White Sunnybell - Schoenolirion albiflorum

White sunnybell (Schoenolirion albiflorum) is a perennial member of the agave family. It occurs throughout peninsular Florida in the eastern half of the state with additional occurrences on the west coast in the Big Bend region.  There are additional populations in southeastern Georgia as well.  Throughout its range, it is found in open, sunny wetland depressions and is considered an obligate wetland species.

The narrow linear leaves arise from the tops of an upright base in spring and eventually wither as the stalk matures.  The single unbranched stalk reaches a mature height of 3-5 feet by late spring. The flower buds are clustered near the top of this stalk and each occurs singly on a long reddish pedicel.  Each flower is composed of 3 white petals and 3 idendical white sepals (6 tepals).  The flowers open from the bottom of the stalk and proceed upwards over several weeks. Pollinated flowers produce a dry capsule that eventually splits to release a great many tiny seeds.

Although quite showy, white sunnybell is not propagated by any of the native plant nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries nor by any nurseries in Georgia to the best of my knowledge.  It would require seasonally wet conditions and good sunlight to prosper and this would limit its landscape use to lake and marsh edges that might have several inches of standing water during the summer rainy season.

These photos were taken by my friend Steve Coleman and used by permission.

Small's Skullcap - Scutellaria multiglandulosa

 

Small's skullcap (Scutellaria multiglandulosa) is one of 11 native species in this genus in Florida and distributed from the central Panhandle south to the central peninsula.  It also occurs sporadically in Georgia and in a few counties of western South Carolina.  It is sometimes considered to be a variety of the more widespread and common S. integrifolia, but  several distinctive traits give it full species status by most taxonomists.  This is a perennial deciduous forb native to well-drained sandy habitats such as sandhills and xeric oak forest clearings in full sun to partial shade.

It makes its appearance in early spring and reaches a mature height of about 2 feet tall by early summer.  The narrow elliptical leaves occur opposite along the stem and, as the Latin name suggests, they are covered by glands. The stems and leaves also are covered by noticeable hairs.

Like others in this genus, the flowers are produced in pairs in the leaf axils near the tops of each stem.  They are typical of the genus, light lavender to almost white with a broad lower lip and a "helmeted" petal above.  The blooms have a very narrow open throat and are pollinated mostly by large-bodied bees.  Flowering can occur from late spring through summer.  

Skullcaps in general are popular wildflowers and propagated by a great many nurseries associated with native plants. Small's skullcap, however, has only very rarely been offered in the past and seemingly not at present.  Like other members of this genus, it would make an attractive addition to a mixed wildflower meadow, given good sun and well-drained soils.

The photos above were taken by my friend, Steve Coleman, and used by permission.

Physalis walteri - Walter's groundcherry

Walter's groundcherry (Physalis walteri) is a perennial herbaceous species known more for its edible fruit than for its flowers.  It is common statewide in Florida in a variety of upland habitats and also occurs in coastal counties within the Southeast Coastal Plain from Mississippi to Virginia.  

Walter's groundcherry reaches a mature height of 12-18 inches and a width equal to that.  Its leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 2-4 inches long and without teeth along the margins.  They occur opposite each other on the stems and both the stems and leaves are covered in gray hairs.

Flowering can occur yearround in areas that don't freeze.  The bell-shaped yellow blooms are distinctive and often have reddish lines/markings on both the outside and inside of the petals - unlike the photo above.  Pollinated flowers produce a yellow "tomato" inside a dry papery husk - hence another common name of "husk tomato".  The widely grown tomatillo (P. philadelphica) is a close relative and a better choice for the table, though Walter's groundcherry has been a staple food plant of native peoples for centuries.

This species is very infrequently offered for sale by nurseries associated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.  It is easy to grow, but will spread over time if not kept controlled a bit.  Although it cannot be considered "showy", it has value as a food source for wildlife and human consumption and it is a host for the Carolina sphinx moth. 

These photos were taken in the propagation area at the USF Botanical Gardens, Tampa, where we have it under cultivation.  

