Lemon Bacopa - Bacopa caroliniana

Lemon bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana) occurs throughout Florida and the states that comprise the Southeast Coastal Plain - Maryland to Texas.  It is not found outside the U.S. as its close cousin, water hyssop (B. monnieri) is. It also is strictly a species of freshwater wetlands.
Lemon bacopa creeps across the ground (or shallow water) forming large mats in locations where its water needs are met. It is tolerant of full to partial sun. The lime green stems and nearly succulent leaves are indistinguishable from water hyssop, but they give off a pungent lemon fragrance when bruised. It tends to die back in the winter months and return again in early spring.
Lemon bacopa has bright lavender to nearly purple flowers with a deep purple throat, sometimes surrounded by a white ring. The flowers are produced over many months from late spring to late fall. Small pollinators use these blooms for nectar.
The flowers and the glossy fragrant foliage make this an extremely attractive landscape plant, but the foliage is not used by White Peacock butterflies. It is also a very difficult plant to maintain in the landscape as it requires more moisture than water hyssop and is very less forgiving of even short-term drought. Though not an easy plant to maintain in the ground (except at the edges of ponds and marshes), it can be effectively provided for in pots and makes a very interesting specimen in a hanging basket. Just keep it well watered. Lemon bacopa is rather widely propagated by commercial sources, but may take a bit of sleuthing to locate it.

Water Hyssop - Bacopa monnieri

Water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri) is an herbaceous perennial that occurs throughout Florida, the rest of the lowest tier of states across the U.S., and into the West Indies and parts of Central America. It is a mat-forming species that creeps across the ground, rooting as it advances from the nodes on its stem.  Ultimately, individual plants form large masses that meet each other and become indistinguishable.  It dies back to the ground each winter, however, and returns again in early spring.
In more tropical parts of its range, it is evergreen. As its name implies, water hyssop is a wetland plant that thrives at the edges of both freshwater and brackish water habitats. If  the ground is moist, it can persist in lawns and the edges of disturbed sites and it will tolerate partial sun as long as its moisture needs are met.  It prefers full sun and plenty of water.
Water hyssop rarely stands above 1-2 inches in height.  The lime green stems and the small oval leaves that are opposite each other are succulent in appearance and make it attractive as a ground cover. The leaves are without fragrance, unlike its close cousin, lemon bacopa (B. caroliniana).
Flowering occurs from spring into mid-fall, except in the more tropical parts of its range where it can bloom year round.  Small white to pinkish tubular blooms are lined in violet and composed of five petals. They attract the attention of small pollinators.
Water hyssop is the preferred larval food for White Peacock butterflies - the butterfly pictured below. They seek it out above other plants, like Phyla nodiflora, that are also sometimes used. We have a nice patch in our landscape that we planted next to the edge of our small landscape pond. The plants grow out into the open water as well as creep along the pond edge. It has never, however, ventured out into the rest of the yard as it is too dry.  Butterfly gardeners can also use this plant in hanging baskets when landscape conditions preclude adding it directly into the ground.  It is somewhat forgiving of very short-term drought, but it should be watered regularly. Because of its value to butterfly gardeners and its attractive foliage, water hyssop is rather widely propagated by commercial sources and should not be too difficult to find.

Matchweed/Fog Fruit - Phyla nodiflora

Matchweed/Fog fruit (Lippia nodiflora) is a creeping perennial herbaceous ground cover found statewide in disturbed and moist sites. It also is found throughout the southern half of the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America.  This ubiquitous native wildflower is also found as a lawn weed - especially in lawns that are regularly irrigated. It is evergreen in all but the coldest climates
Matchweed forms dense mats in locations where its habitat needs are met. The thin stems creep in all directions and it roots periodically at the nodes.  Deep green oval leaves are opposite on the stems and toothed at the outer margins.  Because of its growth habit, it rarely stands taller than 2-3 inches above the ground.
Flowering can occur year round in frost-free parts of Florida and summer through fall elsewhere. Small drum heads stand above the foliage and tiny white to pinkish flowers are produced regularly in small numbers, in procession from the base to the top of the heads for many weeks.  The blooms are attractive, though quite small. Showiness is accentuated when this plant occurs in mass.
The flowers are excellent nectar sources for small butterflies and bees. The foliage serves as the larval food for Common Buckeyes, White Peacocks, and Phaon Crescents (pictured above).  Because of this, it is often incorporated into butterfly gardens by those seeking to provide for these beautiful butterflies.
Matchweed is widely available from commercial sources. It can be a valuable addition to the landscape, but needs more moisture than some landscapes can effectively provide.  It also can be a bit of a nuisance if the intent is to mix it with a wide variety of other wildflowers. It works best in areas where it can form a monoculture, or along the edges of drainage ditches and in swales. I have seen it make a very attractive (and ecologically valuable) ground cover in lieu of turf, but in drier locations it will not perform well and can be a disappointment.

