Florida Association of Native Nurseries presents
A Moderated Panel
With Moderator
Janine Griffiths, Green Thumb Inc.
And Panelists
20 Central Florida Proven Natives
Choosing, Using & Maintaining Them
Stefan Babjak, Wise Hands
Marc Godts, Green Isle Gardens
Tom Heitzman, Sweet Bay Nursery
Amanda Martin, Grounded Solutions
Stefan Babjak, Wise Hands
Stefan owns Wise Hands, a landscape service company and wholesale nursery. Stefan has over eight years of experience working exclusively with native plants. His mission is to help people create beautiful wildlife-friendly landscapes with native plants. Before starting Wise Hands, Stefan was the Nursery Production Manager at Wilcox Nursery.
He is a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and an FNGLA Certified Horticulture Professional
Marc Godts, Green Isle Gardens
Marc owns Green Isle Gardens and has 35+ years of experience in landscaping and native plant horticulture Marc is an experienced manager, grower, and designer, with installation and maintenance experience. Marc’s philosophy is to use native plants as the foundation of all landscapes and to garden with appropriate non-invasive exotics.
Amands Martin, Grounded Solutions
Amanda owns Grounded Solutions, started in 2013. She helps educate others about individual plants and how they attract beneficial wildlife through an aesthetically pleasing design.
Amanda is an experienced Horticulturist with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. She is knowledgeable on soil, wetlands, environmental awareness, and water resource management.
Tom Heitzman, Sweet Bay Nursery
Tom owns Sweet Bay Native Nursery in Parrish, Florida, with partner Richard Beaupre. Together they grow and sell native plants to wholesale and retail customers and provide distinctive native landscape design service. Tom has 30 plus years of experience with Florida native plants in natural areas & landscaping.
Hammock Twinflower, Dyschoriste humistrata
• Low growing under 8" and easy to propagate, evergreen in central Florida and south, not sure about north Florida
• Great filler plant in shade, likes moisture but can do dry shade as well but does not grow as full
• Blooms purple/lavender flowers year round and is used by the White Peacock butterfly
• Does not lend itself to any foot traffic so not a real turf alternative
Photo by Mary Keim
Photo by Susan Lerner
Slash Pine, Pinus elliottii
• Most common pine to see in Central Florida, can grow up to 100' but nice specimens you'll generally see 60' plus in the urban area
• Very fast growing and adaptable to all soil types. Can do seasonal flooding and withstand long drought. Does not like shell heavy soils or shell heavy landscapes.
• Can be identified by the reddish brown plate like peely bark, the leaves come in fascicles of 2 (usually) and are 6-12" ( usually) and have a 2-6" cone. The main confusion comes with Longleaf Pine but the size differences in the cone and fascicles are usually pretty obvious.
• Plant in groups of 3 with 10 plus feet in between them if possible, the multiple trees will check their growth and make them more resilient to wind damage which can be a concern with poorly rooted pines.
(Complied by Stefan Babjak)
Photo by Mason Brock
Saw Palmetto, Serenoa repens
• Multi trunk spreading palm up to 10' tall and wide and can be larger depending on age.
• Jagged teeth along the petiole connecting to the frond, petiole not extending into the frond, low growing and bushy like nature are identifying features.
• Great landscape plant when placed with space in mind.
• They grow faster than you think, especially the Silver form that grows a bit faster.
• Can take heavy pruning through the year but should be done after fruit and flowers which are fragrant and loved by pollinators and wildlife.
(Complied by Stefan Babjak)
Photo by Harriett Wright
Photo by Jenny Evans
Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum
• A large growing conifer. Deciduous, upright shaped tree with ferny, soft foliage during the growing season.
• Eastern USA relative of western Sequoias and a long-lived tree.
• Popular landscape tree and wetland species adaptable to drier sites with good establishment on moist to wet location.
• Wood used historically for canoes, drums, coffins, feeding troughs, shingles, furniture, and building construction.
• Sibling species is Pond Cypress, Taxodium ascendens, the needles (leaves) are arranged all around the twigs and bent upward up against the twigs, which tend to be upright. In Bald Cypress the leaves are in just two rows projecting at right angles to the twigs.
(compiled by Bruce Turley)
Photos by Bruce Turley
Winged Elm, Ulmus alata
• Fast growing large tree - 60' plus and a pyramidal crown shape generally. Will be more narrow than wide.
• Adaptable to varying soils and compaction so is used widely as an urban street tree.
• Fully deciduous with a nice fall show of yellow leaves and small fruit and flowers.
• Very distinct, knobby, winged, warty growth across the trunk and branches making it desirable to nesting birds.
• Needs heavy and frequent pruning at a young stage because of its aggressive growth habit from the crown. Co-dominant stems and crossing branches need to be subdued to form a solid central leader. Pruning can be done year round but is best in its dormant season through the fall and winter.
(compiled by Stefan Babjak)
Photos by Gitta Hasing, UF/IFAShttps://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST648
Yaupon Holly, Ilex vomitoria
• 6'- 20' height
• Droughttolerant
• Dense and clonal growth.
