DUNE SAVERS FIELD GUIDE
Get to know the native plants we protect while carefully removing non-native and invasive vegetation. Recognizing dune grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and palms helps us work with care and choose appropriate plants when planting is needed.
Uniola paniculata
Origin: Southeastern United States, Mexico, and the Bahamas.
A tall dune grass with arching leaves and flattened seed clusters that turn golden brown. Its spreading roots and sand-trapping stems help build and stabilize dunes. Protect existing plants during workdays.
Scientific reference ↗Native range ↗Panicum amarum
Origin: Central and eastern United States through Mexico to Honduras, and parts of the Caribbean.
Recognize its blue-green blades, spreading clumps, and branching flower stalks above the foliage. A Florida native dune grass that helps cover and stabilize sandy ground.
Scientific reference ↗Native range ↗Coccoloba uvifera
Origin: Florida, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of northern South America.
A coastal shrub or tree with large, round, leathery leaves and dangling clusters of grape-like fruit. A salt-tolerant Florida native that needs room for its broad, spreading growth.
Scientific reference ↗Croton punctatus
Origin: Native range includes Florida and other Atlantic and Gulf coastal areas.
A low, shrubby plant with pale gray-green leaves covered in fine, star-shaped hairs. Also called beach croton or Gulf croton. Recognize and protect this native coastal plant rather than mistaking it for an unwanted weed.
Scientific reference ↗Heterotheca subaxillaris
Origin: United States, Mexico, and Belize, including Florida.
An upright, branching wildflower with hairy leaves and small yellow, daisy-like flowerheads. Despite the word “weed” in its name, this is a native plant to recognize and protect.
Scientific reference ↗Native range ↗Oenothera humifusa
Origin: Eastern United States, including Florida, and Bermuda.
A low, spreading wildflower with silky-haired leaves and small yellow flowers with four petals. Its trailing stems form low mounds in coastal sand; retain existing plants around restoration work.
Scientific reference ↗Native range ↗Sabal palmetto
Origin: Southeastern United States and parts of the Caribbean, including Florida.
A single-trunked palm with large, fan-shaped leaves and clusters of small dark fruit. Also called sabal palm, it belongs in suitable coastal sites with room for a mature tree, rather than every exposed frontal dune.
Scientific reference ↗Native range ↗No plants match. Try a different name.
Learn to recognize existing native vegetation before starting a workday. For planting projects, follow your leader’s instructions and review Florida DEP’s dune planting recommendations.