Southern Fogfruit - Phyla stoechadifolia

Southern fogfruit (Phyla stoechadifolia)  is a thin evergreen perennial shrub native to Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in Florida, but also in the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America outside the U.S.  It is resident to freshwater wetlands and to other poorly drained open habitats - often on soils over limestone. It is listed as a state endangered species.
Unlike its more common cousins, southern fogfruit forms thin woody stems that can reach 2 feet tall. The foliage is distinctive.  The deeply veined linear leaves are sharply toothed along the margins and opposite each other along the stem. They are found along the length of the stem and are aromatic.  In some cultures, a tea is made from them.
The conical flower heads are produced year round.  Like its cousins, tiny white to pinkish blooms emerge from them, a few at a time, over many days. These flowers attract small butterflies such as blues and hairstreaks as well as very small bees.  Blooming begins near the base of the heads and proceeds to the top.
Southern fogfruit, like its more common cousin, P. nodiflora, serves as a larval food for Common Buckeye and Phaon Crescent butterflies.  As such, it makes an interesting and useful addition to a butterfly garden, but it is not currently available from commercial sources affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.  The plant photographed above is at our home in Pinellas County and was a gift from Michael Manna on a recent visit I made to Palm Beach County.  I do not have much personal experience with it in a home landscape to date, but will add to this post as I learn more about its adaptability.

Blodgett's Ironweed - Vernonia blodgettii

Blodgett's ironweed (Vernonia blodgettii) is our South Florida member of this much beloved genus. It is found primarily in the southern one-third of the peninsula, from Sarasota and Martin Counties south through the Florida Keys, though it also has been reported from Indian River and Orange Counties north of this line.  It is not an endemic, however, as it also occurs in the northern Bahamas.  In this region it is found in low pine flatwoods and in the upper edges of open marshes.  It is not classified as a wetland plant, but does not occur in places that do not become wet during the summer.
This is a rather diminutive species compared to most other ironweeds (all, except stemless ironweed, V. acaulis) and rarely stands taller than about 2 feet.  It is an herbaceous perennial that dies to the ground each winter. My friend, Roger Hammer, in his book Everglades Wildflowers intimates that it is evergreen in extreme south Florida, but in Pinellas County it disappears each winter regardless of temperature. The stems are smooth, the leaves are sessile along the stem, and they are linear to lanceolate in shape.
Flowering occurs mostly in the summer and early fall.  The thin flower stalk holds less than a dozen heads of rich lavender blooms that resemble others in this genus. Like all ironweeds, they are irresistible to pollinating insects and, thus, make excellent additions to a butterfly/bee garden.
Blodgett's ironweed is only occasionally offered for sale by commercial sources.  We have done so from time to time at Hawthorn Hill, and may offer it again in 2016.  Though it is a wonderful wildflower, it does not persist in a typical landscape setting unless it receives ample water during the hot summer months. If you can provide that, use it near the front of the planting bed so it won't get lost among taller species.

Edison's St. John's-wort - Hypericum edisonianum

Edison's St. John's-wort (Hypericum edisonianum) is a very rare endemic, listed as a state endangered species, and found principally in seasonably wet marsh edges within the Lake Wales Ridge. It also has been reported in Collier County.
This is an erect woody species that forms a multi-branched evergreen shrub up to 5 feet tall.  Each stem is rather thin, and the dark, silvery black bark is smooth and tight - not reddish and flaky like so many other tall St. John's-worts in Florida.  The thickened oval blue-green leaves are clustered at the ends of the stems. The upper surface is waxy in appearance and each leaf is held at a 45-degree angle from the stem.
The 4-petal flowers are canary yellow and produced mostly in the summer. The plants above were photographed at Archbold Biological Station in late June.  Like other members of this genus, the blooms are showy and attract a variety of pollinators - mostly bees. Pollinated flowers ripen to dark brown capsules.
Edison's St. John's-wort has only rarely been offered for sale commercially during my 25 years living in Florida. It's large size and narrow habitat requirements limit its use in the home landscape. Other, more common species would make better landscape choices in nearly every situation except possible restoration projects within its natural geographic range. This is simply an interesting and beautiful wildflower to be admired when encountered.

Virginia Marsh St.John's-wort - Triadenum virginicum

Virginia marsh St. John's-wort (Triadenum virginicum) is closely related to the Hypericum St. John's-worts, and differs from them mostly by having pinkish instead of yellow flowers.  This species is the most common of the three natives found in Florida and occurs in all but the most southern counties in the peninsula.  Virginia marsh St. John's-wort also occurs throughout the eastern half of North America, west to Texas and north to Quebec and Ontario.  It is found in wet-soil habitats - marshes, lake edges, and the edges of forested wetlands.
This is a perennial herb with rather weak herbaceous stems that rarely stand taller than 24 inches. The oval-shaped leaves clasp the stem and are opposite each other.  The outer margins and the deeply incised veins are outlined in red.  Multiple stems arise from the underground rhizome and it often forms small colonies.
Flowering occurs in summer.  The five-petal blooms are pinkish, lined with deeper pink. They occur at the tips of the various stems in cymes.  Each flower remains open for just a few days, but blooming occurs for several weeks as the buds mature and open.  Like other members of the St. John's-wort family, they are attractive to bees. The pollinated flowers ripen into dark capsules in the fall
Look for this plant in wet soils throughout most of Florida. It is not available from commercial sources at this time and is not especially adaptable to most landscape settings. In most cases, it would be advisable to use a Hypericum spp. in place of it.