What grows in my yard...

Natives

Acer rubrum ~ Red Maple

Acrosticum danaefolium ~ Leather Fern

Asclepias tuberosa ~ Orange Butterfly Weed

Befaria racemosa ~ Tarflower

Bidens  bipinnata ~ Spanish Needles

Borrichia frutescens ~ Sea Oxeye Daisy

Callicarpa Americana ~ American Beauty Berry

Cenchrus spp. ~ Sandspurs!

Chenopodium   ambrosioides ~ Epazote

Commelina spp. ~ Dayflower

Crinum americanum ~ Swamp Lily

Elephantopus sp. ~ Elephant Foot

Eupatorium capillifolium ~ Dog Fennel

Gelsemium sempervirens ~ Carolina Jessamine

Hamelia patens ~ Firebush

Hypericum species       

Juniperus silicicola ~ Southern Red Cedar

Lantana camara ~ Lantana

Magnolia virginiana ~ Sweet Bay Magnolia

Mikania scandens ~ Climbing Hempweed

Osmunda regalis ~ Royal Fern

Parthenocissus quinquefolia ~ Virginia Creeper

Passiflora suberosa ~ Corky Stemmed Passionvine

Phoradendron leucarpum ~ Mistletoe

Pines

Pontederia cordata ~ Pickerel Weed

Portulaca pilosa ~ Pink Purslane

Pteridium aquilinum ~ Bracken Fern

Pterocaulon pycnostachyum ~ Blackroot

Quercus species ~ Oaks

Rhododendron canescens ~ Native Azalea

Rhus copallina  ~ Winged Sumac

Sabal palmetto ~ Sabal Palm

Salvia coccinea ~ Tropical Sage

Serenoa repens ~ Palmetto

Solidago spp. ~ Goldenrod

Tillandsia fasciculate ~ Quill leaf

Tillandsia usneoides ~ Spanish Moss

Toxicodendron radicans ~ Poison Ivy

Trichostema dichostomum ~ Blue curls

Vitis rotundifolia ~ Muscadine

Ximenia Americana ~ Hog Plum

Yucca filamentosa ~ Adam's Needle

Plants growing for their fruits

Ananas sativas ~ Pineapple Red Spanish and Smooth Cayenne

Averrhoa carambola ~ Carambola

Carica papaya ~ Papaya

Citrus

Ambersweet Hybrid ~ Calamondins ~ Grapefruit (unknown red) ~

Honey Murcott ~ Key Lime ~ Kumquat ~

 Lemons Meyer, Rough, Sweet, Ponderosa and an unknown  ~

Makrut ~  Mandarins King, Ponkan and Satsuma ~

Oranges Budd Blood, Navel, Sunshine and Valencia ~ 

 Pommelos Siam Sweet and Hirado Buntan ~

Tangelos Minneola, Wekiwa and Nova

Cudrania tricuspidata ~ Che Seedless and a seedling

Diospyros kaki ~ Persimmons Fuyu and Saijo

Eugenia aggregate ~ Cherry of the Rio Grande

Eugenia uniflora ~ Surinam Cherry

Ficus carica ~ Fig

Malpighia glabra ~ Barbados Cherry

Monstera  deliciosa      

Morus spp. ~ Mulberry Everbearing, Louie Pluta, and Pakistan

Musa varieties

Brazilian, Dwarf Cavendish, Giant Cavendish,

Hua Moa, unknown Ladyfinger, Pisang Raja, unknown Plantain,

Praying Hands, Raja Puri, unknown variegated Red

Myrciaria cauliflora ~ Jaboticaba

Punica granatum ~ Pomegranate

Rubus sp. ~ Blackberry

Syzygium jambos ~ Rose Apple

Vitis spp. Muscadine Dixie and others

Plants growing for their flowers or fragrance

Acacia farnesiana ~ Sweet Acacia

Agapanthus spp. ~ Agapanthus

Allamanda cathartica ~ Cherries Jubilee?

Angelonia angustifolia ~ Angelonia

Antigonon leptopus ~ Chinese Love Vine

Asclepias cf. curassavica ~ Rejalgar Rogo

Asclepias curassavica ~ Bloodflower

Asystasia gangetica ~ Chinese violet

Begonia sp. ~ Angel Wing

Bolusanthus speciosus ~ African Wisteria Tree

Bouvardia ternifolia ~ Scarlet Bouvardia

Brachychiton sp. ~ Bottle Tree

Bromeliad sp. ~ Bromeliad

Brugmansias ~ Charles Grimaldi, Peach and more

Calliandra sp. ~ Dwarf Powderpuff

Cannas ~ Belize and more

Centratherum sp. ~ Manaos Beauty

Cestrum nocturnum ~ Night Blooming Jasmine

Clerodendrum  sp. ~ Red

Clerodendrum  speciosum ~ Bleeding Heart Vine

Crinum sp. ~ Crinum

Cuphea hyssopifolia ~ Mexican Heather

Curcuma petiolata ~ Ginger Hidden

Dietes bicolor ~ African Iris

Duranta repens ~ Golden Dewdrop

Emilia   fosbergii ~ Tasselflower

Epiphyllum spp. ~ Orchid Cactus

Eranthemum pulchellum ~ Blue Sage

Evolvolus glomerata ~ Blue Daze

Gerbera jamesonii ~ Gerbera

Hemerocallis spp. ~ Daylily

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ~ Fifth Dimension and many more

