.5 feet tall
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Attractive re-seeding perennial herb. Very drought tolerant. Loved by pollinators.
- Florida state wildflower!
leavenworth’s coreopsis
Coreopsis leavenworthii
- Re-seeding annual or perennial wildflower
- Bright yellow flowers with dark centers spring through fall
- Size: 1 foot wide to 3 feet tall
- Light: full sun
- Soil: tolerates most soil types
- Notes: Attractive re-seeding perennial herb. Loved by pollinators. Pairs well with native grasses. High drought tolerance
- Florida state wildflower!
carolina ponysfoot
Dichondra carolinensis
- Semi-evergreen perennial groundcover
- Size: .5-2 inches tall, spreading
- Light: Part sun to full sun
- Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil moisture
- Notes: Evergreen in part sun and average soil moisture, this cool season perennial will go semi-dormant in the summer making it a great living mulch or groundcover paired with other warm-season groundcovers such as frog fruit.
southern wood fern
Dryopteris ludoviciana
- Evergreen fern
- Size: 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide. Spreading.
- Light/Soil: Grows best in shaded areas with moist to average soil
- Notes: Evergreen ferns are an excellent filler for low-light areas in the landscape
swamp twinflower
Dyschoriste humistrata
- Medium height, semi-evergreen groundcover
- Small purple flowers throughout growing season.
- Size: Low growing, up to 12” high, forming patches
- Light: High shade to full sun
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Nice groundcover in protected areas. Larval host plant for Common Buckeye butterfly. Also, a nice spiller plant for container gardening
oblong-leaf twinflower
Dyschoriste oblongifolia
- Deciduous perennial groundcover with open growth habit
- Size: 6-8” high by 1 foot wide, slowly spreading
- Light: Part-sun to high shade
- Soil: Most soil types with good drainage
- Notes: Flowers on and off throughout summer. Host plant for common buckeye butterfly
purple coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
- Perennial wildflower
- Showy pink/purple flowers in summer
- Size: 2 feet tall by 1 foot wide
- Light: Part-sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Showy native wildflower. Attractive to many pollinators including butterflies and hummingbirds. Plant has medicinal properties
Marsh Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium aquaticum
- Evergreen perennial with a basal rosette of leaves
- Stunning blue and white flowers on tall stalks in late summer
- Size: 1 foot wide by 3 feet tall
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Wet to average moisture
- Notes: Showy fall flowers, occasional larval host plant for black swallowtail. Great addition to wet prairies and bog gardens. Tolerates infrequent mowing. Pollinator magnet
Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
- Evergreen perennial with a basal rosette of leaves
- White flowers on tall stalks in summer
- Size: 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: adaptable
- Notes: Attractive year-round, pollinator favorite! Occasional larval host plant for black swallowtail. Easy to grow in a wide range of conditions
Coral Bean
Erythrina herbacea
- Medium to large perennial shrub
- Bright red flowers in spring attract hummingbirds
- Size: 3-4 feet wide and 3-4 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Unique landscape plant with interesting leaves and showy spring flowers. The plant will die back in winter and re-sprout in spring. Tolerates very dry soil. Stems have thorns, and seeds are toxic if eaten. Flowers attract hummingbirds
Creeping Aster
Ionactis repens
- Small perennial wildflower
- Size: 1-1.5 feet tall by 1 foot wide
- Light/Soil: Prefers open, meadows in upland soil,
- Notes: Small dark purple flowers in fall attract a wide variety of pollinators. One of our latest blooming asters, flowering through November
Slender Goldentop
Euthamia caroliniana
- Spreading perennial wildflower, sturdy yellow flowers in fall
- Size: 1-3 feet tall, spreading to form patches
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: any
- Notes: Showy fall flowers attract butterflies and bees. A perfect foundation plant for your wildflower meadow. Important nectar source for migrating Monarch butterflies
Joe Pye Weed
Eutrochium purpureum
- Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Large clusters of pink flowers in late summer through fall
- Size: 3-7 feet tall by 2 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: any soil type
- Notes: Beautiful flowers are attractive to many pollinators. Grow in poor, or dry soil to manage size. May require staking. Butterfly favorite!
Wild Strawberry
Fragaria virginiana
- Semi-evergreen, low-growing and spreading perennial wildflower
- White flowers in spring followed by edible fruit
- Size: up to 6” tall, forming patches but easy to manage
- Soil: Average to moist
- Notes: Rare to florida, this beautiful and tasty plant loves sun to part shade but needs adequate moisture to thrive. Larval host plant for the Grey Hairstreak and food source for birds
Lanceleaf blanketflower
Gaillardia aestivalis
- Re-seeding summer annual or perennial. Beautiful chocolate colored flowers all summer
- Size: 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil moisture
- Notes: The only Gaillardia native to Florida. Attracts a wide variety of pollinators
Blanketflower
- Re-seeding annual wildflower
- Bright yellow and orange flowers all summer
- Size: 2-3 feet tall by 2 feet wide
- Light: Full to part-sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Showy native wildflower. Attractive to many pollinators. Common is roadside plantings. Native to most of North America. Not a Florida native.
Narrowleaf sunflower
Helianthus angustifolia
- Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Large yellow flowers in fall
- Size: 3-5 feet tall by 1-3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average soil
- Notes: Large perennial wildflower with showy fall color. Flowers are attractive to many pollinators and butterflies. Songbirds eat the seeds
Dune Sunflower
Helianthus debilis
- Large summer annual. Yellow flowers from late spring through first freeze
- Size: Variable, 1.5 feet tall, sprawling to 6 feet wide
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Dry
- Notes: Showy flowers are attractive to many pollinators. Great filler for poor, dry soil in full sun
Rayless Sunflower
Helianthus radula
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Low-growing when not in flower
- Size: Clumping groundcover, size varies with soil moisture and space
- Light: Full sun to high shade
- Soil: Wet sun to dry shade, variable
- Notes: Lacking ray petals, this striking, dark burgundy sunflower attracts a wide variety of pollinators when it flowers in fall. Nice addition to a wildflower meadow. Pairs well with clumping grasses
Scorpion’s Tail
Heliotropium angiospermum
- Warm-season annual pollinator plant
- White flowers on curving stalks all summer
- Size: 1-2 feet tall by 1-2 feet wide
- Light: Part sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Showy summer flowers attractive to bees and other pollinators. Re-seeds itself in open areas. Great container plant
Pineland Hibiscus
Hibiscus aculeatus
- Herbaceous shrublike perennial
- Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Dry to wet soil
- Notes: Large pale yellow flowers with red center in summer. Attracts many pollinators and feeds hummingbirds.
Scarlet Hibiscus
Hibiscus coccineus
- Herbaceous perennial
- Large red flowers in summer
- Size: 2-5 feet tall by 2-4 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Moist to average soil
- Notes: Flowers attractive to many pollinators including the rose-mallow bee who specializes in Hibiscus species. Salt tolerant
Pink Swamp Hibiscus
Hibiscus grandiflorus
- Herbaceous perennial
- Large pink flowers in summer
- Size: 4-10 feet tall by 2-5 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Moist to average soil
- Notes: Flowers attractive to many pollinators including the rose-mallow bee who specializes in Hibiscus species. Salt tolerant.
Blue Flag Iris
Iris virginica
- Evergreen grasslike perennial
- Blue-green fan shaped leaves year-round
- Size: 1-2.5 feet tall by 1-2 feet wide forming clumps
- Light: Full sun to high shade
- Soil: Wet to average soil
- Notes: Iris is a wonderful structural addition to a landscape with wet to average soil, or a rain garden as it tolerates periods of drought, but needs periods of moisture as well to thrive. Beautiful blue flowers in spring.
Seashore Mallow
Kosteletzkya pentacarpos
- Herbaceous perennial
- Multiple, showy pink flowers all summer
- Size: 2- 5 feet tall by 2-4 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Moist to average soil
- Notes: Flowers attractive to many pollinators including the rose-mallow bee who specializes in Hibiscus species. Salt tolerant
Chapman's Blazingstar
Liatris chapmanii
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Size: Up to 3 feet tall when flowering
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: Purple flowers in fall are butterfly magnets and a signature wildflower of Florida’s dry meadows and roadsides.
