White Birds-In-A-Nest - Macbridea alba

White birds-in-a-nest (Macbridea alba) is endemic to the Apalachicola National Forest region of Florida - Liberty, Franklin, Gulf, and Washington Counties. In this localized area, it can be relatively common in scattered populations, but is listed as a state endangered species and by the federal government as a threatened species because there are so few of them.  This is a plant that occurs in seasonally wet, open habitats - wet prairies, flatwoods, and bogs.  The plants photographed above were found in an expansive bog dominated by yellow pitcher plants (Sarracenia flava), bit in elevations slightly higher than where the pitcher plants were thriving.
White birds-in-a-nest is a member of the mint family.  Few native mints are truly pure white, and this species stands out among the understory because of the way it glistens in the sun.  Its common name is easily understood by looking at the third photo above.  Flowers open atop the 18-inch stem in June and July. As they open, the winged blooms encircle the unopened white egg-shaped flower buds.
This is a perennial. I do not know if it persists overwinter as basal leaves or if it dies back to the ground; none of the published resources I have consulted describe this feature. Regardless, it is not a very interesting foliage plant. White-birds-in-a-nest reaches a mature height of 12-18 inches and rather succulent elliptical leaves line the stems, opposite each other, and with rough teeth at the outer margin.  The plants can be solitary or in small clusters.
White-birds-in-a-nest is threatened by modern forestry practices and by changing hydrology. It is not a good candidate for home horticulture because of its habitat specificity, but it is relatively well protected at this time in the State Forest where its well being is closely monitored.

Nuttall's Thistle - Cirsium nuttallii

Although there are nearly a half-dozen thistles sporadically present in a few north Florida counties, only two are found within the peninsula.  I have previously written about purple thistle (C. horridulum) which is common in open disturbed sites statewide. Nuttall's thistle (Cirsium nuttallii) is the second species, found throughout Florida, except much of the western panhandle, in sunny, open disturbed habitats.  Nuttall's thistle also occurs in much of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. It is not uncommon to see this and purple thistle growing in the same location, but they are distinctly different from each other.
Thistles are biennials; they do not flower in their first year, but develop a deep taproot and a basal rosette of leaves. Flowering occurs in the second year, they go to seed, and then the plants die. The large number of seeds produced by their parents, however, ensures that more plants will emerge next spring.
Nuttall's thistle is a robust, lanky species that reaches a mature height of 5 feet or more. The basal leaves are more narrow than in purple thistle, but they are equally armed with numerous sharp spines.  In fact, the entire plant is exceedingly spiny.
A great many flower heads are produced atop the stems in summer.  These too are much narrower than in purple thistle. The flowers vary in color from nearly white to a more common light pink.  Plants remain in flower for many weeks, and as with other thistles, they are exceedingly attractive to pollinating insects.
Though thistles are wonderful plants for pollinators, they are extremely difficult to control in a landscape garden.  Their thorniness makes working with them a challenge and the fact that they need to reseed to persist means that they need to be left alone until the seeds are dispersed. By then, you may have hundreds of seedlings germinating in every corner of your landscape (and in those of your neighbors).  In many Midwestern states that I have lived in, growing thistles in a landscape is prohibited because they can be invasive.
If you have a more naturalistic setting and wish to add this species, despite its drawbacks, it is easy to propagate from seed collected when mature ("fuzzy"). This species is not currently available from commercial sources. Use it in out-of-the-way locations, away from pathways and trails and be prepared to weed out seedlings that appear in locations where they are not desired. Weed them when very small, when they are less well armed by thorns. Nuttall's thistle does well in partly sunny areas, but also can be grown in full sun.

