Native Plants

Jeffrey G. Norcini

Megan E. Brown and Debbie L. Miller

Taylor Clem, Kayla M. Hess, Taylor B. Clem, andBasil V. Iannone III

This fact sheet provides examples of native plant species that can be salvaged from sites slated for development for urban landscaping. It also provides strategies to increase the economic and logistic feasibility of salvaging efforts. The authors found 80 salvageable native plant species on a proposed development site, 31 of which had the potential to establish in soils more sterile and compacted than the soils in which these species typically flourish.

Elise Schuchman, Elise Schuchman, Sandra B. Wilson, Judith Gersony, Judith A. Gersony, andJanice C. Broda

This publication provides useful resources and handy tables for information on the function, form, and landscape use of proven native performers of the Florida Treasure Coast (Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties). 

Mark Hostetler andMartin B. Main

WEC284 discusses the importance of emphasizing native plants when selecting a landscape palette. Includes additional resources.

Olesya Malakhova, Wendy L. Wilber, Sandra B. Wilson, Kacey A. Russo, Jesse C. Jones, Brooke L. Moffis, Johanna S. Walker, and Basil V. Iannone III

Maintaining monoculture lawns is resource intensive and can have environmental impacts on arthropod and aquatic communities. Here we introduce the reader to some of the many native plants that establish in lawns and if left to grow can provide ecological benefits to urban landscapes. Most resources and marketing regarding these plants focus on killing them rather than on their ecological benefits. This publication introduces the audience to these species and provides information about the biology and benefits of these species, as well as resources to learn more about self-recruiting lawn species.

Sydney Park-Brown
Other Contacts: Chris Marble

Every year, numerous Floridians are accidentally poisoned by coming in contact with one of several plants typically found in Florida parks and woodlands. The most common plant encountered is poison ivy. Poison oak and poison sumac are also found in some of these settings. Poisoning by these plants is largely preventable. One can easily learn to identify these plants in their various forms with the aid of general descriptions and pictures and by observing plants in the wild. The purpose of this publication is to assist individuals in learning to identify these plants and avoid contact with them.

Vânia Pereira, Mica McMillan, Wagner Vendrame, and Kara McCoy

This publication is intended for anyone interested in identifying and utilizing this Florida native palm in their landscape. Serenoa repens is native to the Southeastern United States and found mostly in Florida coastal woodland coastal locations. Most often referred to as saw palmetto, this slow-growing, small palm only reaches 3–6 feet in height. Its waxy leaves vary in color. The stiff leaves are folded slightly and divided deeply into several dozen segments that split at the tip. Saw palmetto is essentially trunkless and will have 12–30 leaves in total. It has white flowers that bear blue-black fruit. This small palm forms as a ground cover in pinelands along the Southern Coastal Plain. The plants are best established from containers and can be difficult to transplant from the field. Known for its medicinal benefits, the fruits of the saw palmetto are sold in health food stores across the United States and harvested by pharmaceutical companies for medicinal purposes.