Native Plants
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Friday - June 05, 2009
From: Fort Myers, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Water Gardens, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Native plants for a littoral zone in Fort Myers, Florida
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, What native plants would you recommend for the littoral zone on a pond in Fort Myers Florida? Damon's MomANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants feels very honored to be answering a question for Damon's Mom!
There are a wealth of Florida natives that should work well around your pond. Some of them will grow equally as well in shallow water and in the moist soil around the edge of the pond. All of them should be able to withstand at least a brief immersion. All of these recommended plants are known to grow in Lee County or an adjacent county of Florida.
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit), sun or shade
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed), sun and part shade
Crinum americanum (seven sisters), part shade
Habenaria repens (waterspider bog orchid) and more photos and information, sun and part shade
Helianthus angustifolius (swamp sunflower), part shade
Hibiscus grandiflorus (swamp rosemallow) and here are photos, part shade
Kosteletzkya virginica (Virginia saltmarsh mallow), sun
Iris hexagona (Dixie iris), sun, part shade
Lythrum alatum (winged lythrum), sun
Canna flaccida (bandanna of the Everglades) and here are photos and more information, sun
Rhexia mariana (Maryland meadowbeauty), part shade
Saururus cernuus (lizard's tail), part shade and shade
Hydrocotyle umbellata (manyflower marshpennywort), sun, part shade and shade
Lilium catesbaei (pine lily), part shade
Marsilea macropoda (bigfoot waterclover), sun, part shade, shade
Sagittaria latifolia (broadleaf arrowhead), sun and part shade
FERNS
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern), sun, part shade and shade
Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (royal fern), part shade and shade
GRASS/GRASS-LIKE
Eleocharis montevidensis (sand spikerush), sun
Rhynchospora colorata (starrush whitetop), sun and part shade
Juncus effusus (common rush) and here are photos and more information, sun
SHRUBS
Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush), part shade and shade
Ilex glabra (inkberry), part shade
Morella cerifera (wax myrtle), sun and part shade
Here are a few photos of the plants in the list above:
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