Trees & Plants of the Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness remaining in the U.S, according to the Florida Department of Emergency Protection. As such, it has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the country. While the Everglades include hundreds, if not thousands, of different plant species, some plants are quite visually stunning and give the Everglades its recognizable, marshy appearance that draws naturalists and tourists.

While the Everglades boasts more than 100 marsh plant species, the best-known is a plant called sawgrass. This tall, floating aquatic plant gives the Everglades its signature appearance of a vast and overgrown floating grassy field, notes the website of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). For this reason, some people call the Everglades a "river of grass."

Wetland tree islands in the Everglades are home to numerous types of trees that are particularly well adapted to the wet environment. Cypress is the most widely recognized tree in the Everglades, because they have "knees" that grow out of the earth, according to the CERP website. This species is also especially recognizable because it sheds its leaves in the fall, which is unusual for plants living in subtropical climates. This deciduous conifer is unique in that it can survive in standing water, according to the Everglades National Park Information Page.

The pond apple trees also live in small islands along the Everglades. Like the cypress, this species is easily recognizable because it produces large, yellow-green fruit that serve as a food source for some of the animals that live in the Everglades, according to CERP.

Hardwood hammocks are small, hardwood forests that house trees traditionally seen in drier conditions. These include oak, pine, royal palm, and gumbo limbo. Of these, the gumbo limbo is perhaps the most visually striking because of its dark, gnarly shape. These hammocks stay intact because acid from decaying plants dissolve limestone surrounding the hammocks, notes the Everglades National Park site. This creates a natural moat.

The mangrove is a coastal plant with a vast root system that can thrive in both fresh and salt water. These plants buffer land areas from wind and waves in more saline coastal areas of the Everglades, preventing erosion. It's this important function that led them to be protected by law, notes CERP. They also enrich the soil through their growth and decomposition. Additionally, mangroves serve as a nursery for shrimp and fish, notes the Everglades National Park site.

The Everglades have many flowering plants, but the orchids are likely the most striking. In fact, the Everglades houses some of the world's most beautiful and unusual varieties of orchids, according to CERP.