Helianthus debilis

Beach Dune Flower: Helianthus debilis

The Beach Dune flower is well known to many residents of the Beach.  It can be found just about everywhere. It grows on the Beach, along the side walks and swales on Estero Blvd, behind the dune in Bowditch Park and occasionally in the Preserve.  The plant is easily recognized by its attractive flower  with 10 to 20 bright yellow rays surrounding a dark brown disk, a clear indication that it is a member of the Aster family.  The sunflower like flower runs about 3" in diameter which blooms year around.  Debilis has   triangular dark green leaves that are irregularly toothed and lobed. It is both salt and drought tolerant which makes it well suited for a Coastal Dunes habitat.  The plant closely hugs the ground which makes it an excellent groundcover. Several Beach residents plant debilis because of this feature.  It is a fast grower that spreads  aggressively.  It can sometime be a problem when it spreads into your neighbor's yard.  It also tends to get leggy after two years. Mine are that way now and I plan on tearing them out in the fall.  They will promptly re-grow next spring.  This specimen was photographed in my front yard.

Centrosema virginianum

The Butterfly Pea is a petite perennial vine that blooms all year. It got its name because it is a host plant for Skipper butterflies.  It is found just about everywhere in Florida except perhaps for mangrove swamps.  It likes to climb on other vegetation especially grasses where it can be found growing in clusters. This picture was taken in the grassy area bordering the Critical Wildlife Area. It can also be found in the swells on the very south end of the island and at Bowditch Park.   There are three species of Centrosema found in Florida.  

Eustoma exaltatum

Better known as the Seaside Gentian.  This wild flower makes its home close to the Beach.  This picture was taken in the grassy area that borders the Critical Wildlife Area.  It is also found at Bowditch Point Park just behind the sand dune.  The flower comes in a light blue or all white.  It is usually quite a small plant of about a foot high with flower being about an inch wide.  It can reach heights of 3".  Gentians bloom from December to August.

Coreopsis leavenworthii

Let's start with Tickseed the Florida State flower.  This wildflower is found just about everywhere in Florida except perhaps in a Mangrove swamp.  On the Beach, the flower can be found in abundance at Bowditch Point Park.  Note the tiny weevil making its way to the flower's disk..  The Leavenworthii has several cousins in the genera Coreopsis which can be found in the mitigation areas in Eastern Lee County.

Wild Flowers of Ft. Myers Beach

For the past year my wife Dorothy and I have been photographing and identifying florida native wildflowers that are found growing on Estero Island.  I push the shutter button while Dorothy thumbs through several reference books searching for the flower's indenty..  It all began with our involvement with the Matanzas Pass Preserve as volunteer land stewards under the watchful eye of Terry Cain, the Lee County land steward.  We started  indentifying and cataloging wild flowers at Bowditch Point Park as a project for Lee County.  We followed up by  for wild flower specimens in Matanzas Pass Preserve and the Critical Wildlife Area.  We are continuing the hunt in throughout SW Florida and we are having a blast.