Graceful Blazing Star
Liatris gracilis
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Size: Up to 3 feet tall when flowering
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: Purple flowers in fall are butterfly magnets and a signature wildflower of Florida’s dry meadows and roadsides.
Dense Blazingstar
Liatris spicata
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Size: Up to 5 feet tall when flowering
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average soil
- Notes: Purple flowers in fall are butterfly magnets and a signature wildflower of Florida’s wet meadows and roadsides.
Scrub Blazingstar
Liatris tenuifolia
- Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Size: Up to 5 feet tall when flowering
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Extreme dry to average soil
- Notes: Purple flowers in fall are butterfly magnets and a signature wildflower of Florida’s dry meadows and roadsides.
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
- Evergreen perennial wildflower. Low growing, dark green leaves year-round. Beautiful red flowers that attract hummingbirds during summer
- Size: Less than 1 foot wide at base, up to 2.5 feet tall when flowering
- Light: full sun to part sun, or high shade
- Soil: Wet to average soil
- Notes: Best used in managed beds or wet meadows. Does not compete well with larger plants.
Snow Squarestem
Melanthera nivea
- Herbaceous perennial
- Showy white flowers in summer
- Size: 3-6 feet tall by 2-5 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: adapts to a wide variety of soil types
- Notes: Flowers are attractive to many pollinators, use in large spaces. Tolerates high shade
Sunshine Mimosa
Mimosa strigillosa
- Creeping groundcover
- Showy pink flowers in summer
- Size: Low growing, spreading along soil surface
- Light: Sun to part shade
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Used as a lawn replacement in coastal areas and farther south. Deciduous in North Florida. Host plant for Little Sulpher butterfly. Long-season flowers
Twinberry
Mitchella repens
- Trailing, evergreen groundcover
- Height: Typically grows 1 to 2 inches high
- Leaves: Small, rounded, dark green, evergreen
- Flowers: Fragrant, pinkish-white, often in pairs
- Fruit: Scarlet berries, occasionally white, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch
- Bloom Time: May to October
- Light Requirement: Part shade to shade
- Soil Moisture: Dry to average
Spotted Bee Balm
Monarda punctata
- Re-seeding, evergreen perennial wildflower
- Yellow flowers with purple spots and purple leaf bracts in fall
- Size: 1-2 feet wide to 4 feet tall
- Light: full sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Attractive re-seeding perennial herb. Pollinator favorite! You can hear the insects buzzing around it when it flowers. Cut back spent flower stalks to reduce re-seeding potential and increase winter visual appeal
Pink Ladies
- Low-growing perennial wildflower with spreading habit. Showy pink flowers early spring through early summer
- Size: 6”-1 foot tall, spreading.
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Average to dry soil
- Notes: Pink ladies perform best in a wildflower area with some competition. They are semi-dormant during the heat of summer and grow actively in winter before flowering. Native to much of the Southeast, naturalized in the Florida Panhandle
Eastern Smooth Beardtongue
- Evergreen perennial wildflower
- Low growing rosette when not in flower; showy purple flowers in fall and spring
- Size: 6-12” wide and up to 2 feet tall when flowering
- Light: full sun to shade
- Soil: average
- Notes: Excellent selection for formal gardens, easy to grow and maintain. Attractive to butterflies and many other pollinators
Manyflower Beardtongue
- Evergreen perennial re-seeding wildflower
- White flowers in early summer
- Size: 1 foot wide by 3.5 feet tall when in flower
- Light: Full sun to part-sun
- Soil: Dry soil
- Notes: Showy flowers are attractive to pollinators, host plant for the Baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton)
Hairy Phlox
Phlox amoena
- Evergreen perennial wildflower with pink/magenta flowers in spring
- Cold-hardy evergreen groundcover for low traffic areas
- Size: 1 foot wide to 4 inches tall, can spread by runners, but not aggressive.
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Moist to average soil, somewhat drought tolerant
- Notes:Great wildflower for areas where a low-growing evergreen is needed. Attractive foliage and flowers
Blue Moon Phlox
Phlox divaricata
- Low-growing, creeping evergreen perennial wildflower
- Blue flowers in spring or early summer
- Size: 1 foot wide to 5 inches tall, spreading
- Light: part sun to shade
- Soil: tolerates a wide range of soil except extreme wet or dry
- Notes: Great choice for holding an edge or pathway in a lightly shaded area of the garden. Attractive and hardy perennial groundcover
Emily's Phlox
Phlox hybrid
- Evergreen perennial wildflower with showy lavender flowers from fall through early summer
- Excellent choice for winter flower beds or containers
- Size: 1 foot wide to 1 foot tall, can spread by runners, but not aggressive.
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Average to dry, but may stop flowering during drought
- Notes: Excellent wildflower for winter pollinators. Attracts butterflies
Frog Fruit
Phyla nodiflora
- Spreading groundcover, flowering spring, summer and fall
- Size: Variable, 3 inches to 1 foot tall, spreading by rooting runners
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average
- Notes: Popular as a groundcover, but may die back in winter. Performs well in a lawn mixed with other species. Larval host for the White peacock, Phaon crescent, and Common buckeye butterflies
Coastal Groundcherry
Physalis angustifolia
- Semi-evergreen spreading, groundcover or filler. Flowers all summer, fruit are edible when ripe
- Size: usually 3 to 6 inches tall, spreads by rhizomes
- Light: full sun
- Soil: extremely dry to average soil
- Notes: Fun and easy to grow edible groundcover for dry, sandy soil. Important food source for small mammals and other wildlife
Narrowleaf Silkgrass
Pityopsis graminifolia
- Low-growing evergreen grass like perennial wildflower.
- Pretty yellow flowers in fall, tolerates medium mowing.
- Size: 6-12” wide to 2 feet tall when flowering. Leaves in a rosette up to 6” tall year-round
- Light: any
- Soil: very dry to average
- Notes: Hardy native wildflower. Patch forming. Excellent use as a groundcover in dry shady areas. Nice lawn alternative potential.
Grassleaf goldenaster
Pityopsis oligantha
- Evergreen grass-like wildflower for wet meadows
- Yellow flowers during warm months, attractive silver-blue foliage year-round
- Size: 6”-1’ tall, spreading slowly
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Flooded to average soil
- Notes: Great wildflower for wet areas where a low-growing evergreen is needed. Sturdy to foot traffic and tolerates mowing
Largeflower Jointweed
Polygonella robusta
- Evergreen sub-shrub
- White and pink flowers in late fall and winter
- Size: 1 foot tall, 1-2 feet wide
- Light: full sun
- Soil: extremely dry to average soil
- Notes: Showy winter flowers and unique flat leaves make this small shrub stand out in a landscape. Native to coastal scrub habitats, largeflower jointweed prefers open areas and dry soil.
Juniper Leaf
Polypremum procumbens
- Low-growing semi-evergreen groundcover
- Small white flowers all summer, tolerates medium mowing.
- Size: 6-12 inches wide to 6 inches tall.
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Adaptable to a wide range of soil moisture
- Notes: Hardy native wildflower. Can be used as a groundcover or living mulch when establishing wildflower meadows , or around shrubs
Whiteleaf Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum albescens
- Tall perennial wildflower
- White flowers surrounded by pale green leaf bracts in mid summer through fall
- Size: 1-2 feet wide, 1-4 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part-shade
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Pollinator favorite! You can hear the insects buzzing around it when it flowers. Re-seeds occasionally. Leaves make a delicious tea.
Yellow Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida pinnata
- Evergreen perennial wildflower
- Showy yellow flowers in early summer
- Size: 1 foot wide to 2.5 feet tall when flowering. Leaves form a basil rosette year-round
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: average to dry soil, but may not tolerate extended drought
- Notes: Excellent meadow wildflower, or specimen in managed landscapes. High value for pollinators in summer and birds eat seeds in winter.