Sabatia campanulata - Slender Rosegentian

 

Slender rosegentian (Sabatia campanulata) is one of 12 rosegentians native to Florida and found throughout much of the Panhandle counties in moist soil and sunny habitats. It also occurs throughout much of the Southeast and a few Midwestern and eastern states in similar conditions.  This is a perennial herbaceous wildflower that dies back to the ground in winter and reemerges again in spring when it eventually reaches a mature height of about 2 feet.  

The basal leaves are lost very early and the stems appear leafless for the first inches.  The stem leaves are simple, opposite on the stem, and with no teeth along the margins.  The flowers are produced at the top of each stem in summer.  They are a deep rose in color (rarely white) and composed of five petals, fused at the base.  Other characteristics of the blooms are shown in the second photo above - all taken by my friend Floyd Griffin and used by permission.

Members of this genus are mostly pollinated by bees and the resulting fruit is a dry capsule. Slender rosegentian is not offered commercially by any of the native nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries nor by any out-of-state nurseries that I am aware of.  Given its restricted habitat needs, this is not too suprising, though it would make an attractive addition to a wetland (lake or marsh edge) planting.  This is one species to be admired when encountered, but not to be sought for for a home landscape.  

Rhynchosia minima - Least snoutbean

 Least snoutbean (Rhynchosia minima) is one of nine native snoutbeans that occur in Florida and one of the most widely distributed.  It is vouchered from nearly every county and its range also includes the southern tier of counties from southern Georgia west to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  Throughout its range, it occurs in a wide variety of habitats and is exceptionally adaptable to growing conditions. Snoutbeans are legumes so they can play a major role in improving soil fertility.  Least snoutbean is no exception.

As its common name suggests, this is a diminutive member of the genus.  It is a perennial that dies back to the ground in winter and reemerges again in spring.  Like other members of the genus, it produces multiple stems that extend many feet in all directions.  The compound leaves are composed of three leaflets, each broadly ovate ending in a distinct tip.  They are arranged alternate along the stem.

Flowering occurs throughout much of the late spring into fall.  Each inflorescence is a raceme that may consist of up to 15 small yellow flowers.  Each bloom is only about 1/4-inch in length and typical in shape for most legumes - a noticeable upper keel and a fused lower lip. The flowers are pollinated mostly by small bees and the pollinated flowers produce small beans.  The seeds inside are eaten mostly by ground-nesting birds.  Snoutbeans are used as hosts by several skipper butterflies.

Like all members of this genus, least snoutbean improves soil fertility, provides leafy food for herbivores, and seeds for various birds.  Its small flowers and sprawling nature, however, do not make it a good candidate for a typical mixed wildflower garden.  It would be a great addition, however, to a pasture or expansive meadow planting.  Least snoutbean is not offered commercially in Florida by any of the native plant nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, but seed is available from out-of-state sources.  The plants photographed above were grown from such and have been added to the wildflower meadow I've been planting at the USF Botanical Gardens in Tampa.  

Lespedeza virginica - Slender bush clover

Slender bush clover (Lespedeza virginica) is one of 10 native bush clovers that occur in Florida.  Its range is restricted to the western half of the Panhandle, but it ranges across much of the eastern half of the U.S. where it is common in the open to shady well-drained soils of a variety of habitats. This perennial herbaceous species, as its common name suggests, is distinguished by its very slender aspect.  It dies back to the ground in winter and reemerges again in spring,  The slender stem reaches a mature height of 2-3 feet. The compound leaves alternate up the stem and consist of 3 slender leaflets.

Flowering occurs in late spring to summer.  The pink flowers occur in small clusters near the top of the stems within the leaf axils.  They are shaped typical to other legumes with a distinct upper keel and a fused lower lip.  The flowers of all bush clovers attract the attention of a wide variety of pollinators while the plants themselves serve as hosts for several cloudywing skippers, the eastern tailed blue, and several moths.  The seeds are an important food source for bobwhite quail and various songbirds and the leaves are a nutritious food source for deer, rabbits and other herbivores.

Though not exceptionally showy, slender bush clover is an attractive and useful addition to a landscape designed for wildlife.  It has not been propagated, to the best of my knowledge, by any of the nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, but seed is available from several out-of-state sources.  The plants pictured (rather poorly) above were grown from such seed and I will add them to the wildflower landscape I'm developing at the USF Botanical Gardens in Tampa.  At this time, I do not know how adaptable it is to conditions south of its natural range.  I'll keep you posted.