• Good for screening or hedge as it stays mostly evergreen year round.
• Propagation by seed or cuttings
• Dioecious with many selections and cultivars in both Male and Female.
• Female: Kathy Ann. Nana, Scarlet peak, Weeping,
• Male: Shillings, Stokes dwarf, Will fleming, Tomoka
• East Coasthas larger leaf
• Gulf Coast has smaller leaf.
• Great bird nesting, food source in winter.
• Great pollinator value in spring.
• Few pestproblems
• Caffeinated tea leaves.
(compiled by Marc Godts)
by
Photos
Sam Mello
Yellow Anise, Illicium parviflorum
• 6'-20' height
• Likes regular irrigation as it is naturally found in moist dense woodland areas.
• Large leaf, shade loving, screening shrub.
• Leaves can yellow in full sun or organic deficient soils.
• Selections and cultivars: Forest green, Ocala Anise, Florida sunshine.
• Evergreen shrub
• Small yellow flowers in spring
• Fragrantfoliage
• Few pestproblems
• Confused at times with red anise.
(compiled by Marc Godts)
Photo by Greg Noonan
Photo by Heather Crane
Blazing Star, Liatris spicata
• 1-3' ht
• Dense grass like foliage.
• Specify Florida eco type for longevity and bestresults.
• One of 17 species in Florida.
• Full sun perennial
• Trim flower spikes in June for more dense flowering
• Best in wildflower meadows with grasses and other perennials.
• Flowers September - October
• Reseeds easily in open bare soils.
• Does notlike overhead watering, like most native plants.
• Is not tolerant of deep sandy soils or long periods of drought.
• Great for pollinators
• Leave dry flower stalks when done flowering, great forage for wildlife
(compiled by Marc Godts)
Photos by Troy Springer
Sweet Bay Magnolia, Magnolia virginiana
• Large growing wetland species with broad evergreen leaves and fragrant magnolia blooms. The leaves flag their silver undersides with breezes.
• Blooms attract pollinators, and the red fruit attract birds
• My personal experience is that this wetland species does not easily establish in drier environments. It does need acclimatization in establishment to well drained moist sites and is an attractive tree for these sites.
• Most common or widely distributed native Magnolia in Florida. There is a compact cultivar named ‘Silver Mist’.
• Historically used as a culinary substitute for European Bay Leaf.
(compiled by Bruce Turley)
Photos by Bruce Turley
Pineywoods Dropseed, Sporobolus junceus
• 1-3' ht
• Low clump forming perennial grass
• Attractive foliage year round
• Summer -Fall flowering.
• Leave flowering stalks for birds to forage till early spring.
• Wiregrass substitute in look.
• Can be cut back to ground annually if needed but not recommended.
• Great in meadows, perennialgardens , or along borders similar to liriope.
• Propagation by seed.
(compiled by Marc Godts)
Photos by Karan A. Rawlins, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
Pink Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata
• 4-6 feet tall
• Grows in full to partial sun with wet to moist soils, rich with organic matter
• Mid summer to late fall growth habit, does disappear in winter, regrows from roots
• Largest amount of foliage for caterpillars, regenerates quickly
• Easy to propagate by cuttings
• Monarch butterfly larval host
(compiled by Amanda Martin)
Photo by Frank Mayfield
Photo by Mary Keim
Spotted Beebalm/Dotted Horsemint, Monarda punctata
• 3-6 feet tall
• Grows in full sun with sandy dry soils
• Trim in early /mid summer to keep height in check
• Stop pruning by August to allow early blooms to set
• Blooms are heavy, if grown to full height, heavy leaning is common
• Blooms continue to set in tiers, lasting 2-3 months in large masses
• Huge pollinator attractor, attracts over 20 species
• Heavy reseed volume, can be considered aggressive - not ideal for small gardens
• Thymol in leaves, can be used for tea in small quantities
(compiled by Amanda Martin)
Photo by Nancy Bissett
Photos by Mary Keim
Simpson Stopper, Myrcianthes fragrans
• 6-20 feet, can be trimmed or sheared at any desired height
• Grows in a large range of light - full sun to full shade
- naturally found in partial shade
• Prefers moist soils, can handle regular irrigation
• Florida Native alternative to Podocarpus, Viburnum 6-8 ft sheared hedges
• Root suckers grow over time and “walk” away from original planting spot
• If this plant dries out, full defoliation occurs. Shrub can recover in time, revealing a beautiful modeled trunk/stem much like a crape myrtle
• Irregular/ongoing bloom cycle, provides a lot of berries in the fall for birds
• Dwarf variety available, average height closer to 5 feet and has smaller leaves
• Showstopper cultivar has purplish color in the new growth, tends to be more cold hardy than all green cultivar
• Witches’ broom fungal infection can occur if equipment is not sterilized
Photo by Cammie Donaldson
Photo by Roy Winkelman
Sand Live Oak, Quercus geminata
• Upland tree species from drained, drier sites, adapted to our driest upland habitats. Should be used more as a tree selection for drier landscape sites. Coastally adapted.
