Weekly plant profile of Florida Favorites.
Powderpuff (also known as sunshine mimosa) is a prostrate, mat-forming perennial wildflower with showy “powderpuff” blooms that appear in spring through summer. It occurs naturally in open, disturbed areas and along roadsides. It is pollinated mainly by bees, but is the host plant for the little sulphur (Eurema lisa) butterfly.
Swamp rosemallow is a deciduous perennial wildflower with showy pink blooms that appear from summer into early fall. It occurs naturally in marshes and swamps, in wet ruderal areas, and along edges of lakes, ponds and rivers. It is often seen in large masses in open marsh areas.
Woodland pinkroot is a showy perennial wildflower. It blooms in late spring through summer and sometimes into fall. It occurs naturally in upland hardwood forests, slope forests and bluffs, and is pollinated by hummingbirds as well as other insects. There are approximately 60 species of Spigelia that occur from the southern US south to Argentina. Only four species are native to Florida.
Also known as Rugel’s milkwort, yellow milkwort is an annual herbaceous wildflower endemic to the Florida peninsula. Its showy flowers bloom primarily in summer and fall, but may appear throughout most of the year. It occurs naturally in wet pine flatwoods.
Carolina redroot is a perennial herbaceous wildflower that blooms from summer into fall. It occurs naturally in wet flatwoods, marshes, bogs, dome swamps, savannas and coastal swales. Its blooms are attractive to a variety of butterflies and moths; its seeds are eaten by birds; and the whole plant is favored by feral hogs, who are known to dig up and eat large patches of redroot.
Gopher apple is a hardy, low-growing, woody perennial shrub that occurs naturally in sandhills, pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods and scrub. It is often confused with runner oak, which has a similar growth habit and is found in similar habitats. Gopher apple can bloom year-round.
Largeflower milkweed is a perennial wildflower found throughout much of Florida. Its conspicuous flowers appear in late spring through summer in moist pine flatwoods, savannahs and bogs.
White birds-in-a-nest is a Florida endemic perennial wildflower that blooms May through July. It is fire-dependent and occurs naturally in coastal pinelands, seeps, and wet savannas. It is a state-listed endangered species and a US-listed threatened species. White birds-in-a-nest gets its common name from the way its white flowers and buds resemble bird heads and eggs nestled within a green nest that is formed by the flower’s bracts.
Grassleaf coneflower is a Florida endemic perennial wildflower. Its brick-red solitary blooms are distinctly different than most Florida Rudbeckia species. It typically flowers in summer and occurs naturally savannas and along moist roadsides.
Marsh gentian (also known as seaside prairie-gentian or catchfly prairie-gentian) is an annual wildflower with showy purple to lavender (or sometimes white) flowers. It can bloom throughout the year and occurs naturally in salt marshes, dunes, and coastal flats.
Lizard’s tail is a perennial aquatic wildflower. Its tiny, white blooms are borne in early spring through summer and attract a variety of pollinators. They are also eaten by foraging ducks such as wood ducks. Both the common and genus name refer to the flower’s resemblance to a lizard’s tail.
Sweet pinxter azalea (also known as mountain azalea) is a deciduous flowering shrub. Its showy pinkish- to rose-colored flowers bloom in spring in pine flatwoods, mesic hammocks, bay swamps, and floodplain and slope forests. They attract a number of pollinators, including hummingbirds.
Parrot pitcherplant is a carnivorous perennial plant. It typically flowers in April and May and occurs naturally in seepage slopes, wet prairies, depression marshes, dome swamps, and bogs. Parrot pitcherplant is a state listed threatened species. Its species name psittacine means “of or relating to parrots” and refers to the shape of the flower resembling the head of a parrot.
American white waterlily (also known as fragrant waterlily) is a floating aquatic plant. Its large, solitary, fragrant white flowers bloom spring through fall in swamps, marshes, slow-moving streams and shallow lakes, ponds and ditches. The flowers are attractive to butterflies, but they are pollinated primarily by beetles.
Skyblue lupine is a lovely herbaceous perennial that occurs primarily in scrubby habitats. Its bluish to lavender flowers are born on dense spikes and appear in spring. It occurs naturally in sand and oak scrub, sandhills, pine flatwoods and coastal strands.