Plant Profiles

False foxglove

Seminole false foxglove (Agalinis filifolia) bears lovely pink flowers that attract many pollinators. The plant is parasitic and lives off nutrients it takes from the roots of other plants.

False garlic's white star-shaped flowers

False garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve) is a grasslike perennial with lovely star-shaped flowers. It typically blooms late winter through spring, but may bloom again in or continue blooming into fall. The unscented flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including small butterflies and native bees. The plant occurs naturally in moist woodlands and grasslands and along roadsides in North and Central Florida.

False indigo

False indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) has a striking spring and summer floral display that attracts many pollinators. The plant is a larval host for the Silver-spotted skipper, Southern dogface and Gray hairstreak butterflies.

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.

False tamarind

The fragrant flowers of False tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum) are favored by South Florida butterflies and moths. The plant is a larval host, and provides food and cover for birds and other small wildlife, and habitat for a variety of snails.

Fanpetals

Fanpetals (Sida spp.) can bloom year-round and attract bees and butterfies, including the Tropical checkered skipper, for which they are a larval host.

Feay’s palafox

Feay’s palafox (Palafoxia feayi) is a very unique wildflower, endemic to Florida’s central and southern peninsula. It is a member of the Aster family, but bears few visual similarities.

Fetterbush

Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) is an erect woody evergreen shrub that produces a plethora of small, fragrant blooms in whitish-pink to pink to red.

Fewflower milkweed

Fewflower milkweed (Asclepias lanceolata) is a delicate wildflower found in swamps and moist to wet pinelands and prairies throughout Florida. Its stunning orange flowers typically bloom late spring through fall.

Firebush

Firebush (Hamelia patens var. patens) is a hardy, fast-growing and showy evergreen shrub to small tree. It produces clusters of bright orange to red tubular flowers that are filled with nectar.

Flatwoods plum

Flatwoods plum (Prunus umbellata) is a deciduous large shrub to small tree found in hammocks and woodlands throughout North and Central Florida. It typically blooms in March, at which time the entire crown is covered in umbels of delightful white blooms that attract a variety of pollinators, especially bees.

Flaxleaf aster

Flaxleaf aster (Ionactis linariifolia) occurs in sandhill and pine flatwoods communities of Florida’s Panhandle. Its flowers attract a variety of pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies.

Florida bellflower

Florida bellflower (Campanula floridana) is an herbaceous perennial wildflower endemic to Florida. It is found in moist meadows and along pond, marsh and stream margins and moist roadsides. Its delightful violet flowers bloom in spring and mainly attract bees and butterflies, although hummingbirds also have been known to visit them.

Florida betony

Florida betony (Stachys floridana) often gets a bad rap because it spreads so prolifically, especially in moist turf lawns. But it is a wonderful native wildflower for attracting bees and butterflies, and is also almost entirely edible to humans.

Florida bonamia

Florida bonamia (Bonamia grandiflora) is a rare, flowering vine endemic to Central Florida. It is a federally threatened and state-listed endangered species. Its showy blooms appear spring through fall.

Florida false sunflower

Florida false sunflower (Phoebanthus grandiflorus) is a showy wildflower found in sandhills and pine and scrubby flatwoods. It is endemic to 26 counties in Florida. The plant blooms spring through fall, peaking in summer. Its vibrant flowers attract pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. Birds eat its seeds.

Florida flame azalea

Florida flame azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) is a deciduous flowering shrub found in hardwood, floodplain and slope forests, bluffs and ravines in North Florida. Although easily overlooked most of the year, it puts on a stunning spring display of fragrant fiery flowers. The blooms appear before (or as) the plant leafs out, and attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. The plant is a state-listed endangered species.

Florida Keys blackbead

Florida Keys blackbead is a lovely tropical shrub common to coastal hammocks in Southeast Florida. Its beautiful blooms and wildlife value make it a great addition to the home landscape.

Florida loosestrife

Florida loosestrife (Lythrum flagellare) is a state-listed endangered wildflower endemic to the west-central peninsula. This low-growing, creeping wildflower can be found along wet prairie edges, pond margins and moist roadsides. It typically blooms from February through June but is often overlooked because of its diminutive stature and tendency to blend in with the plants among which it grows.