Native Trees and Plants You Will See Nearly Everywhere in Florida
by Bob Silverman Blanketflower, Galliardia pulchella You don’t have to travel far to see one of the hundreds of native flowers that make Florida stand out. They’re nature’s roadside attractions, and many can make for colorful additions to your yard. Consider these natural wonders: Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana - this shrub dazzles with its clumps of purple fruit that will draw birds to your yard. Black-eyed Susans, Rudbeckia spp. - with a brown center surrounded by petals of yellow, golden, orange, or red petals, is perfect for attracting butterflies to your garden. Firebush, Hamelia patens var. patens - with its bright red flowers, can serve as a beacon for hummingbirds, butterflies, and songbirds (which like to feed on its berries). Tickseed, Coreopsis spp. - our state wildflower, sometimes called Coreopsis, comes in 12 species native to Florida. You’ll find all of them in the northern part of the state, but South Florida is limited to Leavenworth’s tickseed, Co