Plant Profiles

Parrot pitcherplant

Parrot pitcherplant (Sarracenia psittacina) 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.

Parsley haw

Parsley haw (Crataegus marshallii) is an important source of nectar for a variety of pollinators and is a larval food source for many butterfly and moth species.

Partridge pea

Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) is a larval host for several butterflies, including the Gray hairstreak and Cloudless sulphur. The plant is also used by bees, ants, flies, wasps, birds and other wildlife.

Partridgeberry

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) is a dainty mat-forming vine with fuzzy white flowers that a variety of insects, especially bumble bees. Its fruits are enjoyed by birds, small mammals and humans!

Peelbark St. John’s wort

Also known as Sandweed, Peelbark St. John’s wort (Hypericum fasciculatum) is an evergreen shrub found in wet pinelands and savannas, and along the margins of swamps, freshwater marshes and ponds. It typically blooms spring through fall, but may bloom year-round. The flowers are attractive to polyester, yellow-face, large carpenter, bumble, leafcutter, resin and sweat bees. The plant provides food and cover for birds and other small wildlife.

Perennial saltmarsh aster

Perennial saltmarsh aster (Symphyotrichum tenuifolium) has been described online as a “weak straggly plant,” however, as one of the few and often the only large-flowered species present among the grasses and rushes of the salt marsh, it plays an important ecological role for native bees!

Pickerelweed

Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) typically blooms in spring through summer and occurs naturally in open, aquatic habitats such as pond, lake or river edges, marshes and swamps.

Pine-hyacinth

Pine-hyacinth (Clematis baldwinii) is an endemic wildflower that typically blooms spring through fall. Its flowers attract a variety of pollinators, its fruit provides food for many birds and small wildlife.

Pine-pink

Pine-pink (Bletia purpurea) is a state-threatened terrestrial orchid found in swamps, marshes, pinelands and pine rocklands in southern Florida. Its striking pink flowers bloom in winter, spring and early summer. Pine-pink flowers are a food-deceptive species. They do not contain nectar, but may attract bees and other insects with their conspicuous floral display. However, like many orchid species, Pine-pink is self-pollinating, and some of its flowers are cleistogamous, meaning the bud self-pollinates and never fully opens.

Pinebarren frostweed

Pinebarren frostweed (Crocanthemum corymbosum) has delicate lemon-yellow flowers that bloom spring through summer and attract a variety of pollinators. Blooms are many, but last only one day.

Pineland chaffhead

Pineland chaffhead (Carphephorus carnosus) typically blooms late summer through early fall and attracts butterflies, moths and other pollinators. It is endemic to only 13 Central and South Florida counties.

Pineland daisy

Pineland daisy (Chaptalia tomentosa) is an early-blooming aster found in wet flatwoods, bogs and freshwater marshes. It begins as nodding bud, and opens into a wheel of white ray florets.

Pineland heliotrope

Don’t forget Pineland heliotrope (Euploca polyphylla) if you’re looking for year-round blooms! This member of the forget-me-not family is a Florida endemic and is adaptable to a variety of conditions. Its small white or yellow flowers attract many pollinators.

Pineland leatherroot

Pineland leatherroot (Orbexilum virgatum) is an exceptionally rare and beautiful perennial wildflower that inhabits dry to moist areas of pine savannahs. Its bright purple flowers bloom from late spring into midsummer.

Pineland waterwillow

Pineland waterwillow (Justicia angusta) is an elegant wildflower found in lake and pond margins and wet pinelands, prairies and disturbed areas throughout much of Florida. It is near-endemic, occurring outside of Florida in only a few Georgia counties. The plant blooms spring through fall and attracts mostly bees. The genus name Justicia is an homage to Sir James Johnson, an 18^th century Scottish horticulturalist. The species epithet angusta is from the Latin angustus, meaning “narrow,” and alludes to the plant’s narrow leaves.

Pinewoods milkweed

Pinewoods milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) occurs naturally in sandhills, scrub and dry, ruderal areas. It blooms in spring and summer, attracting many pollinators including wasps and butterflies.

Pink sundew

Pink sundew (Drosera capillaris) is an insectivorous wildflower that grows in abundance in wet pinelands, savannas and bogs, where it can form a glistening red carpet.

Pinkscale gayfeather

In fall, Florida’s natural areas and roadsides light up with flares of bright purple from our 17 native Liatris species. Among them, Pinkscale gayfeather (also called Elegant blazing star) is one of the most beautiful and unique. Butterflies and bees are attracted in abundance to its flowers and feed on the nectar they provide.