Baldwin's Eryngo - Eryngium baldwinii

Baldwin's eryngo (aka Baldwin's button snakeroot) (Eryngium baldwinii) is a diminutive prostrate perennial common to moist open to partly sunny habitats throughout most of Florida and parts of southern Georgia.  A member of the carrot family, this deciduous wildflower forms a taproot and tends to hold its basal leaves through winter. Growth is quick in the early spring and it then proceeds to creep across the ground, often less than an inch tall.  The thin stems branch outward in many directions, extending up to 2 feet from the root. The small, finely dissected leaves are sharply pointed and slightly prickly.  The small button-shaped flower heads emerge from the axils of each leaf.
Baldwin's eryngo is easily overlooked when not in bloom as it blends in with the other plants of the understory, but it stands out once the bright blue flowers are present.  Flowering can occur in most months, but is most common in early summer. The plants above were photographed in mid-June at the outer edge of an oak hammock, in disturbed soil, next to an infrequently used unimproved roadway. The flower heads are composed of many dozens of extremely tiny flowers. Each head is no more than 1/8 inch across. The flowers are pollinated by equally small bees and butterflies; one pollinating bee is apparent in the middle photo.
Several eryngos serve as larval plants to the eastern black swallowtail, but this species has not been documented as one of them. Baldwin's eryngo could make an interesting ground cover in moist partly sunny locations, along trails and walkways, but it has never been cultivated commercially to the best of my knowledge.  It exhibits some drought tolerance, once established, but will flower best if given some sun. Plants grown in full sun, require more moisture.

Blackroot - Pterocaulon pycnostachyum

Blackroot (Pterocaulon pycnostachyum) is found statewide in Florida in a variety of sunny upland habitats. It also is found in much of the Southeastern Coastal Plain - from Mississippi to North Carolina.  In much of this region, it is quite common, but its lack of showy blooms can make it "invisible" to those who are not observant. The dark, thickened roots, which give it its name, are only noticeable if you dig the plant up - but, don't......

Blackroot is a member of the aster family and the sole species in Florida in this genus.  The only other member of this genus in North America, wand blackroot (P. virgatum), is quite rare and only found in Louisiana and Texas.  As their ranges do not overlap, identification is not confusing..  These are deciduous perennial species that die back to the ground in winter.  It emerges in early spring, producing a rosette of basal leaves and then a wand-like flowering stem that reaches a mature height of 1-2 feet by early summer.  The foliage is distinctive.  The stems and undersides of the linear leaves are densely covered by silvery "hairs", and the stems are conspicuously winged.  The upper surface of the leaves is deep green in color and somewhat shiny.

Flowering can occur from late spring through late summer, atop each stem.  The spiky inflorescence is up to 4 inches long and composed of numerous knobby dull white flowers. These open from the base of the inflorescence to the tip over a several-week period.  As an aster, these flowers attract a variety of pollinators; mostly small bees and butterflies such as hairstreaks and skippers.  Once flowering has finished, the spike becomes fuzzy as the ripened seeds get ready to disperse.

Blackroot is a common and interesting member of Florida's upland plant communities, but its lack of truly showy blooms has seemingly kept it from being propagated by commercial sources.  We have not yet added it to our offerings at Hawthorn Hill, but get inquiries from time to time.  If you wish us to grow this wildflower, let us know.

Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) occurs throughout the eastern half of North America, as far north as the southern tiers of Canadian provinces, but it reaches its southern limit in Florida.  Here, it is reported only from eight counties in the central Panhandle, largely in the understory of deciduous hardwood hammocks with relatively rich forest soil.  This is a classic perennial spring ephemeral wildflower - making its appearance in early spring before the canopy closes over, setting seed, and disappearing by early summer.
Bloodroot is impossible to misidentify. In late winter, its single palmate leaf emerges with its deeply dissected lobes and noticeable veins.  This leaf is often held nearly vertical to the ground and on a relatively long petiole; up to 6 inches.  Over time, plants sucker and produce clusters.
Flowering occurs in late February through March in its Florida range. The solitary bloom may stand 6-12 inches above the ground. The six, crystalline white petals surround the bright yellow reproductive parts; the flowers are about 6 inches across and quite beautiful. The flowers are primarily pollinated by bees and pollinated flowers form an elliptical seed capsule that ripens by April.
Bloodroot is so named because the stems and roots "bleed" a bright red juice when cut. This was used by Native Americans to dye clothes, skin, and pottery.  The plant was also used in herbal medicine and as an insect repellent.  The alkaloid compound, sanguinarine, is still commercially used in some toothpastes and mouthwashes to control plaque, however, this compound is also toxic and bloodroot should never be ingested.
Bloodroot is one of the sure signs of spring and makes a wonderful addition to a mixed wildflower meadow beneath a deciduous forest canopy.  It will not prosper in evergreen shade or in infertile sandy soils, not enriched by a good surface cover of decomposing leaf litter.  Because of its great beauty, it is propagated by several native plant growers in north Florida. Do not attempt this plant in Florida using plants from further north. We have grown it in our central Florida landscape by putting it in large pots with fertile potting soil. It has not survived being grown in our native sandy soil.  If you attempt it, try it with meadow rue, blue woodland phlox, trilliums, and rain lilies.