Hypoxis sessilis - Glossyseed Yellow Stargrass

Glossyseed yellow stargrass (Hypoxis sessilis) is a perennial herbaceous wildflower vouchered throughout much of Florida from the Panhandle to Miami-Dade County.  It also is reported from east Texas and Oklahoma within the Southeastern Coastal Plain to North Carolina.  Throughout its range, it occurs in wet savannas and open pinelands.  

Yellow stargrasses can be a bit difficult to distinguish from each other, but this one is noticeable by its realtively wide and upright basal leaves and the fact that the solitary flowers are produced near it base.  The leaves, unlike many in this genus, are evenly pubescent.  

Like other members of this genus, the flowers are bright yellow and comprised of 6 tepals - 3 petals and 3 sepals that look alike.  These are produced near the base of the plant on a short stalk.  Several flowers may occur on each.  Flowering occurs in early spring to summer and seems to be stimulated by fire.  They tend to be pollinated mostly by bees.

Yellow stargrasses are not routinely propagated by native nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, or by others.  Their diminutive size seems to preclude a demand and their need for moist to wet soil conditions limits where they could be effectively added.

These photos were taken by my friend, Alex de la Paz and used by permission.  

Stenanthium texanum - Black/Texas Death-Camas

 

Black death-camas (Stenanthium texanum) is a much rarer species in Florida (and elsewhere) than its more widely distributed relative crow poison (S. densum).  It has only been reported in four counties in the western Panhandle and is sporadically distributed elsewhere in the Southeastern Coastal Plain from east Texas to southern Georgia.  This is a plant that occurs in open pine savannas and flatwoods, but as it has only recently been discovered and described it is still relatively poorly understood.

Black death-camas appears to be a short-lived perennial. Its long and linear basal leaves persist and are up to one-half an inch wide (up to twice as wide as the more common crow poison) and the extended flower stalk arises from this annually.  The stalk can be as tall as 6 feet at maturity and it is branched, unlike crow poison. Like others in this genus, many bright white flowers occur on the top of the stem.  Flowering occurs in late spring to early summer. Thes blooms attract a wide variety of pollinators.

Black death-camas is a very striking wildflower, but it is not one likely to be grown commercially at this time or in the future.  It is yet another plant that should be admired if encountered and not collected for a personal landscape or without a permit.

The above photos were taken by my friend, Floyd Griffith, and used by permission.

Wild Allamanda (Hammock Viper's Tail) - Pentalinon luteum

Wild allamanda (Pentalinon luteum) is a perennial evergreen woody vine native to the southern coastal counties of Florida - from Lee County on the west coast to St. Lucie County on the west.  It also is found throughout much of the Caribbean and on the Bay Islands of Honduras.  Although it is semi-tropical to tropical in nature, it has some cold tolerance and has been used ornamentally in landscapes that periodically receive light freezing temperatures. It naturally occurs in a variety of soils in hammocks, pinelands and coastal thickets although it has only limited tolerance of light salt spray. It prefers full sun in all of these habitat conditions.

Like most vines, wild allamanda clambers naturally through adjacent vegetation and can get extensive in a landscape if not occasionally pruned back or trained to climb a trellis or pergola.  It has attractive oval shiny leaves that are opposite on the stems and curl slightly under along the margins - which are entire.  Each leaf is 1-3 inches long and up to 1 inch wide.  The stems are decidedly woody and are numerous arising from the central root.  Because of this, frequent/regular pruning can make it become shrublike.  

Flowering occurs in most months, but mainly throughout April - September in Florida.  The trumpet-shaped bright yellow flowers are 2 inches long and composed of five fused petals.  They are produced in clusters at each of the branch tips and normally open one flower at a time in sequence.  The flowers are especially attractive to large-bodied bees and the pollinated flowers ripen into a 2-parted pod. 

The foliage and flowers of this beautiful wildflower are toxic if eaten and will cause nausea in mild cases, but more severe reactions in more-sensitive people.  The sap can cause skin irritations so care must be taken when pruning it.  Wild allamanda is a relative of the extremely toxic, but widely planted, oleander, and serves as a host for the oleander moth. 

