Early Fleabane - Erigeron vernus

Early fleabane (Erigeron vernus) occurs statewide in Florida, except for the Florida Keys, and from Louisiana to Virginia within the Southeast Coastal Plain.  It is resident to open habitats that are generally moist - pine flatwoods, savannas, roadside ditches, and the edges of ponds.  Though common throughout much of Florida, it seems to be not nearly as well known as its close relative, daisy fleabane (E. quercifolius). Both are common statewide, but only the latter seems to have been included in the plant trade by native plant nurseries, even though early fleabane is a bit more attractive in my opinion. 
Early fleabane is easily distinguished from daisy fleabane by two significant differences.  The first is their difference in blooming season.  Early fleabane blooms only in early spring while the latter has an extended flowering period from summer through fall.  If you find a patch of fleabane in March or April, it most assuredly is early fleabane. The second difference is in the basal leaves.  As the photo above (from Shirley Denton and taken from the University of South Florida ISB site) shows, early fleabane has somewhat succulent basal leaves that lack teeth along the margins (sometimes shallow teeth are present) and are oval in shape.  Daisy fleabane has rough elliptical basal leaves that are deeply toothed.  Even in winter, when neither is blooming, they are easily told apart.
Early fleabane maintains its basal leaves year-round.  They form small colonies on the ground, slowly dividing over time.  It is a short-lived perennial, often a biennial, and produces its 18-24 inch flower stalk in early spring.  The outer white ray petals are thinner and more delicate than in daisy fleabane, and surround a central yellow disc. All fleabanes attract the attention of small pollinators.
Though not sold in the trade, it makes an attractive addition to a wildflower garden. It is easily grown from seed collected in late spring, but needs to reseed in the garden to persist.  Look for it in early spring in moist open habitats and learn to distinguish it from its ubiquitous later-blooming relative.

Tampa Verbena - Glandularia tampensis

Tampa verbena (Glandularia tampensis) is a state-listed endangered species, endemic to just a few coastal counties on both sides of the state in north and central peninsular Florida.  It is a short-lived perennial that most often occurs in light gaps and disturbed openings in woodland hammocks.  I have found it in a number of locations over the years, but always in edges, in areas rooted by wild hog, along trails, and other such places, and often, when I have returned a year or two later, it has either disappeared or moved.Though somewhat adaptable to growing conditions, it seems to most prefer moist soils and partial sun.
Tampa verbena is an upright, evergreen herbaceous species that rarely stands taller than 2 feet.  Given extra fertilizer or in places that get very little sunlight, it can reach 3 feet, but it often becomes weak and droops over.  Multiple stems arise from the ground and mature plants form a very attractive mass. Each stem, however, forms very few side branches. The opposite leaves are arrow shaped and deeply toothed along the margins.
Blooming can occur in most months, but is most prolific in late spring and summer. Like its close (and also endangered) relative, beach verbena (G. maritima), clusters of very stunning light to deep pink (sometimes, almost lavender) flowers form at the ends of each stem.  Each flower remains open for about a week, and individual plants remain in bloom for many months, if given the right conditions. Like others in this genus, the flowers attract pollinators.
Though quite rare in nature, Tampa verbena is rather widely propagated and is very easy to grow from cuttings.  Its ease of propagation, however, is not matched by ease of maintenance in the garden.  I have grown this beautiful wildflower many times and in many places within my landscape, but I have never had it persist for more than two years and it has never self-seeded.  Its attractiveness warrants using it much like an annual, adding new plants when the older ones expire.  In the garden, Tampa verbena will do well in almost full sun and is rather drought tolerant once established.  It does not seem particularly fussy about soil pH. Given a choice, I would give it part sun and a bit of extra moisture - conditions I find it growing in the wild.

Poeppig's Rosemallow - Hibiscus poeppigii

Poeppig's rosemallow (Hibiscus poeppigii) is a perennial evergreen species native to extreme south Florida - Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. It is quite rare in Florida and listed by the state as an endangered species.  This is a tropical hibiscus, also is found in the West Indies and Mexico.  Throughout its range, it is found in upland woods and in open coastal areas, often in shallow soils with limestone beneath.

Poeppig's rosemallow is a semi-woody dwarf shrub. It often reaches mature heights of 2-4 feet, but may grow as tall as 6 feet in ideal conditions. Unlike most of Florida's native hibiscus, it does not die back to the ground in winter, but keeps its leaves and may bloom during any month.  It is cold sensitive and will be killed by temperatures below freezing.  Therefore, it is best used in parts of tropical Florida or as a potted plant that can be moved indoors during nights that dip below 30 degrees F.

Poeppig's rosemallow produces multiple thin stems that ascend off the main semi-woody trunk.  The ovate, deeply toothed leaves are alternate along the stem and both the leaves and the green stems are roughly hairy. Overall, the plant assumes a somewhat rounded appearance - more so if kept lightly pruned.

While not an exceptionally beautiful foliage plant, Poeppig's rosemallow compensates by producing good numbers of carmine red, bell-shaped blooms.  Each is only about 1 inch long, but they are enchanting. Small, rounded seed capsules follow about a month later.

In the right location, Poeppig's rosemallow makes an interesting addition to the home landscape. It is drought and salt tolerant, performs well in full to partial sunlight and fits well into many landscape settings. Regrettably, it is not widely propagated and not currently offered by any of the native plant nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.  It can be purchased from a few south Florida native plant sources with some sleuthing. Currently, we have a few seedlings from our plants at Hawthorn Hill that we hope to have ready for sale in spring 2014. Inquire if you are interested.

