• Perennial bunch grasses that are quite similar in appearance
• P. avenaceum is most common in sandy open uplands (e.g. sandhills) while P avenacioides occurs in open woodlands (hammock openings)
• Flower stalks up to 3-4 feet, needlelike leaves, black seedheads
• P. avenaceum currently not listed in FANN, P. avenacioides uncommonly
Splitbeard bluestem Andropogon ternarius
• Perennial bunchgrass
• May reach 3 feet tall when in flower/seed
• Typical blue-green foliage; very showy silvery white seed heads
• Adaptable; most common in welldrained open sandy habitats
• Fall seeding; seeds beneficial to songbirds.
• Host for several grass skippers
Little bluestem Schizachrium scoparium
• Some “shuffling” seems to be the case for this grass in Florida; Schizachrium spp. occurs statewide in its various forms.
• Bunch grass characterized by its chalky blue foliage
• Occurs widely in well-drained open habitats.
• Attains height of 1-2 feet; flower stalks to 3-4 feet.
• Important prairie/meadow grass
Toothache grass Ctenium aromaticum
• Occurs throughout north and central Florida.
• Most common in seasonally moist open habitats
• Bunch grass with nondescript foliage; producing an interesting comb-like flower/seedhead in late summer.
• Host for several grass skippers.
Wildflowers
“True asters” Symphyotricum spp.
• Symphyotrichum asters are some of the most important wildflowers for pollinators and, to a lesser extent, for seed-eating birds. They also serve as host plants
• Of the 28 species reported to occur naturally in Florida, only 12 are listed on the FANN site and, of these, only 7 are listed by more than 1 nursery. Five are listed by only 1 nursery – I suspect from my plants initially.
Some of the best that aren’t currently being regularly propagated
1. S. laeve 2. S. patens 3. S. concolor 4. S. shortii
5. S. georgianum 6. S. walteri
7. S. adnatum
Eastern
smooth aster Symphyotrichum laeve
• Native only to Jackson County in the central Panhandle
• Has been very adaptable in my Hillsborough/Pasco County landscapes.
• Blooms mid- to late-summer
Late
purple aster Symphyotrichum patens
• Occurs in scattered locations throughout north Florida
• Adaptable to average soils and sun.
• Blooms early fall – not as late as some
Eastern silver aster Symphyotricum concolor
• Occurs statewide, including the Keys
• Prefers upland sunny welldrained soil, but adaptable
• Very late bloomer –November+
Short’s aster Symphyotrichum shortii
• Occurs naturally only in two central Panhandle counties.
• Perennial with heart-shaped basal leaves
• Can reach 4 feet tall at late summer blooming season.
• Adaptable to sun/partial sun and average soil types
Georgia aster Symphyotrichum georgianum
• Very rare aster species –even in Georgia
• Vouchered from only 1 county in the central Panhandle
• Stands 3 feet at maturity; blooms early fall
• Prefers open sunny welldrained habitats
Walter aster Symphyotrichum walteri
• Occurs throughout much of north and central Florida.
• Stands ~3 feet by fall.
• Prefers open sunny welldrained habitats
• One of the last asters to bloom
Scaleleaf aster Symphyotrichum adnatum
• Occurs throughout Florida, including the Keys
• Stands 2-3 feet at bloom season; may weep a bit depending on adjacent vegetation.
• Adaptable to growing conditions; flatwoods to sandhills
• Very last aster to bloom n my landscape.
Calamintha mints Calamintha spp.
• Although many Conradina mints are being propagated, few Calamintha species are.
• The one most widely sold (C. georgiana) is actually a hybrid and not the true species
• As perennial woody mints with attractive flowers, they should be made more available for well-drained sandy soils and sun.
Ashe’s savory Calamintha ashei
• Occurs in scrub habitat in central Florida scrublands – Ocala through Lake Wales ridges
• Mounded aspect that can reach several feet tall.
• Foliage is blue-green with folded leaves
• Flowering from spring through fall.
Scarlet calamint Calamintha coccinea
• Widely scattered populations in sunny well-drained sandhill/scrub habitat in the Panhandle and in central Florida.
• Becomes a somewhat leggy shrub that can reach 3 feet tall.
• Bright scarlet tubular flowers are produced most months from spring through fall.
• Leaves are elliptical and folded over (not needle-like?
Georgia calamint Calamintha georgiana
• Very rare in Florida; occurs in only 5 counties along the Georgia and Alabama border.
• A low-growing woody mint that rarely gets taller than 2 feet, but at least as wide.
• Semi-deciduous in winter; the foliage is NOT needle-like, but spatulate and rolled under a bit.
• Small lavender flowers are most common in fall to early winter.
New Jersey teas Ceanothus spp.
• 1. New Jersey teas are significant pollinator plants to our north – especially C. americanus. Not as much for C. microphyllus
• 2. Both of our species are widely distributed in north and central Florida in upland habitats, but neither is propagated here.
• 3. The only source I’ve seen offered for C. americanus was from an Upper Midwestern location and has not prospered here for me.
Sand lace Polygonum dentoceras
• Woody perennial endemic to central Florida scrub habitats
• Sprawling – rarely exceeding 2 feet in height, but many feet across.
• Roots along the soil surface periodically
• Numerous white flowers during most of the growing season
October flower Polygonum nesomii
• Endemic species occurring throughout much of Peninsular Florida in well-drained sunny scrub and sandhill habitats.
• Wiry stems that rarely exceed 2 feet tall
• Blooms profusely in fall
• Excellent pollinator flower
Summer farewell Dalea pinnata
• Occurs commonly from north through central Florida.
• Perennial that dies back to the ground in winter.
• Blooms late fall; stands 3-4 feet at this time.
• Buds are bright red, flowers are white and seedheads are fuzzy silver.
• Very important pollinator plant
Feay’s prairieclover
Dalea feayi
• A near endemic; occurs throughout most of peninsular Florida in sunny well-drained sands.
• Perennial that grows in a mounded form and rarely more than 3 feet in height.
• Produces rounded flower heads in summer to early fall; bright pink blooms.
• Important pollinator plant
There Are a Great Many Not Covered Here
•There has to be a market
•Markets are generated by education
•Expanding the available plant palette is all our responsibility •Otherwise, all we’re really doing is creating native plant landscapes that are “monocultures”
•The world/state cannot afford this in the wake of biodiversity collapse.
