Spurred butterfly-pea
Spurred butterfly-pea (Centrosema virginianum) is a trailing or climbing vine that occurs naturally in pine flatwoods, sandhills, coastal strands and interdunal swales. Its showy flowers typically bloom in summer.
St. Andrew’s cross
St. Andrew’s cross Hypericum hypericoides) is found in wet pine flatwoods, calcareous hammocks, floodplain forests and mixed woodlands throughout Florida. Bees and butterflies love its flowers
Standing cypress
Standing cypress (Ipomopsis rubra) blooms summer through fall and occurs naturally in sandhills, coastal strands, dunes and ruderal areas. It is very attractive to butterflies as well as other pollinators.
Starrush whitetop
Starrush whitetop (Rhynchospora colorata) is a unique and long-lived perennial sedge. It is known (and named) for its striking bracts that are often mistaken for a daisy-like flower.
Starry rosinweed
Starry rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus) is a robust perennial with showy yellow blooms. It occurs naturally in flatwoods, sandy pinelands and disturbed areas and attracts a variety of pollinators.
Stokes’ aster
Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis) typically blooms in spring and summer, but may bloom throughout the year, attracting a variety of bees, wasps and butterflies.
String lily
String lily (Crinum americanum) is an erect, emergent perennial with showy, fragrant blooms. It occurs naturally in wet hammocks, marshes, swamps, wetland edges, and along streams and rivers.
Summer farewell
Summer farewell (Dalea pinnata) blooms late summer through early fall. Its many flowers attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Its seeds provide food for birds and small wildlife.
Summer farewell
Summer farewell (Dalea adenopoda), also commonly known as Tampa prairie clover, is an aptly named fall blooming wildflower endemic to Central and South Florida.
Summersweet
Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is an excellent plant for wildlife. Its showy, sweet-scented flowers bloom spring through summer, attracting hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Birds and small mammals consume the fruits.
Sundial lupine
Of Florida’s four native Lupine species, the Sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis) has a unique style, from its ombré blooms that transition from light blue to violet purple to its palmately compound leaves.
Sunshine mimosa
Sunshine mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) has showy “powderpuff” flowers that bloom spring through summer, attracting mostly bees. The plant is a larval host for the Little sulphur butterfly.
Swamp azalea
Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) is Florida’s only white-flowered and summer-blooming rhododendron. It occurs in wet flatwoods, seep and bay swamps and along lake margins and attracts a variety of pollinators.
Swamp leather-flower
Swamp leather-flower (Clematis crispa) has distinct nodding flowers that typically bloom in spring and summer, attracting a variety of pollinators. The seeds provide food for many birds and small wildlife.
Swamp milkweed
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ) has showy pink flowers that typically bloom in summer and attract many pollinators. It occurs naturally in floodplain swamps, hydric hammocks, wet pine flatwoods and marshes.
Swamp milkweed
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias perennis) blooms in late spring through early fall and attracts many pollinators. It is a larval host plant for Monarch, Queen and Soldier butterflies.
Swamp rose
Swamp rose (Rosa palustris) blooms in late spring through early summer and attracts a variety of pollinators — especially native bees. Its fruits are consumed by birds and small mammals.
Swamp rosemallow
Swamp rosemallow (Hibiscus grandiflorus) occurs naturally in marshes and swamps, wet ruderal areas, and along edges of lakes, ponds and rivers. It is often seen in large masses.
Swamp tickseed
Swamp tickseed (Coreopsis nudata) blooms in spring and is attractive to bees, although butterflies and other pollinators are known to visit them. Birds eat its seeds.
Sweet acacia
Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana) is an aptly named shrub to small tree with golden, sweet-scented flowers that bloom year-round, peaking in winter. These nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, especially butterflies like the Red-banded hairstreak. The plant’s dense foliage provides cover for birds and small animals. Few birds eat the pods. Sweet acacia occurs naturally in pinelands, coastal hammocks and shell middens throughout Central and South Florida, with rare populations in three Panhandle counties. In Europe, the plant is cultivated for use in perfumes.
Sweet pinxter azalea
Sweet pinxter azalea (Rhododendron canescens) has showy pinkish- to rose-colored flowers that bloom in spring. They attract a number of pollinators, including hummingbirds.
Sweetscent
Sweetscent (Pluchea odorata) has rosy pink blooms that appear summer through fall. Its sweet-smelling leaves and flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees.
Tall elephantsfoot
You’d probably expect an elephant-sized flower from a plant called Tall elephantsfoot (Elephantopus elatus), but it’s not the flower that gives this plant its name.
Tarflower
Tarflower (Bejaria racemosa) is a woody evergreen shrub with showy white to pinkish flowers. It occurs naturally in scrub, pine flatwoods and scrubby flatwoods and is found in most of peninsular Florida, but its native range does not extend into the Panhandle. It gets its common name from its sticky flowers that attract and then trap bees, flies and other insects.