Center For Aquatic And Invasive Plants

Native Plants

Florida houses nearly 3,000 native plant species. Most of these plants are terrestrial and grow 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 many habitat types found in Florida. 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. Because these natural factors keep native populations in check, no one species dominates an area, and biodiversity is able to thrive.

A native plant is a plant that has developed in a certain geographic region for hundreds or thousands of years and contributes to the balance of the local ecosystem.

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"Nuisance" Natives

Native plants are not usually considered a problem in their native ranges. However, when an area is disturbed by human activities, or when excessive amounts of fertilizer enter a water body, certain native plants may become the dominant species. For example, native cattails (Typha spp.) can quickly fill disturbed wet areas and are sometimes controlled by plant management agencies. They are often the predominant plant in constructed ponds and ditches. In the Everglades, cattails can crowd out desirable saw grass (Cladium jamaicense) that produces food and habitat for native wildlife. Native plants that grow unchecked and outcompete other native species are sometimes called "nuisance natives".

Plant managers rarely control native plants. However, there are times when it is necessary to clear navigation routes or when water levels have been manipulated and resulted in an over-abundance of native plant species in an area. In undisturbed systems, native plants are usually in balance with their environment.