Although care should be taken when considering adding this native vine to your landscape, its beauty and adaptability make it a good choice in locations where it is not likely to be handled by curious children or eaten by pets.  Wild allamanda should not be confused with the more commonly planted landscape allamandas in the genus Allamanda, but all share the same level of toxicity. 

Last Open House At Hawthorn Hill

For a good many years, I have been growing wildflowers at my home as a licensed nursery known as Hawthorn Hill.  My goal has never been to make money but to make a greater diversity of weildflowers available to the public.  I believe that I have achieved this goal with the growth in the number of native nurseries and with my ability to grow my plants and sell them at my place of work - The USF Botanical Gardens in Tampa.  With our Plant Shop open from Tuesdays - Sundays and a larger propagation area to work with, I can grow more plants than ever and make it easier for everyone to access them.

My last Open House is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, 9 am-noon and we will be selling everything we can before moving the plants we don't sell to the Botanical Gardens.  We have ther largest diversity of species we've ever had.  Below is the list.  Some are currently in very short supply.

Most everything is in 4" pots, well rooted, for $5 each.  The rare woody mints and a few others are $10.  We prefer cash, but can take Visa & Mastercard as well as personal checks.

Jane and I hope to see you a week from Saturday - or later at the USF Plant Shop.

Natives in the Plant Shop/Hawthorn Hill Spring Open House

● *USF Plant Shop only

● #Not ready at this time

● @Very limited numbers

Abutilon hulseanum

Aesculus pavia*

Amorpha crenulata@

Amorpha fruticosa

Andropogon glomeratus

Andropogon spp. (unknown)

Andropogon ternarius

Annona glabra

Apios americana

Arnoglossum atriplicifolium

Arnoglossum ovatum var. lanceolatum

Argemone mexicana (later)

Asclepias incarnata

Asclepias perennis

Asclepias tuberosa

Asimina obovata@

Asimina pygmaea@

Asimina reticulata@

Baptisia alba

Brickellia mossieri

Calamintha coccinea@

Calamintha georgianum@

Callicarpa americana*

Chaptalia albicans#

Chaptalia tomentosa#

Carphephorus corymbosus#

Cicuta maculata

Clematis reticulata

Conradina canescens@

Conradina glabra@

Conradina spp.@

Dalea pinnata

Diospyros virginiana*

Echinacea purpurea

Encyclia tampensis

Eriogonum tomentosum

Eryngium yuccifolium

Erythrina herbacea@

Flaveria linearis

Garberia heterophylla*

Hamelia patens*

Hibiscus grandiflorus

Hibiscus laevis

Hibiscus moscheutos

Hibiscus poeppigii

Ipomoea imperati*@

Ipomopsis rubra

Lespedeza capitata#

Lespedeza hirta#

Lespedeza virginica# 

Liatris chapmanii

Liatris elegans

Liatris laevigata

Liatris savannensis

Lonicera sempervirens*

Nemastylis floridana

Nyssa ogeche*

Palafoxia feayi#

Pediomelum canescens

Penstemon laevigata

Penstemon multiflorus

Physalis walteri

Picramnia pentandra*

Piptochaetium avenaceum#

Psychotria tenuifolia

Randia aculeata*

Rhyncosia minima

Rudbeckia hirta

Rudbeckia laciniata

Rudbeckia triloba

Saccharum giganteum

Salvia coccinea

Salvia lyrata

Saururus cernuus*

Senna ligustrina

Sericocarpus tortifolius#

Solidago odora var. chapmanii

Solidago petiolaris#

Sorghastrum apalachicolense

Sorghastrum nutans@

Stokesia laevis@

Symphyotrichum bahamense

Symphyotrichum carolinianum

Symphyotrichum concolor

Symphyotrichum dumosum

Symphyotrichum elliottii

Symphyotrichum georgianum

Symphyotrichum laeve

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Symphyotrichum patens#@

Symphyotrichum pilosum

Symphyotrichum plumosum

Symphyotrichum praealtum

Symphyotrichum sericeum

Symphyotrichum shortii

Symphyotrichum undulatum

Symphyotrichum walteri#

Trifolium reflexum

Ulmus americana*

Vachellia farnesiana*

Vernonia gigantea

Vernonia missurica

Vernonia novaboracensis

Zamia integrifolia*

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis