Plant Profiles

Violet butterwort

Violet butterwort (Pinguicula ionantha) is a rare insectivorous wildflower. That’s right — it eats insects! Hairs on its leaf surface secrete a sticky substance in which insects become trapped.

Virginia dwarfdandelion

Virginia dwarfdandelion (Krigia virginica) is a modest little wildflower found in pine flatwoods, scrub and disturbed sites throughout North and Central Florida.

Virginia pepperweed

A member of the mustard family, Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum) is edible to humans. It is the host plant for the checkered white and Great Southern white butterflies. Bees love it, too!

large pink bloom of Virginia saltmarsh mallow

Virginia saltmarsh mallow (Kosteletzkya pentacarpos) is a shrub-like wildflower with showy pink blooms. It occurs naturally in salt and freshwater marshes, swamps, sloughs, coastal swales and wet thickets throughout much of the state. It blooms spring through fall, peaking in summer and attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and ants.

Virginia willow

Virginia willow (Itea virginica) is a spreading shrub with showy spikes of tiny white flowers that bloom late winter through early summer. The plant provides food and cover for wildlife.

Wakerobin

Wakerobins (Trillium spp.) typically blooms in late winter before the tree canopy leafs out, but can bloom as late as early spring.

Walter’s aster

Walter’s aster (Symphyotrichum walteri) in late fall and early winter, providing nectar and pollen to butterflies, bees and other pollinators at a time when floral resources are limited.

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.

Water cowbane

In late summer and early fall, shallow freshwater wetlands across Florida burst to life with tall stands of Water cowbane. It is a larval host for the Eastern black swallowtail butterfly and the flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators.

Water pimpernel

Water pimpernel (Samolus ebracteatus) is a perennial wildflower found in wet pinelands and prairies, and along freshwater and brackish swamp, marsh and stream edges.

White birds-in-a-nest

White birds-in-a-nest (Macbridea alba) is a rare and unique wildflower endemic to only four counties in Florida’s Panhandle. Its flowers bloom May through July and attract mostly bees.

White fringed orchid

White fringed orchid is a striking wildflower found in bogs and wet meadows across North and Central Florida. The summer blooms attract many pollinators from bees to butterflies and moths.

White indigoberry

White indigoberry (Randia aculeata) is an evergreen flowering shrub or small tree found in pine rocklands and coastal strands and hammocks in Central and South Florida.

White lobelia

White lobelia (Lobelia paludosa) is a winsome, wet-loving wildflower found in swamps and wet flatwoods throughout much of Florida. It primarily blooms in spring and summer.

White screwstem

Diminutive in size but not in beauty, White screwstem takes a keen eye and a bit of determination to find. It blooms in winter through early spring and is found in wet flatwoods and bogs.

White stopper

White stopper (Eugenia axillaris) has fragrant flowers that bloom year-round, attracting many types of pollinators. Its fruits are eaten by birds and wildlife. Humans can eat them, too.

White twinevine

White twinevine (Sarcostemma clausum) is a larval host plant for Monarch, Queen and Soldier butterflies and an important nectar source for bees and wasps.

White wild indigo

White wild indigo (Baptisia alba) has showy white blooms that attract many pollinators. The plant is a larval host plant for the Wild indigo duskywing and Zarucco duskywing butterflies.

Whitemouth dayflower

Whitemouth dayflower (Commelina erecta) blooms attract a variety of pollinators, especially bees. Seeds are eaten by birds, and the foliage is sometimes consumed by gopher tortoises.

Whitetassels

Also known as Pink prairie clover and Pinktassels, Whitetassels (Dalea carnea var. carnea) is an uncommon wildflower found in mesic flatwoods, open meadows and pine rocklands. Its distinct flowers bloom in late spring through early fall and are attractive to pollinators, especially bees. The seeds are eaten by birds and other wildlife.

Whitetop aster

Also known as Dixie aster, Whitetop aster (Sericocarpus tortifolius) is a perennial wildflower found in sandhills, pine flatwoods, upland mixed woodlands and forest margins throughout Florida. It blooms summer through fall and attracts many butterflies, bees and other pollinators.