Maryland meadowbeauty
Rhexia mariana var. exalbida
- Low-growing perennial wildflower with spreading habit and white flowers all summer
- Perfect plant for sunny wildflower meadows or containers
- Size: 1-2 feet tall forming a patch over time
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average soil moisture
- Notes: Flowering all summer and requiring little care, this is an absolute favorite of native bees!
Goldsturm Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'
- Evergreen perennial wildflower, winter dormant.
- Prolific yellow-orange flowers in mid to late summer
- Size: 6” leaves in a rosette, and 2’ tall flowers Spreads slowly to form clusters
- Light: Full to part sun
- Soil: Average to average-dry soil. Not drought tolerant
- Notes: Easy to grow and care for, beautiful flowers. Great bedding perennial for sunny areas
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
- Re-seeding summer annual or perennial. Showy yellow flowers in summer
- Size: 1-3 feet tall when flowering, short basil rosette during winter.
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil moisture
- Notes: Excellent wildflower meadow plant, needs good air flow. Attractive to many pollinators
Carolina Wild Petunia
Ruellia caroliniensis
- Deciduous perennial wildflower
- Size: around 1 foot tall
- Light: Part sun
- Soil: Average to dry
- Notes: Purple flowers all summer attract a wide variety of pollinators. Easy to grow and care for. Larval host plant for common buckeye and white peacock butterflies
Tropical Sage
Salvia coccinea
- Re-seeding summer annual
- Bright red pink or white flowers in summer
- Size: 1-4 feet tall by 2 feet wide, smaller in poor, dry soil
- Light: Full to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Showy summer flowers attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Re-seeds itself in open areas. Great container plant
Lyre-Leaf Sage
Salvia lyrata
- Re-seeding, low-growing perennial
- Showy blue flowers on spikes in spring. Evergreen rosette year-round
- Size: .5-1.5 feet tall by .5 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to full shade
- Soil: Dry to wet soil
- Notes: Great filler for lawns and bare shady spots. Tolerates mowing. Spreading by seed can be controlled by mowing time.
Royal Catchfly
Silene regia
- Evergreen perennial wildflower
- Size: Narrow basal rosette of leaves and flowers on 1-2 foot stalks
- Light: Full to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: Showy red flowers in summer attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Drought tolerant
Starry Rosinweed
Silphium asteriscus
- Deciduous perennial wildflower with a basal rosette of leaves
- Yellow flowers on a tall stalk all summer
- Size: 1 foot wide by 3 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: dry to average moisture
- Notes: looks good all summer, attractive to a variety of pollinators, re-seeds around base of parent plant
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
- Evergreen perennial grass-like herb
- Blue or purple flowers in spring
- Size: 1 foot wide by 6 inches tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: moist to average
- Notes: Attractive year-round, showy flowers in spring. Nice edging plant
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (purple)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
- Evergreen perennial grass-like herb
- Blue or purple flowers in spring
- Size: 1 foot wide by 6 inches tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: moist to average
- Notes: Attractive year-round, showy flowers in spring. Nice edging plant
Wreath Goldenrod
Solidago caesia
- Herbaceous perennial
- Yellow flowers in fall on weeping stems
- Size: 1-3 feet tall by 1-2 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: Goldenrods are a keystone plant species and benefit a wide variety of wildlife. Well behaved in a landscape setting. Goldenrods do not cause allergies and are an important late-season nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
Sweet Goldenrod
Solidago odora
- Herbaceous perennial
- Yellow flowers in fall on weeping stems
- Size: 1-3 feet tall by 1-2 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: Goldenrods are a keystone plant species and benefit a wide variety of wildlife. Well behaved in a landscape setting. Goldenrods do not cause allergies and are an important late-season nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
Wrinkle-Leaf Goldenrod
Solidago rugosa
- Evergreen, well-behaved perennial wildflower
- Beautiful yellow flowers in fall, showy foliage year-round
- Size: 2 feet wide to 3.5 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: Any, but needs shade in very dry soil conditions
- Notes: Excellent addition to any native garden. Easy to grow and care for. Goldenrods do not cause allergies and are an important late-season nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
Fireworks Goldenrod
Solidago rugosa ("Fireworks")
- Evergreen, well-behaved perennial wildflower
- Beautiful yellow flowers in fall, showy foliage year-round
- Size: 2 feet wide to 3.5 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: Any, but needs shade in very dry soil conditions
- Notes: Excellent addition to any native garden. Easy to grow and care for. Goldenrods do not cause allergies and are an important late-season nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
Seaside Goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens
- Evergreen perennial with a basal rosette of leaves
- Yellow flowers on tall stalks in late summer and fall
- Size: 1-2 feet wide by 3-4 feet tall
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Average to dry moisture
- Notes: Performs best mixed with grasses and other groundcover species. Can re-seed aggressively in open areas. Goldenrods do not cause allergies and are an important late-season nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
Wand Goldenrod
Solidago virgata
- Evergreen perennial with narrow, linear leaves clustered in basal rosettes
- Yellow flowers on tall stalks in late summer and fall
- Size: 2-5 ft tall flower stalks rising from low basal foliage
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Wet to average
- Notes: Native to wet prairies. Goldenrods do not cause allergies and are an important late-season nectar for butterflies and other pollinators.
Indian Pink, Woodland Pinkroot
Spigelia marilandica
- Clump-forming perennial with glossy, ovate to lance-shaped leaves
- Tubular red flowers with yellow throats in late spring to summer
- Size: 1-2 ft tall and wide
- Light: Part shade to full shade
- Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter
- Notes: Native to rich woodlands of the southeastern U.S. Flowers attractive to hummingbirds. Prefers shade, or scattered sunlight. Can adapt to dry soil
Blue Porterweed
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis
- Re-seeding summer annual
- Bright blue flowers all summer and fall
- Size: 2 feet tall by 3.5 feet wide
- Light: Full to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Showy summer flowers attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. Re-seeds itself in open areas. Great container plant
Stoke’s Aster (Purple)
- Evergreen, low-growing perennial wildflower
- Bright purple or white flowers in spring, and again in fall on occasion.
- Size: 1 foot wide to 1.5 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: Wet to average-dry soil
- Notes: Attractive year-round and particularly during the cooler months. Flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators, and birds eat the seeds in winter
Bushy Aster
Symphyotrichum dumosum
- Attractive perennial wildflower
- Covered in white flowers during the fall
- Size: 3 feet wide to 3 feet tall. Smaller in a meadow setting
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average
- Notes: Beautiful fall flowering aster that thrives in wet soil and full sun, but grows well in other conditions. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators.
Georigia Aster
Symphyotrichum georgianum
- Clump-forming perennial with clasping leaves on stems 20-40 inches tall
- Bluish-purple daisy-like flowers with reddish-purple centers in fall
- Size: 20-40 inches tall, spreads moderately by rhizomes to form clumps
- Light: Full sun to part shade; flowers more profusely in full sun
- Soil: Tolerant of various soil types; prefers moderately acid to alkaline soils with good drainage
- Notes: Rare in North Florida. Excellent garden plant for perennial borders or native meadow gardens; very drought-tolerant once established.
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Clump-forming perennial with hairy, clasping leaves on stout stems
- Showy, violet to purple daisy-like flowers with yellow centers in fall
- Size: 3-6 ft tall and 2-3 ft wide
- Light: Full sun to part shade; best performance in full sun
- Soil: Adaptable to various soil types; prefers moist, well-drained soils
- Notes: Native to moist meadows, thickets, and roadsides of the U.S. and Canada. Excellent late-season nectar source for pollinators, including butterflies and bees. Can spread aggressively by rhizomes; divide every 2-3 years to control spread. Tolerates clay soils and some drought once established. Great for borders, meadow gardens, and naturalized areas.
Spiderwort (Bluejacket)
Tradescantia ohiensis
- Cool-season, perennial wildflower
- Blue flowers in early spring through early summer
- Size: 2 feet tall by 1.5 feet wide
- Light: Sun or shade
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Unique bright blue flowers open in mornings, and on cloudy days. Important spring nectar source. Mow or cut back plants in early summer when flowering finishes.
