Tall lespedeza - Lespedeza stuevei

Tall bush clover (Lespedeza stuevei) is a perennial legume found in most counties in north Florida. It also has been reported from most states in the eastern half of the U.S.  Throughout its range, it is most commonly found in well-drained sunny habitats and seems to especially respond to disturbances.  Legumes like this serve to enrich soils by fixing nitrogen.

As its common name suggests, it is an erect forb that can reach a mature height of 3 feet or more. The three-parted (trifoliate) leaves alternate along the stems. They are sparsely hairy and numerous.  The plants are much taller than they are wide.

Flowering occurs in summer to early fall. Clusters of pale to rich-colored pink pea-shaped blooms occur at the tips of the stems. They are noticeably keeled (as are most legumes) and the inside of the petals are marked with deeper pink lines and blotches. Following blooming and in late fall, pollinated flowers give rise to a one-seeded rounded pod. The seeds, like in other bush clovers, are important food for bobwhite quail, ground doves and other ground-nesting birds. Although not reported, this species (like L. hirta) may serve as a host plant for gray hairstreaks and southern cloudywings.  

Although important wildlife plants, none of the bush clovers are routinely propagated by nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.  They deserve more attention. With its richly colored flowers and its ability to improve soils, this species especially seems to warrant being propagated. I do not know how adaptable it would be, however, south of its geographical range.

Plumose aster - Symphyotrichum plumosum

 Plumose aster (Symphyotrichum plumosum) is endemic to Florida and found only in a small 8-county cluster of counties in central north Florida in and around Torreya State Park and the Apalachicola National Forest. In this region, it can be common in well-drained upland habitats. These photos were taken in a sandhill ridge at Torreya State Park.It is very close in appearance and growth form to the widely distributed eastern silver aster (S. concolor), but is clearly distinguished from it by its noticeably recurved phyllaries. These are easily seen in the photos above.

This perennial wildflower has narrow, linear basal leaves covered by silvery silky hairs. The leaves are appressed to the stems. Mature plants reach a height of 2-3 feet by fall. Numerous flower heads are formed at the tips of the stems. Individual flowers are present for at least a month until late fall.  Each is composed of many cornflower blue ray petals surrounding a central disc that is white. All true asters are favored by a wide variety of pollinating insects and this is no exception.

Little seems to be written about plumose aster, perhaps because it has often been confused with eastern silver aster. It is a species I would dearly love to experiment with here at Hawthorn Hill and I hope to get seed to do that later this fall. I suspect that it has similar growing requirements to eastern silver aster which has done well here - well-drained soils and full sun. As I add more asters to my landscape/nursery each year, this species seems to deserve attention and to be made available to native plant gardeners.

Narrow-leaved blue curls - Trichostema setaceum

Narrow-leaved blue curls (Trichostema setaceum) is an annual wildflower found throughout much of the northern half of Florida in sandy, xeric habitats such as sandhills and open oak woodlands. It also occurs in much of the eastern half of North America. It is often confused with the more ubiquitous common blue curls (D. dichotomum) though the latter does not often occur in such xeric conditions. As its name implises, narrow-leaved blue curls is also distinguished by its relatively narrower foliage.

As an annual, this species grows quickly in the spring to reach a maximum height of about 2 - 2 1/2 feet. The stems are weakly hairy with many branches that branch off opposite of each other.  The leaves are either entire or have small teeth along the margins. They are without petioles or with very short ones. Each is about 1/2 inch long and about 1/4 inch wide. They are highly fragrant if crushed - as its close relative. 

Flowering occurs in late summer and fall. They are similar in color and form to its more-common relative. The lower blue to almost-violet lower lip is extended from the corolla with a white splotch dotted with purple spots.The four long, curved stamens  arch above the petals and give this species its common name.  Numerous seeds are produced in the ripe capsules and these serve to disperse the plants abundantly for next season. The flowers are primarily pollinated by bees.

Blue curls in general are favorite wildflower additions to landscapes in Florida, but this species has been virtually ignored. It shouldn't be. It is easily grown from ripe seed. Just be aware that it will need open ground in the planting bed for it to be able to reseed effectively. Given those conditions, it may also reseed aggressively and need thinning - especially if added to a mixed wildflower planting.

Blue Ridge horsebalm - Collinsonia serotina

Blue ridge horsebalm (Collinsonia serotina) is a wildflower confined in Florida to many counties in the extreme northern part of the state. These photos were taken at Torreya State Park in Liberty County in early October. As its common name suggests, it is more commonly found north of Florida and has been documented from the Southeast Coastal Plain from Louisiana to North Carolina. Throughout its range, this perennial occurs in moist upland woodlands within light gaps where it remains partly sunny during the growing season.

This wildflower eventually reaches a mature height by mid-summer of 2-3 feet. The stems are stout and keep the plant erect. The leaves are wide (about 6-7 inches), ovate in shape, and coarsely toothed. They are opposite each other along the stems.

