Northwest Florida Plants

Counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Wakulla, and Jefferson

Click through the photographs below to see suitable plants for each marsh elevation in northwest Florida.

Disclaimer: This webpage is a general guide to marsh plants that may work in your area. Local conditions such as water levels, soil salt, terrain, and sunlight can affect which plants will grow best. Before planting, check with a local expert, your county extension office, or a contractor who knows your site conditions. Choosing the right plants is key for long-term success and for making your living shoreline most beneficial to the environment.

Saltwort: Batis maritima (Florida Native Plant Society) — Saltwort (Florida Native Plant Society)

Perennial glasswort: Salicornia ambigua (Flora of Southeastern US) — Perennial glasswort (Flora of Southeastern US)

Gulf cordgrass: Spartina spartinae (iNaturalist) — Gulf cordgrass (iNaturalist)

Smooth cordgrass: Sporobolus alterniflorus (Maryland Biodiversity Project) — Smooth cordgrass (Maryland Biodiversity Project)

Details

Common Name	Scientific Name	Counties
Saltwort	Batis maritima	Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla only
Perennial glasswort	Salicornia ambigua	Santa Rosa, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla only
Gulf cordgrass	Spartina spartinae	All
Smooth cordgrass	Sporobolus alterniflorus	All

Groundsel bush: Baccharis halmifolia (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Groundsel bush (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Waterhyssop: Bacopa monnieri (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Waterhyssop (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Sea ox-eye daisy: Borrichia frutescens (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Sea ox-eye (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Saltgrass: Distichlis spicata (Plant Lust) — Saltgrass (Plant Lust)

Gulf coast spikerush: Eleocharis cellulosa (Aquatic Weed Control) — Gulf coast spikerush (Aquatic Weed Control)

Indian blanket: Gaillardia pulchella (Florida Native Plant Society) — Indian blanket (Florida Native Plant Society)

Dollarweed: Hydrocotyle umbellata (The Spruce) — Dollarweed (The Spruce)

Railroad vine: Ipomoea pes-caprae (iNaturalist) — Railroad vine (iNaturalist)

Big-leaf marsh elder: Iva frutescens (Native Plant Trust) — Big-leaf marsh elder (Native Plant Trust)

Black needlerush: Juncus roemerianus (Florida Native Plant Society) — Black needlerush (Florida Native Plant Society)

Wax myrtle: Myrica cerifera (Williamsburg Master Gardener Association) — Southern wax myrtle (Williamsburg Master Gardener Association)

Muhly grass: Muhlenbergia capillaris (Mid Valley Trees) — Muhly grass (Mid Valley Trees)

Common evening-primrose: Oenothera biennis (Western Carolina Botanical Club) — Common evening-primrose (Western Carolina Botanical Club)

Red bay: Persea borbonia (NC State University) — Red bay (NC State University)

Black-eyed susan: Rudbeckia spp. (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Black-eyed susan (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Cabbage palm: Sabal palmetto (Florida Native Plant Society) — Cabbage palm (Florida Native Plant Society)

Saltmeadow cordgrass: Sporobolus pumilus (Native Plant Trust) — Saltmeadow cordgrass (Native Plant Trust)

Seashore dropseed: Sporobolus virginicus (Forest and Kim Starr) — Seashore dropseed (Forest and Kim Starr)

Perennial saltmarsh aster: Symphyotrichum tenuilfolium (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Perennial saltmarsh aster (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Details

Common Name	Scientific Name	Counties
Groundsel bush	Baccharis halimifolia	All
Waterhyssop	Bacopa monnieri	All
Sea ox-eye	Borrichia frutescens	All
Saltgrass	Distichlis spicata	All
Gulf coast spikerush	Eleocharis cellulosa	All
Indian blanket	Gaillardia pulchella	All
Dollarweed	Hydrocotyle umbellata	All
Railroad vine	Ipomoea pes-caprae	All
Big-leaf marsh elder	Iva frutescens	All
Black needlerush	Juncus roemerianus	All
Southern wax myrtle	Morella cerifera	All
Muhly grass	Muhlenbergia capillaris	All
Common evening-primrose	Oenothera biennis	All
Red bay	Persea borbonia	All
Black-eyed susan	Rudbeckia spp.	All
Cabbage palm	Sabal palmetto	All
Saltmeadow cordgrass	Sporobolus pumilus	All
Seashore dropseed	Sporobolus virginicus	All
Perennial saltmarsh aster	Symphyotrichum tenuifolium	All