Vanilla Leaf
Trilisa odoratissima
- Hardy evergreen perennial wildflower
- Tall purple flowers in fall
- Size: 2 feet tall by 1foot wide
- Light: Sun or high shade
- Soil: Adapts to most soil types
- Notes: Vanilla leaf is an important fall nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators. It is easy to grow and care for and rarely re-seeds
Narrowleaf Ironweed
Vernonia angustifolia
- Herbaceous perennial
- Clusters of purple flowers in late summer
- Size: 2-3 feet tall by 1-3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: dry to average soil
- Notes: Beautiful flowers are attractive to many pollinators. Grows well in dry, part-shade or full sun. Occasionally re-seeds. Wonderful addition to a wildflower meadow
Giant Ironweed
Vernonia gigantea
- Herbaceous perennial shrub
- Clusters of purple flowers in mid summer through fall
- Size: 4-7 feet tall by 2-4 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: any soil type
- Notes: Beautiful flowers are attractive to many pollinators. Grow in poor, dry soil to manage size. Active re-seeder. Excellent use for meadow edges.
Common Blue Violet
Viola sororia
- Evergreen perennial re-seeding wildflower
- Purple flowers in spring
- Size: small groundcover plant
- Light: part-sun to shade
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Nice groundcover plant for shady areas in dry or moist soil. Lovely flowers in early spring
Walter’s Violet
Viola walteri
- Evergreen groundcover for shady areas
- Purple flowers in spring, and showy foliage year-round
- Size: Groundcover, spreading slowly by stems and seeds
- Light: Full shade to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average soil
- Notes: Wonderful, showy groundcover for shades areas with adequate moisture. Too much leaf litter or mulch will suppress growth
Golden Alexander
Zizea aurea
- Evergreen perennial forming a basal rosette of leaves
- Size: Up to 2 feet tall, usually smaller
- Light: Full to part sun
- Soil: Average soil moisture
- Notes: Yellow flowers in umbrella shaped arrangements. Flowers most heavily in spring and on and off throughout summer. Larval host plant for Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies.
Shrubs
Salt Bush
Baccharis halimifolia (unsexed)
- Perennial treelike shrub
- Showy white flowers in fall highly attractive to butterflies
- Size: 4-6 feet wide by 6-12 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Soil: tolerates most soil types
- Notes: Salt tolerant shrub with interesting foliage and flowers. Shelter for wildlife, attractive to pollinators and birds eat the seeds
Scarlet Calamint
Calamintha coccinea
- Small evergreen perennial shrub
- Bright red flowers in spring and fall
- Size: Up to 3’ wide by 3’ tall, but usually smaller
- Light: Part sun to high shade
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: Showy flowers are attractive to hummingbirds. Performs well in containers. Branches are brittle and cannot handle high traffic areas
Georgia Savory Hybrid
- Evergreen, sprawling shrub
- Lavender flowers in late summer through fall
- Size: 2-3 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide
- Light: Shade or sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soils except flooded conditions
- Notes: Excellent use in dry shaded areas, but adapts well to most areas of the landscape. Easy to care for. Fragrant leaves.
Callicarpa americana
American beautyberry
- Deciduous, upright multi-stemmed shrub
- White flowers in late spring followed by clusters of edible magenta berries that ripen in fall
- Size: 4-8 feet tall, 4-8 feet wide
- Light: Shade to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soils except flooded conditions
- Notes: Beautiful native shrub that grows well in many conditions. Edible fruit can be made into jelly and are popular with birds and other wildlife.
Woody Goldenrod
Chrysoma pauciflosculosa
- Multibranched evergreen sub-shrub
- Size: Up to 3’ tall by 2.5 feet wide
- Light: Full to Part sun
- Soil: Very dry to average
- Notes: Yellow fall flowers and silvery green foliage make this plant an attractive choice for harsh conditions where other plants will not grow. Needs good airflow.
Sweet Pepperbush
Clethra alnifolia
- Deciduous shrub with cane-like growth habit (multiple stems)
- Size: 4-6 feet tall, 3-5 foot spread
- Light: Adaptable
- Soil: Adaptable
- Notes: Attractive shrub with fragrant white summer flowers. Nectar source for native bees, and fruit eaten by songbirds. Adapts to a variety of growing conditions
Florida False Rosemary
- Evergreen shrub
- Showy purple flowers fall, spring and early summer
- Size: 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide
- Light: Full to Part-sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Evergreen shrub with showy flowers and silvery foliage. Excellent forage for native bees. Needs good air flow, branches are brittle
Largeflower False Rosemary
Conradina grandiflora
- Evergreen shrub, sturdy and easy to care for
- Showy purple flowers for most of the year
- Size: 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide
- Light: Full to Part-sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Evergreen shrub with showy flowers and foliage. Beneficial to many pollinators.
Strawberry Bush
- Multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with green stems and showy fruit and flowers
- Size: 8-12 feet tall, multiple stems, open growth habit
- Light: Part-sun to full shade
- Soil: Dry to moist soil
- Notes: Strawberry bush is an attractive and unique plant that thrives is shady areas. The seeds are high calorie food source for songbirds and small mammals. The name ‘hearts-a-bustin’ refers to the mature fruit and seeds
Dwarf Witchalder
Fothergilla milleri
- Tree like shrub with great fall color and fragrant white flowers in spring
- Size: 3-5 feet tall by 3-4 feet wide
- Light/Soil: An understory shrub that grows well in dry soil and high shade to part sun, or full sun with average soil.
- Notes: A rare and unique plant that is used in landscaping designs as a specimen or mid-height border species.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
- Deciduous, upright multi-stemmed shrub
- Interesting foliage and beautiful white flowers in summer
- Size: 6-10 feet tall, Cut back occasionally to keep lower height
- Light: Part shade
- Soil: Tolerates most soils except flooded conditions
- Notes: Native to slopes forests in the Florida panhandle, this lovely shrub is a landscape favorite. The showy flowers attract pollinators, and birds eat the fruit
Bedstraw St. John’s Wort
Hypericum galioides
- Evergreen perennial shrub with an attractive, bushy growth form
- Yellow flowers in mid-summer
- Size: 3 feet wide to 4 feet tall
- Light: Full sun or shade
- Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil moisture, but needs more moisture in sunny areas. Adapts well to shade
- Notes: Attractive foundation plant. Provides shelter for wildlife. One of the 34 St. John’s wort species native to Florida!
St. Andrew’s Cross
Hypericum hypericoides
- Evergreen perennial shrub
- Size: Up to 3.5 feet tall by 3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Dry soil in shade or average soil in sun
- Notes: Attractive small shrub with fine textured foliage and yellow flowers in summer. Grows well in dry shady conditions
Flatwoods St. John’s Wort
Hypericum microsepalum
- Small evergreen perennial shrub
- Large yellow flowers in early spring
- Size: Up to 3’ wide by 3’ tall, but usually smaller
- Light: Full to part sun
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Early spring flowers are an important nectar and pollen source for native bees. Great evergreen foundation plant
Atlantic St. John’s Wort
Hypericum tenuifolium
- Evergreen perennial shrub with rounded growth form and needle-like leaves
- Yellow flowers in mid summer
- Size: 2 feet wide to 2.5 feet tall
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil. Needs acidic pH
- Notes: Attractive foundation plant. Provides shelter for wildlife.
