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Flowers and groundcovers

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, is a short lived perrenial which reseeds itself when conditions are right. It is drought tolerant and blooms bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with dark centers throughout the summer months. Prefers dry sites. Grows in full sun.
Black-eyed Susan: Floridata
Black-eyed Susan: IFAS
Black-eyed Susan: IRC
Black-eyed Susan: Plant Atlas

 

Blanket Flower


Blanket Flower, Gaillardia pulchella, is a showy annual that has dark orange and gold daisy-like flowers which bloom throughout the warm months. It is drought tolerant and reseeds readily. Needs thinning or may take over garden in places where there is little competition.
Blanket Flower: Floridata
Blanket Flower: IFAS
Blanket Flower: Plant Atlas

 

Butterfly Weed


Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa , is a native milkweed and important larval host plant for the Monarch Butterfly. It is drought tolerant and has pretty orange flowers. Can be confused with non-native milkweeds, so be carefull!. Grows in full sun.
Butterfly Weed: IFAS
Butterfly Weed: IRC
Butterfly Weed: Plant Atlas

 

Coontie


Coontie, Zamia pumila, is our only native cycad in the United States. It is a dioecious plant and having both male and female plants in the garden is always preferrable.
Coontie: Floridata
Coontie: IFAS
Coontie: IRC
Coontie: Plant Atlas

 

Dixie, Prairie or Blue Flag Iris


Dixie, Prairie or Blue Flag Iris, Iris hexagona, is an aquatic plant that must have its feet wet for a large portion of the year. Flowers in early spring. Great for pond or bog plantings. Grows in part shade to full sun.
Dixie, Prairie or Blue Flag Iris: IRC
Dixie, Prairie or Blue Flag Iris: Plant Atlas

 

Dotted Horsemint


Dotted horsemint, Monarda punctata, grows to 3 ft tall, and can develop in bunches just as wide. It develops light pink to lavendar leafy bracts that are very showy while the blooms themselves are relatively inconspicuous. Good butterfly attractor. Grows in full sun.
Dotted Horsemint: Floridata
Dotted Horsemint: IFAS
Dotted Horsemint: IRC
Dotted Horsemint: Plant Atlas

 

Goldenrod


Goldenrod, Pinebarren: Solidago fistulosI, Chapman's: S. odora var chapmanii, Seaside: S. sempervirens, Wand or Narrow-leafed: S. stricta., is a group of adaptable, hardy perennial plants with yellow flowers that bloom throughout the warmer months, but mainly in fall. Spreads by underground runners. Grows in full sun.
Goldenrod, Chapman's: IRC
Goldenrod, Chapman's: Plant Atlas
Goldenrod, Pinebarren: IRC
Goldenrod, Pinebarren: Plant Atlas
Goldenrod, Seaside: IRC
Goldenrod, Seaside: Plant Atlas
Goldenrod, Wand or Narrow-leafed: IRC
Goldenrod, Wand or Narrow-leafed: Plant Atlas

 

Liatris


Liatris or Gayfeather, Chapman's: Liatris chapmanii, Slender: L gracilis, Dense: L. spicata, provides bright, deep pink flowers in spikes in the late summer, early fall, depending on the species. A perennial, it spreads via seed and is a wonderful addition to the native garden. Prefers dry sites. Grows in full sun.
Liatris, Chapman's: IRC
Liatris, Chapman's: Plant Atlas
Liatris, Dense: IRC
Liatris, Dense: Plant Atlas
Liatris, Slender: IRC
Liatris, Slender: Plant Atlas

 

Lyre-leaf Sage


Lyre-leaf Sage, Salvia lyrata, has pale pink to blue-purple flowers which bloom in spring. Prefers damp sites, but will grow in dryer areas. Grows in full sun.
Lyre-leaf Sage: Floridata
Lyre-leaf Sage: Plant Atlas

 

Pickerelweed


Pickerelweed, Pontederia cordata, is an aquatic plant great for pond and canal margins. It has a spike of blue to purple flowers in the spring and summer months. Can grow 2-4 feet tall and spreads rapidly from underwater rhizomes. Grows in full sun.
Pickerelweed: IFAS
Pickerelweed: IRC
Pickerelweed: Plant Atlas

 

