Purple Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)
ID: #795397
Description
Purple thistle (aka yellow thistle) ( Cirsium horridulum ) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant that occurs throughout Florida and in much of the eastern seaboard. This is a plant of roadsides and other disturbed habitats, and thrives across a wide variety of soil types in full to partly sunny conditions. It is a robust, wickedly spined plant. The caterpillars of the little metalmark butterfly are uniquely adapted to feed on it. This tiny, but beautiful butterfly, is featured in the photo nectaring on an aster flower. A husky flower stalk arises from the center of the rosette by summer. It, too, is spiny and eventually reaches a height of about 3-4 feet. Large spiny flower heads form at the end of each stem - and along a few side stems near the top. These open to large and very showy lavender flowers that are exceptional nectar sources for all types of pollinators. Though few wildflowers are better nectar sources, purple thistle is often there to stay once in the landscape--producing new plants from underground suckers and from the fluffy seed that gets carried everywhere by the wind. It is a hub of activity if you are out looking for butterflies, bees, and the like. You never know what you might see nectaring from it.
Price
$2.00
Last Updated
10 August 2026, 10:41 UTC
Store Information
physical store
Location
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Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis)
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There is but a single species native, or presumably native, to Florida, and that is Blue porterweed, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. The typical height of only 0.5 to 1 feet with a sprawling habit to about 3 feet. It is best used as ground cover in a garden with extremely well drained soil as its typicaly habitat includes coastal dunes and disturbed areas - not a plant you want to overwater! Butterflies and other pollinators love it. It does best in full sun to part shade. Blue porterweed is not frost tolerant and can potentially die if exposed to temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Pruning it back typically provides for new growth if it gets burned by a freeze. The blooms are edible and have a taste similar to mushrooms and look cute on salads. The flower spikes can be used similarly to how a bay leaf is used in cooking. This plant gets its name "porter"weed as there is a natural foam that will build up from dried leaves if made into a tea or brewed into a beer. There is /AC
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Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa)
$11.00
Wild coffee - Psychotria nervosa , also known as Seminole balsamo, is a shade-tolerant medium-sized evergreen shrub, with glossy leaves, which grows to 4' and native to Florida. It will typically only reach 4' in full sun and will grow much taller in shade. So while it grows in sun or shade, it will do best in partial to full shade. Its small white blooms in spring are a great nectar source for bees and other pollinators. It produces a small, red fruit that resembles "the true coffee bean" in shape and attract birds. Though the "beans" contain no caffeine, they can be roasted and consumed as a coffee-like beverage. The seeds turn black in late winter. It is moderately salt-tolerant. It is also the host plant for the Coffee-loving pyrausta - Pyrausta laticlavia moth.
Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis)
$1.25
Aquatic milkweed ( Asclepias perennis ) a great evergreen Florida native perennial milkweed, but quite a different species from Swamp Milkweed ( A. incarnata) . It can survive lower amounts of direct sunlight than our other native species, while also handling full sun. It can become lankier during the season but a terrific native as it is available all year to our beloved Monarchs. Aquatic milkweed can tolerate 2-3 months of drought in our Florida sandy soils but also does very well in extremely wet and nearly underwater conditions during the Florida rainy seasons. A mature height in the late spring can reach about 2 - 3' feet. Each is densely covered by lance-shaped deep green leaves approximately 3-5 inches in length. I have witnessed during a few years of milkweed research studies in Central Florida this plant flowers and pushes seed pods in Florida winter months. The flowers are bright white with an occasional hue of pale pink before opening. This wildflower is commonly propagated for home gardeners and is quite hardy. It is also a good specimen for container growing. I plant it in shady areas around my yard that get a mix of filtered sun and shade as well as some areas that are full sun - the plants do well in pretty much any condition Florida seems to throw at it. If you have sprinklers hitting it regularly, it will receive enough water from my experience of having it side by side with 7 other milkweed species. This one is my favorite since it grows year round in Florida!