Compact Inkberry
Ilex glabra ‘Compacta’
- Evergreen shrub. Female
- Cream colored flowers in early summer followed by black berries
- Size: 3-4 feet tall by 2-3 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types once established
- Notes: Flowers attractive to pollinators; fruit eaten by birds and small mammals. Can be trimmed to form a dense hedge
Inkberry
Ilex glabra
- Evergreen shrub, spreading by root sprouts
- Cream colored flowers in early summer followed by black berries
- Size: 3-7 feet tall by 2-5 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types once established
- Notes: Flowers attractive to pollinators; fruit eaten by birds and small mammals. Works well as a filler in corners
Dwarf Yaupon Holly
Ilex Vomitoria
- Evergreen shrub
- Inconspicuous white flowers in early spring
- Size: 3-5 ft tall and wide, slow-growing
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Adaptable to various well-drained soils; tolerates poor, sandy, or clay soils
- Notes: Native cultivar selected for dense, compact growth habit Useful for low hedges, borders, foundation plantings, or mass plantings. Prune in late winter to shape
Ocala Anise
Illicium parviflorum
- Large evergreen shrub with glossy yellow-green leaves
- yellow flowers in spring and interesting summer fruit
- Size: 6-10 feet wide, 6-12 feet tall at maturity, open canopy
- Light: full shade to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types
- Notes: Very dense foliage. Can be easily pruned into a hedge for natural screening. Shelter for wildlife; resistant to deer
Florida Sunshine Ocala Anise
Illicium parviflorum 'Florida Sunshine'
- Evergreen shrub with yellow green foliage and red stems
- Size: 4 feet wide, 5 feet tall at maturity
- Light: full shade to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types
- Notes: Excellent accent plant or small privacy screen in shade areas. Shelter for wildlife; resistant to deer
Virginia Sweetspire
Itea virginica
- Deciduous shrub.
- Fragrant white flowers in early summer
- Size: 3-6 ft tall and wide, can spread slowly by suckers
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Wet to average
- Notes: Excellent fall color with leaves turning red, orange, and purple. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Useful for shrub borders, naturalized areas, or along streams and ponds. Can be pruned hard in late winter to control size and shape. Deer resistant.
Coastal Doghobble
Leucothoe axillaris
- Low-growing evergreen shrub with shiny leaves and white spring flowers
- Cane-like growth habit, slightly weeping, dense foliage.
- Size: 3 feet wide to 3.5 feet tall
- Light: Part-sun to full shade
- Soil: Most soil types. Needs full shade if grown in very dry soil.
- Notes: This lovely, small, evergreen shrub makes a wonderful edge or accent in shady areas of a landscape. Attractive year-round.
Pink Fetterbush
Lyonia lucida
- Small evergreen shrub with multi-stemmed trunk. Shiny green leaves and pink spring and summer flowers
- Size: 3 feet wide to 6 feet tall forming small thickets
- Light: Part-sun to shade
- Soil: Adaptable. Flood tolerant as well as tolerant to dry, sandy soils if in shade
- Notes: Attractive shrub. Works well as an accent plant, or low privacy hedge. Spreads slowly to form a small thicket
Wild Pennyroyal
Piloblephis rigida
- Small evergreen shrub
- Size: 1 foot tall, 1 foot wide
- Light: Full to Part-sun
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Evergreen shrub with showy flowers in early spring. Low growing. Beneficial to many pollinators. Needs good airflow. Fragrant.
Winged Sumac
Rhus copallinum
- Deciduous shrub or small tree with showy flowers, fruit, and colorful fall foliage
- Beige flowers in late summer followed by red fruit in fall
- Size: 6-12 feet tall, spreading by root suckers to form small groups
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types
- Notes: Flowers attractive to pollinators; fruit eaten by birds and small mammals
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
- Deciduous shrub.
- Showy, white, flat-topped flower clusters in summer followed by glossy, dark purple berries
- Size: 5-12 ft tall and wide, can spread aggressively by suckers
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained soils; tolerates a wide range of soil types
- Notes: Native to eastern and central North America. Compound leaves with toothed leaflets. Berries are edible when cooked and can be used for jams, jellies, and wine. Attracts birds and pollinators. Useful for naturalizing, as a background plant, or in rain gardens. Prune hard in early spring to control size and promote fruiting. Deer resistant. All plant parts except ripe berries are toxic if ingested.
Green Saw Palmetto
- Medium to large evergreen perennial shrub like tree
- Size: 4-8 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Showy native palm that is used as a privacy screen or specimen plant. Fruits and flowers have high value for pollinators and wildlife
Silver Saw Palmetto
- Medium to large evergreen perennial shrub like tree
- Size: 4-8 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Showy native palm that is used as a privacy screen or specimen plant. Fruits and flowers have high value for pollinators and wildlife
Elliott's Blueberry
Vaccinium elliottii
- Semi-evergreen shrub with nice winter color, and delicious fruit
- Size: 8 feet wide to 10 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes:
- Wonderful shrub for privacy screening or as a specimen. Tasty fruit in early summer. Special use for native bees and fruit are important food for wildlife. Leaves turn dark burgundy in winter
Rabbiteye Blueberry
Vaccinium ashei
- Deciduous multi-stemmed tree-like shrub. Edible fruit
- White bell shaped flowers in spring followed by fruit. Nice red-orange fall color
- Size: 6 feet wide to 12 feet tall, new stems arise from base, easy to prune
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: Easy to grow, and delicious fruit. Nectar source for native blueberry bee and wildlife love the berries.
Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
- Deciduous multi-stemmed tree-like shrub. Edible fruit
- White bell shaped flowers in spring followed by fruit. Nice red-orange fall color
- Size: 6 feet wide to 12 feet tall, new stems arise from base, easy to prune
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: Easy to grow, and delicious fruit. Nectar source for native blueberry bee and wildlife love the berries.
Darrow's Blueberry
Vaccinium darrowii 'Rosa's Blush"
- Small evergreen shrub with colorful foliage and edible fruit
- Size: 3.5 feet tall by 2.5 feet wide
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil moisture
- Notes: Beautiful foundation plant with tasty fruit. Flowers provide nectar for native bees
Dwarf Walter's Viburnum
Viburnum obovatum 'Densa'
- Evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub. Various cultivars reach different heights. Clusters of white or pink spring flowers
- Size: 4-5 feet wide to 5 feet tall at maturity
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: average
- Notes: Evergreen native shrub. Easy to manage as privacy or on boarders. Birds eat the fruit. Grows well in most conditions except for deep shade or extremely dry soil. Can root sprout occasionally
Walter's viburnum
Viburnum obovatum
- Evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub. Various cultivars reach different heights. Clusters of white or pink spring flowers
- Size: 10 feet wide to 15 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: average
- Notes: Evergreen native shrub. Easy to manage as privacy or on boarders. Birds eat the fruit. Grows well in most conditions except for deep shade or extremely dry soil
Coontie
Zamia integrifolia
- Evergreen shrub-like plant
- Thick, dark green leaves all year
- Size: 2-3 feet tall, 3-4 wide at maturity; slow growing
- Light: Any
- Soil: Tolerates most soils except flooded conditions
- Notes: Florida’s only native cycad! Can suffer minor freeze damage in exposed conditions. Fruit are toxic if eaten. Larval host plant to Atala butterfly in southern areas
Dusty Zenobia
Zenobia pulverulenta
- Mid-sized evergreen shrub. White flowers in spring and silvery green leaves
- Size: 6 feet tall, wide growth habit.
- Light: Part sun to high shade
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: With it’s lovely evergreen leaves, Dusty Zenobia is a beautiful specimen plant or screen for part shade areas with average to wet soil. Large white spring flowers are used by native bees.
Weeping St. John’s Wort
Hypericum lissophloeus
- Evergreen tree-like shrub. Tall and willowy growth habit
- Lovely yellow flowers all summer and blue-green needlelike leaves
- Size: 3 feet wide to 12 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: wet to average, does not withstand drought
- Notes: Showy evergreen native shrub occurring in wetlands. Performs wonderfully in a landscape with average moisture or irrigation. Continual summer nectar source for pollinators and butterflies
Grasses
Bushy Bluestem
Andropogon tenuispatheus
- Mid-sized bunching grass
- Showy flowers in fall and attractive golden winter silhouette
- Size: 1-2 feet wide to 5 feet tall when in flower
- Light: full sun
- Soil: wet to average moisture
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass, medium re-seeding capability. Shelter for wildlife. Birds and small mammals eat the seeds
Wiregrass
Aristida stricta
- Low growing perennial bunchgrass
- Important component of many florida meadows
- Size: 1-2 feet tall, up to 3.5 feet tall when flowering
- Light: full sun to part-sun
- Soil: Adaptable to a wide range of soils
- Notes: This attractive and easy to manage grass is a major component in wildflower meadows. Serves many uses in a landscape and easy to care for.
River Oats
Chasmanthium latifolium
- Medium bunching grass
- Broad leaves and showy flowers/seeds
- Size: 1-2 feet wide to 2.5 feet tall when in flower.
- Light: Dry shade to wet sun
- Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions
- Notes: Re-seeding perennial grass. Works well as a medium height groundcover. Birds eat the seeds. Can be mowed around edges to prevent spreading
Slender Wood Oats
Chasmanthium laxum
- Small, semi-evergreen bunching grass
- Attractive foliage and flowers
- Size: 1-2 feet wide to 3 feet tall when in flower. Usually smaller.
- Light: High shade
- Soil: Dry to average moisture.
- Notes: Lovely, small perennial grass for shaded areas. Works well as a medium height groundcover. Birds eat the seeds. Spreads slowly by re-seeding
Rosette Grass
Dichanthelium laxiflorum
- Evergreen low-growing grass for heavy shade and dry soil
- Size: up to 10 inches wide and 5 inches tall
- Light: High shade
- Soil: Dry to average moisture.
- Notes: Excellent groundcover for dry shady areas. Attractive and easy to manage
Elliott's Lovegrass
- Low growing, bunching meadow grass with blue green foliage. Re-seeds in open areas. Semi-evergreen
- Showy white cloud-like flowers in fall
- Size: 1.5 feet wide to 1.5 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: any except flooded
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass. Perfect use in a low height wildflower meadow. Pairs well with purple lovegrass, wiregrass, and pineywoods dropseed. Open growth habit
Purple Lovegrass
- Low growing, bunching meadow grass. Re-seeds in open areas
- Showy pink cloud-like flowers in fall
- Size: 2 feet wide to 2 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: any except flooded
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass. Perfect use in a low height wildflower meadow. Pairs well with Elliott’s lovegrass, wiregrass, and pineywoods dropseed. Dense growth habit
Pink Muhly Grass
- Large bunching grass
- Showy pink cloud-like flowers in fall and attractive winter silhouette
- Size: 3-4’ wide, 2-4’ tall
- Light: full sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass;low maintenance and lovely all year. Shelter for wildlife and birds eat the seeds
White Muhlygrass
Muhlenbergia capillaris 'White Cloud'
- Large bunching grass
- Showy pink cloud-like flowers in fall and attractive winter silhouette
- Size: 3-4’ wide, 2-4’ tall
- Light: full sun
- Soil: dry to average
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass;low maintenance and lovely all year. Shelter for wildlife and birds eat the seeds
Switchgrass
- Medium to large perennial grass
- Showy flowers in fall and beautiful golden winter silhouette
- Size: 3.5 feet tall, bunching and slowly spreading
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: average to dry
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass. Lovely all year. Shelter for wildlife and birds eat the seeds
Whitetop Sedge
Rhyncospora colorata
- Medium height grass-like perennial
- Wetland groundcover with showy white tops in summer
- Size: 1-2 feet tall, spreading by thin rhizomes
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Wet
- Notes: excellent groundcover for sunny wet areas. Tolerates occasional mowing
Little Bluestem
- Mid-sized bunching grass
- Showy flowers in fall and attractive winter silhouette
- Size: 1-2 feet wide 3-5 feet tall when in flower
- Light: full sun
- Soil: dry to average moisture
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass. Clean out dead leaves in center occasionally for fresh green foliage. May lightly re-seed in optimal conditions
- Shelter for wildlife. Songbirds and small mammals eat the seeds
Indian Grass
- Mid-sized bunching grass
- Showy flowers in fall and attractive winter silhouette
- Size: 1-2 feet wide 3-5 feet tall when in flower
- Light: full sun
- Soil: dry to average moisture
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass. Clean out dead leaves in center occasionally for fresh green foliage. May lightly re-seed in optimal conditions
- Shelter for wildlife
Sand Cordgrass
Spartina bakeri
- Tall bunching coastal grass
- Grows well in a variety of conditions, great screen and erosion control
- Size: 2-3 feet wide to 5 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part-sun
- Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions
- Notes: Attractive perennial grass. Easy to grow and care for. Can be cut back in spring for more green leaf production. Shelter for wildlife, tolerates salt spray and water
Fakahatchee Grass
- Large perennial bunching grass
- Tall flowers and seeds, strong winter silhouette provides privacy even during dormancy
- Size: 4 feet wide to 6 feet tall when in flower
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: average moisture, adaptable to many soil types
- Notes: Large bunching grass, great for foundations and privacy. Shelter for wildlife and birds and small mammals eat the seeds
Dwarf Fakahatchee Grass
- Small to medium sized bunching grass.
- Summer flowers and attractive winter silhouette.
- Size: 2-3 feet wide to 3 feet tall
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: average moisture, tolerates a wide range of soil types.
- Notes: Attractive and well behaved perennial grass. Rake dead leaves occasionally if needed. Shelter for wildlife and birds, and small mammals eat the seeds
Vines
Climbing Aster
- Evergreen vine-like perennial. Easy to train on a trellis or fence
- Size: up 10 feet tall with multiple branches, small footprint overall
- Light: Full sun to high shade
- Soil: Tolerates dry soil in high shade, needs average to wet soil in full sun.
- Beautiful large purple flowers in late fall are an important fall nectar source for native bees and migrating Monarch butterflys
Dutchman's Pipevine
Aristolochia tomentosa
- Deciduous perennial vine
- Size: up 15 feet long with multiple stems from base
- Light: full to part sun
- Soil: Average soil moisture
- Notes: Large heart-shaped leaves in summer and bizarre, pipe-shaped flowers. Larval host plant for Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly. Plants may send out runners in optimal growing conditions.
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
- Evergreen vine
- Large orange/yellow flowers in early summer
- Size: 25 feet tall by 3 feet wide
- Light: Prefers part shade in summer, full sun in winter
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Evergreen foliage and showy flowers. Easy to grow and care for. Flowers attract hummingbirds
Spurred Butterfly Pea
Centrosema virginianum
- Small perennial vine dying back in winter
- Large purple flowers summer through fall
- Size: 6-12’ long delicate vines, twining
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Average to dry soil
- Notes: A wonderful accent plant for growing with grasses, trees or shrubs. The vines twine quickly, without smothering other plants and produce large purple flowers all summer. Larval host for Northern cloudywing and Long-tailed skipper butterflies.
Carolina Jessamine
Gelsemium sempervirens
- Evergreen perennial vine with fine textured dark green foliage and fragrant yellow flowers in early spring
- Size: Up 25 feet long, usually smaller
- Light: Full sun to shade
- Soil: Average to dry
- Notes: Excellent use as privacy along fences. Flowers attract hummingbirds
Coral Honeysuckle
- Evergreen perennial vine
- Clusters of coral colored flowers on and off year-round
- Size: 25 feet tall by 2-3 feet wide
- Light: Prefers part shade in summer, full sun in winter
- Soil: Dry to average moisture
- Notes: Beautiful evergreen foliage and showy flowers. Easy to grow and care for. Flowers attract hummingbirds
Purple Passionvine
- Deciduous perennial vine with showy purple flowers and edible fruit
- Size: To 25 feet long, multi-stemmed, producing underground runners
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Average to dry
- Notes: Larval host plant for Gulf Fritillary butterfly, leaves can be made into a calming tea.
