Books for Native Plant Lovers

The following list of books on Florida plants and ecosystems is not exhaustive, but forms an excellent basis for understanding, especially for those new to the subject.

Landscape Design & Plant Selection

The Art of Maintaining a Native Florida Landscape. Ginny Stibolt. 2015. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens: A Handbook for Gardeners, Homeowners, and Professionals. 2010. Gil Nelson. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Climate-Wise Landscaping: 

Climate-Wise Landscaping: Practical Actions for a Sustainable Future, Second Edition. Sue Reed and Ginny Stibolt. 2023. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. Gil Nelson. 2003. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. Rufino Osorio. 2001. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. OUT OF PRINT

Growing Native: Native Plants for Landscape Use in Coastal South Florida. Richard W. Workman. 1980. Sanibel: Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. OUT OF PRINT

Native Florida Plants: Low Maintenance Landscaping and Gardening. Robert G. Haehle and Joan Brookwell. 2004 (revised edition). Taylor Trade Publishing.

Natural Florida Landscaping. Dan Walton and Laurel Schiller. 2007. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

Native Florida Plants for Drought- and Salt-Tolerant Landscaping. Richard Wunderlin and George R. Kish. 2013. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

Native Florida Plants for Shady Landscapes. Craig N. Huegel. 2015. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees & Butterflies: Southeast. Jaret C. Daniels. 2021. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications.

Native Plants for Florida Landscapes. Stacey Matrazzo and Nancy Bissett. 2020. Pineapple Press.

Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes. Craig N. Huegel. 2012. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

The Right Plants for Dry Places. Suncoast Native Plant Society. 2005 (2nd edition). St. Petersburg: Great Outdoors Publishing Co.

A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard. Ginny Stibolt and Marjorie Shropshire. 2018. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Sustainable Gardening for Florida, Ginny Stibolt. 2009. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Florida Ecosystems

Atlas of Florida's Natural Heritage – Biodiversity, Landscapes, Stewardship, and Opportunities.. Knight, G.R., J.B. Oetting, and L. Cross, eds. 011. Tallahassee: Institute of Science and Public Affairs, Florida State University. (order from FNAI)

Coastal Dune Plants: The Common Plants of Southeast Florida's Ocean-side Communities. Daniel . Austin, Penelope Honychurch, and Steve Bass. 1991. Boca Raton: Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

Coastal Hammock and Mangrove Guide. Daniel Austin, Penelope Honychurch, and Steve Bass. 1983. Boca Raton: Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

Ecosystems of Florida.  Ronald L Myers and John J. Ewel, editors. 1990. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Flatwoods Plant Guide. Daniel F. Austin, Penelope Honychurch, and Steve Bass. 2002. Boca Raton: Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

Priceless Florida: Natural Ecosystems and Native Species. Ellie Whitney, Bruce Means and Anne Rudloe. 2005. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

Scrub Plant Guide. Daniel F. Austin, Penelope Honychurch, and Steve Bass. 1993. Boca Raton: Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

Xeric Landscaping with Florida Native Plants. Michael Jameson and Richard Moyroud, editors. 1991. San Antonio, FL: Association of Florida Native Nurseries. OUT OF PRINT

Wildflower Guidebooks

Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers: Over 600 Wildflowers of the Sunshine State including National Parks, Forests, Preserves, and More than 160 State Parks. Roger L. Hammer. 2018. Guilford, CT: Falcon Press Publishing.

Central Florida Wildflowers: A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the Lake Wales Ridge, Ocala National Forest, Disney Wilderness Preserve, and More than 60 State Parks and Preserves. Roger L. Hammer. 2016. Guilford, CT: Falcon Press Publishing.

Everglades Wildflowers: A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the Historic Everglades, Including Big Cypress, Corkscrew, and Fakahatchee Swamps.Roger L. Hammer. 2002. Guilford, CT: Falcon Press Publishing.

Florida Keys Wildflowers: A Field Guide to the Wildflowers, Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Florida Keys. Roger L. Hammer. 2004. Guilford, CT: Falcon Press Publishing.

Florida Wildflowers: A Comprehensive Guide. Walter Kingsley Taylor. 2013. Gainesville: University of Florida.

Wild Orchids of Florida: With References to the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. Paul Martin Brown. 2006 (revised edition). Gainesville: University Press of Florida. OUT OF PRINT

Other Field Guides

Common Grasses of Florida and the Southeast. Lewis Yarlett. 1996. Orlando: Florida Native Plant Society.

The Ferns of Florida: A Reference and Field Guide. Gil Nelson. 2000. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida. Linda G. Chafin. 2004. Tallahassee: Florida Natural Areas Inventory.