Pineland Heliotrope


Pineland Heliotrope, Heliotropium polyphyllum, is a low growing, sprawling plant that provides good groundcover. that provides nectar to many small butterflies and other insects.
Pineland Heliotrope: IRC
Pineland Heliotrope: Plant Atlas

 

Scorpionstail


Scorpionstail, Heliotropium angiospermum, is a shrub-like wildflower which grows 1-3 ft in height. It is an important nectar plant to many butterflies and other insects.
Scorpionstail: IRC
Scorpionstail: Plant Atlas

 

Spiderwort


Spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis, enjoys moist soils, but will grow in dryer sites. It has blue to purple flowers which bloom throughout the warm season. Will grow in large clumps when grown in optimum circumstances. Grows in part shade to full sun.
Spiderwort: Florida Gardener
Spiderwort: IFAS
Spiderwort: Plant Atlas

 

Sunshine Mimosa


Sunshine Mimosa, Mimosa strigillosa, is a low growing ground cover which has pretty, deep pink, powder-puff flowers in the summer. It is drought tolerant but enjoys moist soils best. Salt tolerant. Recently named one of the top six plants of the year by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA).
Sunshine Mimosa: FNGLA
Sunshine Mimosa: IFAS
Sunshine Mimosa: IRC
Sunshine Mimosa: Plant Atlas

 

Tickseed


Tickseed, Coreopsis spp., is Florida's state flower. Coreopsis leavenworthii is a popular annual with pretty bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with a dark center, that will readily reseed itself in the native garden as long as there is not a thick layer of mulch.
Tickseed: IFAS
Tickseed: IRC
Tickseed: Plant Atlas

 

Tropical or Scarlet Sage


Tropical or Scarlet sage, Salvia coccinea, has scarlet 2-lipped blossoms on an erect spike. The plant may rarely grow to 4 feet. It prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade. Scarlet sage grows well in poor soil and is drought tolerant: It has a long flowering period and will readily self-seed.
Tropical or Scarlet Sage: Floridata
Tropical or Scarlet Sage: IFAS
Tropical or Scarlet Sage: IRC
Tropical or Scarlet Sage: Plant Atlas

 

Yellowtop


Yellowtop, Flaveria linearis,grows to 2 ft tall in mounds that can be wider. It gets covered in yellow blooms for most of the warm season. Pruning back in the late fall, early winter will allow new growth to take over in the spring. Grows in full sun.
Yellowtop: IRC
Yellowtop: Plant Atlas

Grasses

 

Fakahatchee Grass


Fakahatchee Grass, Tripsacum dactyloides, is a tall bunch grass that can grow to 6 ft. It is an impressive grass that can be used as an accent or background plant. It grows best in moist situations, but will tolerate dryer conditions. Grows in full sun.
Fakahatchee Grass: Floridata
Fakahatchee Grass: IRC
Fakahatchee Grass: Plant Atlas

 

Muhly Grass


Muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris, a clumping grass which has a heathery appearance. This grass is drought and salt tolerant and often used near beaches. In the fall the flowers and seeds are pink in color, giving the feathery grass a pink haze. Once established muhly grass needs little care.
Muhly Grass: Floridata
Muhly Grass: IFAS
Muhly Grass: IRC
Muhly Grass: Plant Atlas

 

Sand Cordgrass


Sand cordgrass, Spartina bakeri, is a grass which forms large clumps and is evergreen. It is used in landscaping as a specimen clump or in apartment and condominiums to break up parking areas. Sand cordgrass prefers full sun and damp areas but will adapt to dry areas.
Sand Cordgrass: Floridata
Sand Cordgrass: IFAS
Sand Cordgrass: IRC
Sand Cordgrass: Plant Atlas

 

References:


Besides the websites used for reference material already listed, the following books were also used for this section:
Haehle, R. C. and J. Brookwell, 1999, Florida Native Plants, Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing Company. Nelson, G., 2003, Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants. Gainesville, FL University Press of Florida. Nelson, G., 1994, The Trees of Florida. Sarasota, FL Pineapple Press, Inc. Osorio, R., 2001, A Gardener's Guide to Florida Native Plants. Gainesville, FL University Press of Florida. Taylor, W., 1998, Florida Wildflowers in Their Natural Communities, Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida.

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