Semaphore Cactus - Opuntia corallicola

Semaphore cactus (Opuntia corallicola) is a very rare endemic species that is naturally found only on two islands in the Florida Keys; the largest population being located within Biscayne National Park. It is listed as a state endangered species. Though more than 500 plants should be considered safe as they are located within protected areas, this cactus, and other similar species, are threatened by an introduced moth that lays eggs inside the stems. The larvae of this moth burrow throughout the plant as they mature, and often kill the host by the damage they cause.  Its future seems to lie with the concerted conservation efforts underway to put specimens in areas protected from the moth.  This plant was photographed at the Naples Botanical Garden.
Semaphore cactus occurs in open areas within tropical hammocks of the Florida Keys.  It is erect and can reach mature heights of six feet.  The plants assume an irregular form as the pads (cladophylls) align themselves mostly on one plane. Each is oblong in shape and nearly one foot long when mature.  Like other members of this genus, they are covered by stout spines.
Flowering occurs throughout the year. They are a bright orange in color with contrasting yellow stamens. Each bloom is about 1/2 inch long.  The pollination of this plant is unknown and fruit have not been seen. Currently, reproduction is known only by asexual means - the pads break off, root, and form new plants.
Semaphore cactus is both beautiful and interesting, but its future is imperiled.  Hopefully, conservation efforts currently underway will be successful and this species will continue on into the future.

Havana Skullcap - Scutellaria havanensis

Havana skullcap (Scutellaria havanensis) is found naturally in Florida only in Miami-Dade County and is listed as a state endangered species.  It is not a Florida endemic, however.  As its Latin name suggests, it occurs elsewhere, in the Caribbean, on such islands as Cuba, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico.  In its natural range, it is found in well-drained pine rocklands. The plants above were photographed at the Naples Botanical Garden on March 8.
I do not have any cultural experience with this wildflower and what I know comes largely from the writings of South Florida's renowned ecologist, Roger Hammer, and from the observations I was able to make while touring the Gardens.  Havana skullcap is a distinctive member of this popular and widely dispersed genus, and it would be difficult to confuse it with other Florida skullcaps.  As a tropical, this perennial remains green and blooms throughout the year. The exceedingly slender stems are covered with tiny hairs that are visible on close inspection. Each stem stands no more than 12 inches tall and the ovate leaves have entire margins (no teeth) and are about 1/2 inch long.  The plants sucker, as do other members of this genus, and eventually established plants form mats.
Blooming can occur in every month if winter temperatures remain above freezing.  They have the typical skullcap shape, but are a deeper blue than many and make quite an attractive statement in the landscape.  Skullcaps are most typically pollinated by bees, but I did not observe pollinators around these plants at the time of my visit.
Havana skullcap seems to possess all the attributes that should make it an excellent candidate for a sunny wildflower garden in areas of Florida that do not regularly freeze, ,and it has recently been added to the list of native plants offered for sale by nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Association of Florida Native Nurseries.  Use it in sunny to mostly sunny areas in well-drained soil near the front of the bed and the edge of trails and walkways.