Yellow Passionvine
Passaflora lutea
- Deciduous perennial vine
- Size: up 15 feet long with multiple branches, small footprint overall, produces underground runners
- Light: Part sun
- Soil: Average soil moisture
- Notes: Performs best when climbing along a woodland edge or fencerow. Larval host plant for Gulf Fritillary butterfly. Unique yellow flowers in late summer
American Wisteria
Wisteria frutescens
- Large deciduous twining vine
- Clusters of purple flowers in late spring and again in summer
- Size: 10-30 foot long vines
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Beautiful showy flowers. Easy to grow and care for. Less aggressive than Chinese wisteria, but can spread if not managed
Trees
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
- Medium sized, deciduous tree
- Size: 40-50 feet tall, open canopy
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Most soil types
- Notes: A beautiful and adaptable medium sized tree. Great fall color! Provides early food source for native bees. Larval host plant for rosey maple moth
False Indigobush
Amorpha fruticosa
- Small to medium sized treelike shrub. Deciduous
- Size: 4-12 feet tall, open canopy
- Light: High shade to part-sun
- Soil: Most soil types. Needs additional moisture in sunny areas
- Notes: Showy summer flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and moths. Larval host plant for Southern dogface, Silver-spotted Skipper, Gray hairstreak, Hoary edge skipper butterflies
PawPaw
Asimina triloba
- Small deciduous fruit tree
- Size: Up to 15’ at maturity, narrow canopy, colonial.
- Light: Scattered sunlight
- Soil: Well drained, average
- Notes: A famous american fruit tree, pawpaw of custard apple has a large tasty fruit in fall. Plant more than one tree for fruit set. Fruit eaten by wildlife, Larval host plant for Zebra Swallowtail and Pawpaw Sphinx moth
River Birch
Betula nigra
- Medium to large deciduous tree with golden yellow leaves in fall and showy bark
- Size: 30-60 feet tall, upright, open growth habit. Often with multiple trunks
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types
- Notes: River birch is a beautiful and adaptable tree that thrives in a variety of conditions. Attracts and feeds birds, showy bark
Button Bush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Small deciduous tree
- Size: 10-15 feet tall, open canopy
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Flooded to average
- Notes: Buttonbush is a small wetland tree that has showy, white flowers throughout the summer months. It is prized for it’s abundant flowers and ability to attract a wide range of butterflies and other pollinators
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
- Small deciduous tree with showy pink/purple flowers in spring and heart shaped leaves
- Size: 15-25 feet tall, open canopy
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Average soil moisture
- Notes: Redbud is a beautiful small tree with showy spring flowers and attractive leaves. Adaptable to a wide range of soil and light conditions, redbud prefers some shade and soil moisture.
Fringe Tree (Grancy Graybeard)
Chionanthus virginicus
- Small deciduous tree
- Showy white flowers in spring before leaves appear. Fragrant
- Size: up to 20 feet tall, compact growth in sun, open canopy in shade
- Light: High shade to full sun
- Soil: Average to dry soil
- Notes: Used as a specimen tree in landscapes. Birds eat the fruit. Larval host plant for Rustic Sphinx moth
Parsley Haw
Crataegus marshallii
- Deciduous small tree with showy foliage, flowers and edible fruit
- White flowers in spring
- Size: Open canopy, up to 25 feet tall
- Light: Part-sun
- Soil: Average to dry
- Notes: Flowers attractive to pollinators, fruit eaten by birds and small mammals. Special value to native bees.
American Persimmon
- Mid-sized deciduous fruiting tree with great fall color
- Size: 25-40 feet tall, upright, narrow growth habit
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Dry to average soil
- Notes: American persimmon usually occurs as a small tree in upland areas. The fruit are loved by birds and wildlife. Fruit can be eaten by humans as well, but can be bitter if unripe
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
- Medium to large deciduous tree
- Size: Up to 100 feet tall, usually much smaller. Open canopy
- Light: Full sun to high shade
- Soil: average moisture
- Notes: Showy medium sized tree with nice fall color. Nuts eaten by birds and other wildlife. Larval host plant for Early Hairstreak butterfly
American Witch-hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
- Deciduous shrub or small tree
- Fragrant, spider-like, yellow flowers in fall, often with peak fall foliage color
- Size: 15-20 ft tall and wide, with an irregular, open crown
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soils; tolerates clay and poor drainage
- Notes: Native to eastern North America. Bark and leaves used medicinally. Seeds are ejected forcibly from capsules. Larval host plant for Spring Azure butterfly. Cultivars selected for improved flower color and fall foliage.
Dahoon Holly
Ilex cassine
- Small evergreen tree
- Size: 15-20 feet tall. Upright, cone shaped.
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Adapts to a wide range of soils.
- Notes: Dahoon holly is a versatile small tree with colorful berries in winter that are a high value food source for many songbirds and small mammals. Important spring nectar source for native bees.
Ilex Decidua 'Finch's Gold'
Ilex decidua, possumhaw (female)
- Small, deciduous tree. White flowers in spring and showy yellow or red berries in winter
- Leaves: Golden-yellow new growth, which may turn yellowish-green to green as the season progresses
- Size: 10-12 ft tall and 6-8 ft wide
- Form: Upright, spreading habit
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Deciduous holly, or possumhaw, is a wonderful and versatile small tree that serves as a natural bird feeder in winter. Male and female trees.
Ilex decidua 'Midas'
Ilex decidua, possumhaw (male)
- Small, deciduous tree. White flowers in spring and showy yellow or red berries in winter
- Leaves: Golden-yellow new growth, which may turn yellowish-green as the season progresses
- Size: 6-8 ft tall and wide
- Form: Compact, rounded habit
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Deciduous holly, or possumhaw, is a wonderful and versatile small tree that serves as a natural bird feeder in winter. Male and female trees.
Ilex decidua 'Warren's Red'
Ilex decidua, possumhaw (female)
- Small, deciduous tree. White flowers in spring and showy yellow or red berries in winter
- Size: 15-20 ft tall and 10-15 ft wide
- Form: Upright, rounded habit
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: Average to wet soil
- Notes: Deciduous holly, or possumhaw, is a wonderful and versatile small tree that serves as a natural bird feeder in winter. Male and female trees.
Yaupon Holly
Ilex vomitoria
- Evergreen large shrub or small tree
- Size: Varies by type or selection Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Adapts to most soil types,
- Notes: Yaupon holly is a versatile, drought tolerant native. Available commercially in a weeping tree form, standard tree form or as a compact shrub. Plants are male or female. Red winter berries are a food source for birds
Savannah Holly
Ilex x attenuata 'Savannah'
- Small to medium evergreen tree with a dense canopy and red winter berries
- Size: 20-30 feet tall, 8-10 foot spread
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates most soil types
- Notes: An excellent plant for property edges providing good privacy, attractive shape, and food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. Fast growing
Forida anise
Illicium floridanum
- Evergreen shrub
- Fragrant, dark red, star-shaped flowers in spring
- Size: 6-10 ft tall and 6-8 ft wide, with a dense, rounded habit
- Light: Part shade to full shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soils rich in organic matter
- Notes: Native to the southeastern United States. Glossy, aromatic leaves smell like licorice when crushed. Interesting star-shaped seed pods. Deer and rabbit resistant. Tolerates heavy shade and clay soils. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested.
Brodie Redcedar
Juniperus virginiana ‘Brodie’
- Evergreen tree with a dense, cylindrical growth form and dark green foliage
- Size: 8 feet wide and 15 feet tall at maturity
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: Brodie redcedar is an excellent privacy screen, adapting to a wide range of conditions and growing quickly.
Dragon Tree
Lyonia ferruginea
- Evergreen large shrub or small tree
- Beautiful and unique shape and showy foliage
- Size: 10-20 feet tall, 4-10 foot spread
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Adapts to most soil types
- Notes: A wonderful specimen tree or privacy screen, Dragon tree, or Rusty lyonia is a versatile and drought tolerant addition to your landscape. Native to coastal scrub habitats. Nectar source for native bees.
Ashe’s Magnolia
- Small, deciduous tree
- Giant, fragrant white flowers in late spring
- Size: 25 feet tall, 8-15 feet wide in the canopy
- Light: Part shade
- Soil: Grows well in rich, well drained soil, needs moisture if in sunny locations
- Notes: Ashe’s magnolia is native only to Florida and is rare in the wild. The enormous leaves and flowers make it a fantastic addition to a woodland area. The flowers feed a variety of pollinators and the fruit are eaten by birds, squirrels and other wildlife.