Florida Freshwater Plants: A Handbook of Common Aquatic Plants in Florida Lakes. Karen Brown, Mark V. Hoyer, and Daniel E. Canfield. 1996. Tallahassee: Florida Department of Environmental Protection and University of Florida. (available from UF/IFAS)

Florida Wetland Plants: An Identification Manual. John D. Tobe (editor). Florida Department of Environmental Protection and University of Florida. 1998. Tallahassee: Florida Department of Environmental Protection and University of Florida.

Grasses of Florida. David W. Hall. 2019. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

A Guide to Florida Grasses. Walter Kingsley Taylor. 2009. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Illustrated Plants of Florida and the Coastal Plain. David Hall. 2020. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida. National Audubon Society, Peter Alden, and Rick Cech. 1998. Knopf.

Native Bromeliads of Florida. Harry Luther and David Benzing. 2009. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

The Shrubs and Woody Vines of Florida: A Reference and Field Guide. Gil Nelson. 1996. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

Butterfly Gardening

Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida: A Companion for Gardeners. Roger L. Hammer. 2015. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Butterfly Gardening with Florida's Native Plants. Craig N. Huegel. 1998. Orlando: Florida Native Plant Society.

Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants. Marc C. Minno, Jerry F. Butler, and Donald W. Hall. 2005. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Florida Butterfly Gardening: A Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Butterflies. Mark C. Minno and Maria Minno. 1999. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Gardening for Florida's Butterflies. Pamela F. Traas. 2000 (2nd edition). St. Petersburg: Great Outdoors Publishing Co.

Your Florida Guide to Butterfly Gardening: A Guide for the Deep South. Second Edition. Jaret C. Daniels. 2022. Gainesville: University of Florida Press.

Wildlife Gardening

Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees. Beatrice Moisett and Stephen Buchmann. 2016. USDA and the Pollinator Partnership. Click here to download PDF version.

Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded. Douglas W. Tallamy. 2009. Timber Press.

Gardening for Wildlife in Florida. Downloadable book (PDF) from the Florida Wildlife Federation. Free!

Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife: Re-creating Native Ecosystems in Your Yard. Joseph M. Schaefer and George W. Tanner. 1998. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife. Craig N. Huegel. 2010. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Planting a Refuge for Wildlife: Creating a Backyard Habitat for Florida's Native Animals. Susan Cerulean. Tallahassee: Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and Wildlife Foundation of Florida (Order from Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida)

Edible / Medicinal Plants

Florida Ethnobotany. Daniel F. Austin. 2004. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Florida's Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Collecting and Cooking. Peggy S. Lantz. 2014. Gainesville: Seaside Publishing.

Florida's Incredible Wild Edibles. Richard Deuerling and Peggy Lantz. 1993. Orlando: Florida Native Plant Society.

Florida's Best Fruiting Plants: Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. Charles R. Boning. Gainesville: Univ. Press of Florida. 2006.

Healing Plants: Medicine of the Florida Seminole Indians . A. M. Snow and S. E. Stans. 2001. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Botany / Plant Identification

Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification. Thomas J. Elpel. 2013. Pony, MT: Hops Press.

Flowering Plants of Florida: A Guide to Common Families. Wendy B. Zomlefer. 1989. Gainesville: Biological Illustrations, Inc. OUT OF PRINT

Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. Richard P. Wunderlin and Bruce F. Hansen. 2011 (Third Edition). Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Florida Panhandle. A. F. Clewell. 1985. Tallahassee: University Press of Florida.

The Nature of Plants: An Introduction to How Plants Work. Craig Huegel. 2019. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

Trees

Forest Trees of Florida. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry. 2004 (19th edition). Tallahassee: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (Available from Florida Division of Forestry)

Native Trees and Shrubs of the Florida Keys. J. Paul Scurlock. 1987. Bethel Park, PA: Laurel Press OUT OF PRINT

Native Trees of South Florida: Including Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Keys. R. Seavey and J. Seavey. 2005. Homestead: Seavey Field Guides.

Trees: North and Central Florida. Andrew Koeser, Gitta Hasing, Melissa Friedman, & Robert Irving. 2015. Gainesville: Univ. of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences.

The Trees of Florida: A Reference and Field Guide. Gil Nelson. 1998. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.

Miscellaneous

Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber. Dawn and Blair Witherington. Sarasota: Pineapple Press. 2007.

How to Read a Florida Gulf Coast Beach. Tonya Clayton. 2012. Chapel Hill: Univ. North Carolina Press.

Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (2nd ed.). Karen A. Langeland, H. M. Cherry, C. M. McCormick, and Kathy Craddock Burks. 2008. Gainesville: Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Publications, University of Florida. Download PDF of 1st Edition.

Rare Plants of South Florida: Their History, Conservation and Restoration. George D. Gann, Keith A. Bradley & Steve W. Woodmansee. 2002. Miami: Institute for Regional Conservation. OUT OF PRINT.

The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida. Peggy Lantz and Wendy Hale. 2nd Edition, 2006. Sarasota: Pineapple Press.