Native Plants
Nearly 3,000 plant species present in Florida are considered native. The majority of them are terrestrial plants: they live on dry land. There are also hundreds of aquatic plant species that live in damp or wet soils or in the water.
Native plants are a valuable part of the environment because they have evolved with it. Native plants provide food and shelter to native animals, and stability to the multitude of habitats found in Florida. Because a single native plant species usually does not dominate an area, there is biodiversity. These ecological niches come with their own checks and balances. Each native plant and animal species is constrained by natural factors, such as competition with other native species, plant diseases, predation by insects and other animals, and the local climate.