False indigo bush: Amorpha fruticosa (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — False indigo bush (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Milkweed: Asclepias spp. (Sustainable Ag Research and Education) — Milkweed (Sustainable Ag Research and Education)

American beautyberry: Callicarpa americana (Ancient Roots Native Nursery) — American beautyberry (Ancient Roots Native Nursery)

Coastal sandbur: Cenchrus spiniflex (Plants of the World Online) — Coastal sandbur (Plants of the World Online)

Swamp rose mallow: Hibiscus moscheutos (Native Plant Trust) — Swamp rose mallow (Native Plant Trust)

Inkberry: Ilex glabra (Pinelands Nursery) — Inkberry (Pinelands Nursery)

Yaupon holly: Ilex vomitoria (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Yaupon holly (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Seacoast marshelder: Iva imbricata (Florida of the Southeastern US) — Seacoast marshelder (Florida of the Southeastern US)

Eastern red cedar: Juniperus virginiana (The Spruce) — Eastern red cedar (The Spruce)

Christmasberry: Lycium carolinianum (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Christmasberry (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Sweetbay magnolia: Magnolia virginiana (Arboretum Foundation) — Sweetbay magnolia (Arboretum Foundation)

Black medick: Medicago lupulina (Francois Lebas) — Black medick (Francois Lebas)

Sunshine mimosa: Mimosa strigillosa (Florida Wildflower Foundation) — Sunshine mimosa (Florida Wildflower Foundation)

Virginia plantain: Plantago virginica (Maryland Biodiversity Project) — Virginia plantain (Maryland Biodiversity Project)

Sand live oak: Quercus geminata (Florida Native Plant Society) — Sand live oak (Florida Native Plant Society)

Water oak: Quercus nigra (iNaturalist) — Water oak (iNaturalist)

Live oak: Quercus virginiana (Florida Native Plant Society) — Live oak (Florida Native Plant Society)

Saw palmetto: Serenoa repens (Florida Native Plant Society) — Saw palmetto (Florida Native Plant Society)

Starry rosinweed: Silphium asteriscus (US Perennials) — Starry rosinweed (US Perennials)

Seaside goldenrod: Solidago sempervirens (USFWS) — Seaside goldenrod (USFWS)

White clover: Trifolium repens (Florida Museum of Natural History) — White clover (Florida Museum of Natural History)

Fakahatchee grass: Tripsacum dactyloides (Eureka Farms) — Fakahatchee grass (Eureka Farms)

Details

Common Name	Scientific Name	Counties
False indigo bush	Amorpha fruticosa	All
Milkweed	Asclepias spp.	Varies with species
American beautyberry	Callicarpa americana	All
Coastal sandbur	Cenchrus spinifex	All
Swamp rose mallow	Hibiscus moscheutos	All
Inkberry	Ilex glabra	All
Yaupon holly	Ilex vomitoria	All
Seacoast marshelder	Iva imbricata	All
Eastern red cedar	Juniperus virginiana	All
Christmasberry	Lycium carolinianum	Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla only
Sweetbay magnolia	Magnolia virginiana	All
Black medick	Medicago lupulina	All
Sunshine mimosa	Mimosa strigillosa	All
Virginia plantain	Plantago virginica	All
Sand live oak	Quercus geminata	All
Water oak	Quercus nigra	All
Live oak	Quercus virginiana	All
Saw palmetto	Serenoa repens	All
Starry rosinweed	Silphium asteriscus	All
Seaside goldenrod	Solidago sempervirens	All
White clover	Trifolium repens	All
Fakahatchee grass	Tripsacum dactyloides	All