Flowering occurs from summer until mid-fall. These photos were taken in early October. Multiple racemes of flowers are produced at the ends of the stems. They open in succession from the base of the inflorescence.  Each is tubular and yellowish white in color. They are attractive to a wide variety of pollinators.

Horsebalms of all species have been used medicinally for years, though great care should be used as they possess powerful properties that could prove harmful to some people. This article discusses its medicinal use: https://healthyfocus.org/collinsonia-root-benefits/   The common name does not relate to it being a balm for horses (or other livestock).

I am not aware that this, or any of the other related species of Collinsonia have ever been propagated by nurseries affiliated with FANN - the  Florida Association of Native Nurseries. There is a second species native to north Florida (C. canadensis) and several others that are not native. The latter species are likely available from nurseries that specialize in herbal plants. I do not know how well they would grow in Florida. 

Yankeeweed - Eupatorium compositifolium

Yankeeweed (Eupatorium compositifolium) is a close relative of dogfennel (E. capillifolium) and is often mistaken for it. Some taxonomists consider them to be varieties of the same species. Both are generally considered to be weeds and undesireable in a landscape, but they are not without some redeeming value. Yankeeweed is distinguished from the latter by having wider leaves and a more wide-spreading crown. It occurs throughout much of the northern two-thirds of Florida in a variety of upland sites - especially disturbed ones. It also occurs throughout much of the Southeast Coastal Plain from Texas to West Virginia.

As stated above, this is a plant of upland disturbed soils. It is a perennial that dies back to the ground in winter. By late summer, it may reach 6 feet in height with a crown that expands 2-3 feet wide. The narrow linear leaves are fragrant, but not as strongly so as dogfennel from my experience. The stems are semi-woody in character. It spreads quickly in disturbed sites by its many seeds and by its ability to spread underground by rhizomes.

Flowering occurs in the late summer months and is profuse. The tiny white blooms attract the interest of a great many pollinators, but mostly small bees. The foliage is toxic to most herbivores, but it serves as the host for the scarlet-bodied wasp moth. 

Yankeeweed should not be propagated in areas with livestock or where pets might feed on the foliage. It also should not be encouraged in areas where one would want to encourage a mixed wildflower meadow as it tends to dominate and take over the space required by other species. 

Sweet Everlasting - Pseudognapthalium obtusifolium

Sweet everlasting (Pseudognapthalium obtissifolium) is a widespread wildflower found statewide throughout Florida in a variety of upland habitats and across most of eastern North America. It was once placed in the genus Gnapthalium, but was moved several years ago. It also has been called cudweed and rabbit tobacco as common names though these are also applied to other relatives of this annual wildflower.

This becomes a rather tall plant, reaching several feet in height before its late-summer blooming period. Like other members of this genus, its leaves are densely tomentose on the undersides. The leaves are linear in shape, alternate along the stem and about 3-4 inches long - becoming shorter up the stems.  The stems are silvery tomentose as well.

Flowering occurs typically from August through October in Florida. The buds form atop the many upper stems. They are white and barrel shaped. Each bloom is small - rarely longer than 1/4 inch. The profusion of blooms at the height of blooming makes it rather attractive. The blooming season lasts several weeks before the flowers start to decline. They seem of most interest to bees.

This is another plant not typically propagated by native nurseries; often considered somewhat weedy. It is the host plant, however, for the American lady butterfly and it is grazed by a number of herbivores. As such, it has value in a mixed wildflower meadow. Propagation is best done with seeds, but as an annual it needs bare soils to reseed in order to maintain it over time. This is a forgiving plant that thrives in most soils except those that stay routinely wet. 

Sand ticktrefoil - Desmodium lineatum

Sand ticktrefoil (Desmodium lineatum) is a diminutive perennial member of a genus comprised of plants most-often considered as nuisance weeds because their many-parted loments are sticky and adhere to pant legs and other clothing - as well as the hair of pets. The loments of this species are characterized by being in 3 parts. This is also sometimes called matted ticktrefoil as the foliage typically forms a mat on the ground. As its common name implies, this is a plant most common to well-drained sandy uplands. It is found in most Florida counties in the northern one-third of the state. It also is reported from most of the Southeast Coastal Plain from east Texas to Virginia and Maryland. It is a species that responds positively to fire and other habitat disturbances. 

As other members of this legume-family genus, the leaves are three-parted leaflets, each being about 1/3 inch wide and decidedly rounded. From this mat of leaves emerges flower stalks in summer that may reach about 1 foot tall.The individual flowers are light lavender with a deeper purplish lower lobe. They are small - about 1/4 inch long. Flowering is most common in the summer months, though this photo was taken in early October in an area that had been rather recently burned.

Ticktrefoils are a nuisance due to their method of seed dispersal, but they are important host plants for various skipper butterflies - most notably the long-tailed skipper.  This and other members of this genus are easy to cultivate from ripe seed. They are not plants likely to be propagated by commercial nurserie, however, so you would have to grow your own.