Hippeastrum spp. ~ Amaryllis

Hoya spp. ~ Krinkle and more

Impatiens walleriana ~ Impatiens

Jasminum minima ~ Jasmine minima

Kaempferia spp. ~ Gingers

Lagerstroemia   indica ~ Crape Myrtles

Lantana hybrid ~ Hot Pink

Leonotis nepetifolia ~ Lion's ear

Lonicera sp. ~ Honeysuckle

Mirabilis jalapa ~ Four O'Clocks

Odontonema spp. ~ Pink and Red

Passiflora edulis ~ Frederick

Pelargonium spp. ~ Geraniums

Pentas  lanceolata ~ Pentas

Pereskia grandiflora ~ Rose Cactus

Petrea  volubilis ~ Queen's Wreath

Plectranthus hybrid ~ Mona Lavender

Plumerias         

Portulacas ~ Fairytale Cinderella and more

Quisqualis indica ~ Rangoon Creeper

Rhaphiolepis indica ~ India Hawthorn

Rhododendron simsii ~ Indian azalea

Roses

Blushing Knockout, Carefree Beauty, Don Juan, Ducher,

Iceburg, unknown Yellow, Old Blush, Pink Pet, Playgirl, Sun Flare, 

  Carefree Sunshine, Josephine Land (Heritage,) Knockout Red,

Louis Phillipe, Spice, Minis Yellow, Orange, and Pink.

Rostrinucula dependens           

Ruellias

Salvia leucantha ~ Mexican Sage

Schlumbergera spp. ~ Christmas Cactus

Senecio confuses ~ Mexican Flame Vine

Solanum seaforthianum ~ Potato Vine

Stachytarpheta ~ Blue and Purple Porterweed

Tagetes ~ Marigolds

Thunbergia grandiflora ~ Sky Vine

Trachelospermum jasminoides ~ Confederate Jasmine

Vitex ~ Chaste Tree

Wedelia trilobata ~ Wedelia

Zingiber zerumbet ~ Pinecone Ginger

Plants growing for their foliage

Alocasias

Asparagus retrofractus ~ Ming Asparagus

Asteraceae???  sp. ~ Oreja de Perro

Begonia sp. ~ Small Round Leaves

Cornukaempferia sp. ~ Ginger Jungle Gold

Costus  sp. ~ Ginger Spiral

Fittonia sp. ~ Red Vein

Gingko biloba ~ Gingko

Ipomoea batatas ~ Blackie

Liriope muscari ~ Liriope

Mimosa pudica ~ Sensitive Plant

Nephrolepis cordifolia ~ Tuberous Sword Fern

Pennisetum setaceum ~ Red Fountain Grass

Pereskia aculeate ~ Lemon Vine

Pilea mollis      

Pilea microphylla ~ Artillery Plant

Strobilanthes dyerianus ~ Persian Shield

Treefern                      

Yucca aliofolia ~ Spanish bayonet

Plants that are perennial edibles or herbs,

or have other medicinal value

Aloes  

Azadirachta indica ~ Neem

Cymbopogon ~ Lemon Grass

Dioscorea alata ~ Yam

Hibiscus acetosella ~ Cranberry Hibiscus

Laurus  nobilis ~ Bay Tree

Lippia dulcis ~ Aztec sweet herb

Opuntia spp. ~ Prickly Pears

Rosemary

Saccharum sp. ~ Sugar Cane

Sauropus androgynus ~ Katuk

Spilanthes ~ oleraceae  ~ Toothache plant

Trichostigma octandrum ~ Basket Vine

Vetiveria sp. ~ Vetiver Grass

Plants who defy any of these categorizations

Arecastrum romanzoffianum ~ Queen Palm

Bambusa ventricosa ~ Buddha's Belly

Bambusa ~ Timber Bamboo

Beaucarnea recurvata ~ Ponytail Palm

Begonia Tree

Leucaena sp. ~ Guaje

Phoenix reclinata ~ Senegal Date Palm

Schinus terebinthifolius ~ Brazilian pepper

Check out my veggie garden page soon to see what is growing this season.

What doesn’t grow in my yard...

My garden graveyard is full of plants.  I have killed every African violet and orchid I have ever had the pleasure of having.  Tropical fruits have fallen like flies through the years when the temperatures plunge – the ones that are left are the ones that can (so far) make it on their own.  It seems like some plants simply melt away during the summers – and sometimes I don’t notice their loss till I get a confused look on my face thinking “I REALLY thought I planted something here…”

Creatures benign and otherwise…

Amphibians

Cuban treefrog

Green treefrog

Leopard frog

Other frog species

Toads of unknown variety

Birds

Bald eagle

Blue jay

Bobwhite

Broad winged hawk

Cardinal

Chuck Will’s widow

Mockingbird

Mourning dove

Pileated woodpecker (nesting pair with young!)

Purple martin

Red bellied woodpecker

Red shouldered hawk

Red tailed hawk

Ruby throated hummingbird

Sandhill Crane

Screech owl

Swallow tailed kite

Turkey vulture

And many more…

Fish

Mammals

Armadillo

Bats

Bobcat

Coyote

Deer

Feral Hog

Fox

Fox squirrel

Native rat

Mice

Moles

Opossum

Otter

Panther

Rabbit

Raccoon

Squirrel… not my favorite!

Unicorn – just kidding J

Reptiles

Alligator – heard but not seen

Black rat snake

Coral snake

Corn snake

Cuban anole

Diamondback rattlesnake

Five lined skink

Garter snake

Glass snake

Green anole

Gopher tortoise

Indigo snake

Mediterranean gecko

Ring necked snake

Rough green snake

Scarlet king snake

Yellow rat snake

Water moccasin

Creepy Crawlies and Winged Things – I hope to get a list together of these soon

Disclaimer:

These lists are not meant to be a scholarly work.  The categories are the way I look at things… nothing scientific.  I am sure there are mistakes and I know it is not complete.  The plants listed range from a magnificent Buddha's Belly Bamboo to pathetic plant specimens languishing in too small pots.