Wednesday's Wildflower: Florida Greeneyes

Berlandiera subacaulis
Submitted by Jean Evoy, a 30-year veteran of FNPS. She has been active in several chapters including Miami-Dade, Serenoa, and Mangrove.


Lobed basal leaves and hairy stems, photo by Jean Evoy

There are a lot of plants that say “spring”, but one of my favorites is the endemic Florida Greeneyes, Berlandiera subacaulis, named for Jean-Louis Berlandier, a Swiss Physician who collected plants in the early 1800s.

Greeneyes, photo by Jean Evoy
Seedhead of the Greeneyes
photo by Jean Evoy

This drought tolerant plant grows throughout most of the Florida peninsula in sandhills, dry flatwoods, and disturbed sites in acid to neutral sandy or loamy soils.  The related Soft Greeneyes, Berlandiera pumila, grows in  the Florida panhandle and south to Marion and Volusia Counties.





Greeneyes flowers are a common sight along roadsides in central Florida. This short-lived perennial can be grown from root division or seeds that are quite easy to collect.  You may also find plants at native plant sales or nurseries.

Greeneyes plants have a deep taproot and hairy stems that may grow up to 20 inches tall.  The basal leaves are usually lobed and the flowers grow on long terminal stalks.


The bright yellow flowers are attractive to bees, wasps and  butterflies. Photo by Jean Evoy.


Other Links:
FNPS, Native Plants for your Area: Greeneyes
USF Plant Atlas: Berlandiera subcaulis

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