Longwood Native Plant Garden
This demonstration garden utilizes Florida native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs. They provide vital habitat for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects, as well as seeds, berries and insects for birds.
DID YOU KNOW? Florida native plants are adapted to thrive in our climate, conditions and soil. They need less water than other plants, and require no fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals. This saves precious water resources and keeps excess nutrients from polluting lakes, rivers and streams.
The following native species were planted in the Longwood garden:
Butterfly milkweed
Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a perennial that produces large, showy clusters of bright orange to reddish flowers from spring through fall. It occurs naturally in sandhills, pine flatwoods, and…
Florida paintbrush
Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus) blooms from mid-summer into fall, attracting butterflies and other pollinators. It occurs naturally in sandhills, pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, mesic flatwoods and ruderal areas.
False rosemary
False rosemary (Conradina canescens) occurs naturally in sand pine scrub and sandhills. Many pollinator species are attracted to false rosemary, but bees are the most prominent visitor.
Lanceleaf tickseed
Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) has conspicuously sunny flowers that typically bloom in spring. It attracts butterflies and other pollinators, and its seeds are eaten by birds and small wildlife.
Button rattlesnakemaster
Button rattlesnakemaster (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a peculiar perennial wildflower that occurs in flatwoods, sandhills, savannas and marshes throughout Florida. Its flowers bloom in late spring through fall.
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…
Yaupon holly
Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) blooms attract bees, and its abundant fall fruit provides food for birds and small mammals. A tea can be made from its leaves.
Spotted beebalm
Also known as Dotted horsemint, Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) is a robust, aromatic wildflower known to attract a huge variety of pollinating insects, including bees, wasps and butterflies. It blooms…
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.
Muhlygrass
Nothing says fall in Florida like the purple haze of Hairyawn muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) in bloom. When planted en masse, this perennial bunchgrass puts on a spectacular fall display.
Narrowleaf silkgrass
Narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia) blooms late summer through early winter in sandhill, flatwoods and scrub habitats throughout the state. It has brilliant yellow flowers and silvery leaves.
Black-eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) typically blooms in spring through fall. It is pollinated by a variety of insects, and its seeds are eaten by seed-eating birds.
Sabal palm
As one of our most ubiquitous native plants, it is easy to see why Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) is Florida’s state tree. Also known as Cabbage palm, this evergreen fan…
Tropical sage
Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) is a versatile perennial wildflower that no pollinator can resist, but it is particularly attractive to bees, large butterflies and hummingbirds.
Lyreleaf sage
Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata) is an attractive perennial with leafless spikes of tubular, lavender to bluish flowers. Bees are its predominant pollinator, but it also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Saw palmetto
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is an evergreen shrub found in scrub, pinelands, coastal hammocks, and dunes throughout Florida. Dr. Mark Deyrup of Archbold Biological Station calls it the “most amazing…
Starry rosinweed
Starry rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus) is a robust perennial with showy yellow blooms. It is typically found in pine flatwoods, sandhills, open woodlands, mixed upland forests and disturbed or ruderal areas.
Blue porterweed
Blue porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) is an excellent addition to a butterfly garden: It is a host plant for the Tropical buckeye and a nectar source for many other butterfly species.
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.
Walter’s viburnum
Walter’s viburnum (Viburnum obovatum) has showy spring flowers that pollinators love, and produce abundant fruit in summer and fall on which birds and other wildlife feast.
POLLINATORS NEED YOUR HELP!
Help Florida’s wildlife and environment by using native wildflowers and plants in your landscape. Click here to learn more information on planting, selecting and maintaining native plants, or check out these resources:
- 20 Easy-to-Grow Wildflowers
- Guide for Choosing Native Plants
- Attracting Birds with Florida Native Wildflowers
- Attracting Bees and Other Beneficial Insects with Florida Native Wildflowers
- Attracting Butterflies with Florida Native Wildflowers
- Great Wildflowers for Dry Landscapes
- Great Wildflowers for Shade
- Aquatic Wildflowers for Pollinators
- Create a Pollinator Pot
The garden was made possible by the Florida Wildflower Foundation in partnership with Dix.Hite+Partners and the City of Longwood. For more information, visit LongwoodFL.org.
