Florida's Flowers

Of the 4,012 known plant species growing in Florida, 29% are non-native or exotic. Some of these exotic plants are invasive weeds. Invasive exotic plants have become serious problems. These invasive exotic plants displace native plants and wildlife, and can alter processes such as fire and water flow.

The University of Florida's Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants is an extensive repository of information on plants in Florida.



Seashore Mallow
The Seashore Mallow grows in brackish to nearly freshwater marshes from Long Island, New York to south Florida and west to Louisiana.

Swamp Lilly
This beautiful flower grows in marshes and stream banks from Florida to Texas. Despite its name the Swamp Lily isn't a true Lily but a member of the Amaryllis family.

Yellow Water Lilly
This aquatic plant grows from South Carolina to Florida and Mexico. The flowers open from midday to late afternoon then close. It is also known as the Sun-lotus and Banana Water Lily.

Pickerel Weed
The Pickerel Weed is a common weed that can completely fill shallow ponds, streams, and marshes.

Quill-leaf
If you read the section above on plants or went to the Natural Areas section you might recognize the Quill-leaf in bloom. This plant can get fairly large and you can see its size comparative to the pines and cypress trees on the Natural Areas. The Quill-leaf puts it's flower out on a long sturdy stalk and it's quite showy against the greens of the Cypress Swamp.

Spider Lily
The Spider Lily grows in the margins of swamps and in stream banks. It is a very beautiful flower set off against the green grasses of the waters edges. The Alligator Lily looks a lot like the Spider Lily but has only a single flower on each stalk compared to the Spider Lily that has several.

Sea Grape
The Sea Grape is an interesting and important tree which is found along the coastal area of subtropical Florida. The Sea Grape is important in stabilizing the primary sand dunes and ocean strand in coastal areas and you can find it on the crest of the primary sand dunes and immediately behind them. In protected areas behind the dunes it can grow to 45 feet in height with trunk diameters of 12 inches or more. From Tree Identification at the Florida Forestry Association website.

South Florida is warm nearly all year. We can find flowering plants almost all year around though most flowers bloom from January to April. If you know the names of any of the following flowers please let us know at catiche@comcast.net

Iris virginica Native wetland plant.
	Azalea Thanks to Sarah & Lenny	Morning Glory
Hibiscus Thanks to Sarah & Lenny
		Magnolia
Water Hyacinth Invasive
		Buttonwood