Fragrant Button Snakeroot - Eryngium aromaticum

Fragrant button snakeroot (Eryngium aromaticum) is a low-growing, somewhat sprawling perennial herb native to well-drained upland habitats throughout peninsular Florida and a few Panhandle counties, as well as parts of Georgia and Alabama.  It is a rather diminutive member of this carrot family genus and for a good part of the year it takes a good eye to spot it.  It can be quite common, however, in the open sunny habitats it favors.
Fragrant button snakeroot rarely stands taller than 6 inches. For much of the year, it occurs as a basal rosette of slightly spiny deeply dissected leaves.  Over time, multiple rosettes form above the carrot-like tap root.  The stems elongate over the spring and summer and can extend several feet in multiple directions.  Flowers are produced in fall.  Multiple, spiny flower heads occur at the ends of each stem. Tiny cornflower blue flowers surround the heads. They attract extremely tiny pollinating insects and eventually form brown "balls" of spiny seeds.
Though snakeroots are members of the carrot family, most are not used as larval food by the Eastern black swallowtail butterfly. Fragrant button snakeroot is one of the exceptions - making it an excellent choice for the butterfly garden. 
Regrettably, this useful wildflower is not currently offered by members of FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries. We have collected seed this year, however, and have hopes of offering it for sale at Hawthorn Hill in Spring 2014.  It needs good drainage, full sun and a bit of space to prosper in the home landscape.  Let me know if you are interested in giving it a try.

Camphorweed - Heterotheca subaxillaris

Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris) is a common roadside plant throughout Florida and much of middle and southern North America.  As an annual it thrives in disturbed open habitats and can be found in a wide variety of sites.
Camphorweed emerges in the spring and rather quickly forms a basal rosette of arrow-shaped leaves that are slightly rough to the touch. The foliage is also aromatic when bruised, hence its common name.  Once the basal leaves are formed, it sends up a flower stalk that can reach three feet tall.  Multiple heads, approximately 1/2 inch across, are produced at the tops of the stems.  The heads are a rich yellow in color with a slightly deeper yellow in the center. Blooming can occur during any month, but is most common in summer and fall.  As this species is an aster, the blooms attract a wide variety of pollinating insects - especially bees and butterflies. 
Camphorweed is not unattractive, but a bit weedy in nature.  It has value in a butterfly garden, but needs to reseed to persist.  To my knowledge, it has never been offered for sale commercially by any of the nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, but it would be easy to propagate from seed - collected when the seed heads are "fuzzy" as they are in the photos above.  Sow this seed no deeper than 1/4 inch and give it a bit of time to germinate.  DO not mulch it heavily if you wish to have it reseed.

Leavenworth's Tickseed - Coreopsis leavenworthii

There are few wildflowers that say "wildflower" better than Leavenworth's tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii).  It is found statewide in a variety of habitats, is nearly endemic (found in a few locations in Georgia), and is essentially the wildflower adopted as the official state wildflower (though the state legislature selected the overall genus and the license tag depicts the non-native, C. basalis, which is a bit showier).  Often, this species is simply referred to as "coreopsis" when a discussion centers on it and it is widely propagated in the native plant industry.
Leavenworth's tickseed is most frequently encountered in moist sites, but is very adaptable and can be found in a variety of upland areas as well.  Though described as a perennial, I find it to behave more as an annual. If plants survive past their first year, they are extremely short-lived perennials.  They proliferate profusely, however, by producing large numbers of seed. In a natural or home landscape setting, this often results in the plant forming extensive colonies. 
Leavenworth's tickseed is a thin plant with narrow leaves and a narrow crown.  In my garden, it emerges in early spring and quickly grows to a mature height of 18-24 inches.  Many small flowers are produced at the ends of each branch from summer into fall, though it may bloom through the year in extreme south Florida.  Each flower is about one inch across; the bright yellow ray petals surround a darker disc. Like all members of the aster family, these blooms are of great interest to pollinating insects.
Because of its adaptability, its ability to persist and thrive in most landscape settings, and its cheery blooms that occur for months before declining, Leavenworth's tickseed is an extremely popular wildflower for the home landscape.  Ours has persisted for more than a decade in our landscape without any supplemental care. The only thing that keeps it in check are the cottontail rabbits that love to eat it and the occasional weeding I do to keep it in bounds. This is a widely propagated species and should be easy to locate from commercial sources.  Do not deadhead spent blooms for at least a month after flowering has finished if you want this plant to reseed and persist, and because the seeds are small, do not mulch it too heavily.

Florida Tickseed - Coreopsis floridana

 

Florida tickseed (Coreopsis floridana) is a perennial member of this well-known genus and endemic to Florida.  It occurs throughout most of the state, except the extreme northern Panhandle counties, in wet open habitats such as the upper edges of marshes, savannas and prairies.  The photos above were taken at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in mid-October in moist soils.
Florida tickseed is superficially similar to many of the other yellow-flowered species in Florida, but it is much more robust than the annual C. leavenworthii and C. gladiata, and it is a fall bloomer.  Florida coreopsis eventually stands about three feet tall. The bright yellow ray petals, surrounding the dark disc flowers form a bloom that is two inches across. The leaves are narrowly elliptical in shape.
Florida coreopsis is occasionally offered for sale by nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries, but it is a plant that requires wet to moist soils to survive and is not a good candidate for typical landscape settings.  Its best use is at the upper edge of a wetland feature where it would get consistent moisture.  In such settings, its perennial nature and its showy flowers make it a beautiful wildflower addition.