• Although thought of as a smaller oak than Southern Live Oak, Quercus virginana, in the absence of fire regimen, as in a landscape setting, this species can grow to be a very large, picturesque tree much like regular Live Oak and grow to this large dimension over a very long timeframe.
• Leaves are distinguished from regular Live Oak by their extra leathery leaves with rolled leaf edges and a silver to bronze coloring on the leaf undersides.
• There is a recommendation circulating for trees to be planted in same species groupings for collective wind tolerance. This tree is commonly known to occur in these types of attractive and naturalist groupings by nature.
• Live Oak acorns are known as a good wildlife food source and roasted can be a palatable food source.
(Compiled by Bruce Turley)
Flower & Fruit Photos by Mary Keim
Photo by Bruce Turley
Coontie,
Zamia pumila
• 2-4 feet
• Grows in a large range of light - full sun to full shade
• Prefers well draining soils to avoid tuber rot, can tolerate regular irrigation
• Matures into large mounds - be mindful of wide plant spacing during installation
• Foliage can be pruned to the ground in June/July to regenerate canopy, in case of pest or disease
• FL Native alternative to commonly used Cardboard palm
• Nursery plants can commonly be found with tubers too deep in the pots, check to see if crown is exposed
• When red seeds become loose, they are ready for harvest. Can take up to a year for germination. A single small frond will become evident. Very slow growers coming from seed. Picks up size year 3/4
• Atala butterfly larval host
(Compiled by Amanda Martin)
Photos by Heather Crane
Photo by Judy Gallagher
Red Maple, Acer rubrum
• Large growing deciduous tree with a distinctive leaf shape. Dormancy on mature trees can be a short timeframe, with a late fall leaf drop followed by display of the red blooms and then by the arils (winged seeds) showing red coloring.
• Good landscape tree for foliage, flower, and seed color.
• Popular wetland tree, adaptable with good watering and establishment to average drier, drained sites.
• Popular canopy tree for shade in the growing season and warm sun in the coolest part of the year.
• Grows from the Everglades to Canada
• Use cultivar known as ‘Florida Flame’ for extra foliage color. Wild specimens of the species in their wetland habitats commonly have red colored foliage year- round. (Compiled by
Bruce Turley)
photo by Mary Keim
photo by Peg Urban
Photo by Gitta Hasing, UF/IFAS -
Marlberry, Ardisia escallonioides
• Wonderful tall slender shrub, great as a specimen plant or a well behaved hedge
• Does not tolerate a freeze - will die back to the ground
• Full shade to part sun
• Requires some moisture; drought tolerant once established
• Fragrant clusters of white flowers periodically throughout the year followed by black fruit that is loved by birds; edible for people but not desired
• Plant in protected areas for shade and for frost protection
• Not tolerant of inundation with salt water but some salt spray or wind is tolerated
• Not wind tolerant
• Neutral to low alkaline soil preferred
(Complied by AMANDA STREETS)
Photos by Jenny Evans
Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Coreopsis lanceolata
• Perennial wildflower
• Winter dormant
• Bright yellow blooms in the warm months from spring to summer
• Reseeds in the right conditions
• Prefers moderate moisture
• Soil adaptive but does not prefer high pH
• Prone to powdery mildew if crowded
(Compiled by AMANDA STREETS)
Photo by Cammie Donaldson
Photo by Alan Shapiro
Stoke’s Aster, Stokesia laevis
• Gorgeous large purple blooms during the warm months; less common white flowers
• Winter dormant; dies back to a rosette of green leaves
• Full to part sun. More sun = more irrigation needed
• It will yellow in too much sun with poor soil or inadequate irrigation
• Prefers acidic to neutral soils
• Not salt tolerant
• Spreads by seed
(Compiled by AMANDA STREETS)
Photo by Mary Keim
Walter’s Viburnum, Viburnum obovatum
• Several different cultivars ranging in size and temperment
• Dwarf to full size shrub cultivars
• Great for songbird nesting
• Deep green foliage, clusters of small white flowers in late winter/early spring, black berries for birds
• Moisture loving but cultivars need well drained soil
• Naturally occur in moist areas such as swamp borders and near rivers in forests
• Full sun to part shade
• Prefer acidic soil
• Dwarf varieties are common landscape plants and are available in the traditional landscaping wholesale and retail markets. Often planted several inches too deep in their pots leading to plant failure over time.
• Full size: Withlacoochee, Whorled Class, and Select reach 10-15 ft in height
• Dwarf: Mrs. Schiller's Delight, Snow Fury, Densa, Everleaf Reach up to 4 ft in height typically
• Not salt tolerant (Compiled by AMANDA STREETS)
Photo by Brightman Logan
Photo by Mary Keim
WEBSITES
Florida Native Plant Society - https://www.fnps.org/plant
Florida Wildflower Foundation - https://www.flawildflowers.org/
Institute for Regional Conservation- https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - https://www.wildflower.org/plants
BOOKS
Gil Nelson. Florida’s Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowers and Professionals. (2003) University Press of Florida.