Sweetbay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
- Deciduous to semi-evergreen tree
- Fragrant, creamy-white, cup-shaped flowers in late spring to early summer
- Size: 10-35 ft tall and 10-20 ft wide, with a pyramidal to rounded crown
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Moist to wet, acidic soils; tolerates poor drainage and clay
- Notes: Native to the eastern United States. Glossy, dark green leaves with silvery-white undersides. Red seeds emerge from cone-like fruit in fall. Tolerates wet soils and can be used in rain gardens or near ponds. Larval host plant for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Cultivars selected for cold hardiness, evergreen foliage, and compact growth habits.
Wax Myrtle
Morella cerefera
- Large evergreen shrub. Rounded growth habit
- Fragrant yellow-green leaves and small waxy fruit
- Size: 10 feet wide to 15 feet tall
- Light: any
- Soil: any
- Notes: Versatile and easy to care for native shrub that is popular with landscapers as well as wildlife. Leaves can be used as a seasoning, berries produce wax, birds eat the berries.
Red Mulberry
Morus rubra
- Small to medium sized fruit bearing native tree. Deciduous
- Size: Open canopy, up to 20 feet tall
- Light: High shade to full sun
- Soil: Average
- Notes: Native fruit tree with delicious berries in spring. Red mulberry is being currently out-competed in Florida by the non-native white mulberry, Morus alba.
Simpson’s stopper
- Evergreen large shrub or small tree with dense foliage and attractive flowers and fruit
- Size: 10-20 feet tall by 8 feet wide at maturity
- Light: Full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average soil moisture
- Notes: Flowers attract bees and butterflies. Berries eaten by birds. Salt tolerant
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora- Attractive medium sized tree, deciduous, magenta leaves in fall
- Size: 30-60 feet tall, 15-20 foot canopy
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soils
- Notes: Excellent tree for residential settings. Sturdy and shapely with great fall color. Birds are attracted to the fruit, spring flowers are pollinated by native bees
Sand Pine
Pinus clausa
- Medium evergreen conifer
- Size: Rounded, dense canopy up to 40 feet tall. Very dry soil, 6 or more hours of sun per day
- Notes: Sand pine is a wonderful pine for residential settings, and provides filtered sunlight for understory plant species. High wildlife value for food, shelter and nesting. Appropriate for coastal habitats
Chickasaw Plum
Prunus angustifolia
- Small deciduous fruit tree
- Size: Up to 15’ at maturity, Dense branches and wide canopy
- Soil: Well drained, dry soil
- Notes: Wild plums have showy white flowers in spring and edible although somewhat sour fruit in early summer. Hardy trees that tolerate full sun and dry soil. Native bees pollinate the flowers and birds eat the fruit. Nice fall color
Flatwoods Plum
Prunus umbellata
- Small deciduous fruit tree
- Size: Up to 15’ at maturity, Dense branches and wide canopy
- Soil: Well drained, dry soil
- Notes: Wild plums have showy white flowers in spring and edible although somewhat sour fruit in early summer. Hardy trees that tolerate full sun and dry soil. Native bees pollinate the flowers and birds eat the fruit. Nice fall color
White Oak
Quercus alba
- Medium to large deciduous tree
- Nice fall color
- Size: Up to 60’ tall, open canopy
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: This beautiful native tree is a great choice for residential settings. Sturdy and long lived. Oaks serve many ecological benefits as a food source and habitat for wildlife. Large showy leaves. Butterfly host plant.
Sand Liveoak
- Evergreen shrub or small tree
- Inconspicuous yellowish-green male and female flowers in spring
- Size: 10-25 ft tall and 15-25 ft wide, with a dense, rounded crown
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Well-drained, sandy soils; tolerates poor, dry soils
- Notes: Native to the southeastern United States. Leathery, dark green leaves with revolute margins and white, fuzzy undersides. Acorns mature in fall, providing food for wildlife. Drought tolerant and resistant to salt spray. Useful as a specimen tree, hedge, or barrier plant in coastal landscapes. Slow-growing and long-lived.
Turkey Oak
Quercus laevis
- Small to medium sized deciduous tree
- Excellent fall color
- Size: Up to 30’ tall, open canopy
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: This beautiful and small tree is a perfect oak for residential settings. Oaks serve many ecological benefits as a food source and habitat for wildlife. Turkey oaks are beautiful and well behaved oak trees; the perfect oak for your yard. Butterfly host plant.
Myrtle Oak
Quercus myrtifolia
- Large shrub or small tree. evergreen.
- Size: 5-30 feet tall, wide canopy. Performs as a shrub in beach dune habitats
- Light: full sun to high shade
- Soil: dry to average soil
- Notes: Myrtle oak occurs naturally in beach dune scrub habitats, but will grow inland as well. Host plant to several species of butterfly larvae and the acorns are an important food source for birds and small mammals
Post Oak
Quercus stellata
- Deciduous tree
- Inconspicuous yellowish-green male and female flowers in spring
- Size: 40-50 ft tall and 35-50 ft wide, with a broad, dense crown
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Adaptable to various well-drained soils; tolerates poor, dry, or clay soils
- Notes: Native to the eastern and central United States. Distinctive cross-shaped leaves with lobes at right angles to the midrib. Acorns mature in fall, providing food for wildlife. Drought tolerant and slow-growing. Useful as a shade tree or in naturalized areas. Wood is dense and durable, historically used for fence posts. Larval host plant for Horace's Duskywing butterfly.
Florida Flame Azalea
Rhododendron austrinum
- Deciduous shrub/tree
- Showy, fragrant, golden-yellow to orange flowers in spring before or with leaf emergence
- Size: 8-10 ft tall and 6-8 ft wide, with an upright, open habit
- Light: Part shade to full shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soils rich in organic matter
- Notes: Native to the southeastern United States. Hairy, green leaves turn yellow to red in fall. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Plant in sheltered location protected from harsh winter winds. Prune after flowering to maintain shape. Combine with other acid-loving plants like camellias and blueberries.
Pinxter Azalea
Rhododendron canescens
- Deciduous shrub/tree
- Showy, fragrant, pink to white flowers in spring before or with leaf emergence
- Size: 6-15 ft tall and 6-10 ft wide, with an upright, open habit
- Light: Part shade to full shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soils rich in organic matter
- Notes: Native to the southeastern United States. Hairy, green leaves turn yellow to purple in fall. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Plant in sheltered location protected from harsh winter winds. Prune after flowering to maintain shape. Can be used as an understory shrub in woodland gardens or naturalized areas.
Bald Cypress
- Deciduous conifer with bright green summer leaves and orange fall color
- Size: 30-75 feet tall, 15-20 foot spread
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Adaptable, grows smaller in dry soil
- Notes: Beautiful and adaptable medium to large tree, excellent for residential settings. Nesting habitat for birds
Sparkleberry
Vaccinium arboreum
- Evergreen small tree
- Colorful bark and curving trunk
- Size: 10-15 feet tall, 4-10 foot spread
- Light: full sun to part sun
- Soil: Dry to average
- Notes: Attractive small tree with showy white flowers in spring and edible fruit in fall. Nectar source for native bees, and fruit eaten by songbirds. Nice fall color
Arrow Wood Viburnum
- Medium to large, multi-stemmed tree like shrub
- Size: 8-10 feet tall, 4-6 foot spread
- Light: High shade to part sun
- Soil: Wet to average. Tolerates dry soil in high shade
- Notes: Highly ornamental with large white flowers in clusters spring through early summer, blue berries in summer and colorful fall leaves. Valuable to birds and pollinators
Possumhaw Viburnum
Viburnum nudum
- Deciduous shrub to tree
- Creamy white flowers in flat-topped cymes in late spring to early summer, followed by green berries that turn pink and then blue-black in fall
- Size: 5-12 ft tall and 5-8 ft wide, with an upright, rounded habit
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soils; tolerates clay and poor drainage
- Notes: Native to the eastern United States. Glossy, dark green leaves turn burgundy to purple in fall. Berries are attractive to birds. Can be used in shrub borders, naturalized areas, or as a hedge. Prune after flowering to maintain shape. Tolerates wet soils and can be used in rain gardens.