What’s Blooming in July

Blooming this July in Destin-Fort Walton Beach are four gorgeous plants you can find both north and south of the county!

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

Also known as French mulberry, is a woody shrub found in pinelands and hammock ecosystems. This shrub blooms in late spring and early summer, followed by purple berries appearing from August through October. American beautyberry can reach a height of 9 feet in height. This shrub favors moist soil and can be seen blooming in moist thickets, wet slopes, edges of swamps, and coastal woodlands. The berries can be made into jam and the leaves when crushed produce a chemical that can repel ticks, mosquitos, and fire ants.

You can see American Beautyberry on some of the trails in Crestview.

Black Titi (Callicarpa americana)

Black titi is a perennial evergreen shrub or small tree that blooms in spring. It occurs naturally in swamps, bogs, and wet flatwoods, and along streams. It is highly sought after by honeybees will use its nectar and pollen to produce honey. While this is a native species it tends to grow very rapidly and can be a nuisance to other native species through competition.
You can see Black Titi in the woods near streams up in Crestview. Check out the Shoal River Wayside Park.

Coastal Groundberry (Physalis angustifolia)

Coastal ground cherry can be seen blooming from May to September on beach dunes, coastal grasslands, coastal scrub habitat, and disturbed areas. This plant will bloom with a yellow flower that will form a yellow to orange edible fruit. The fruit is covered by a papery husk, and once the husk turns yellow this fruit is edible and quite tasty. This fruit is toxic if it is not ripe so never eat one without confirmation that the fruit is fully ripened. The taste has been described as, “sweet, tart, and vaguely tropical,” and is full of vitamins A and C.
This is a favorite food source for our native beach mouse species as well. The Santa Rosa Beach Mouse is the only subspecies of beach mouse in the panhandle that is not federally listed. Much of the land that this mouse lives on is federally protected land. This species is nocturnal but is extremely important to the ecosystem because they help disperse seeds in the dunes that allow for dune stabilization. A strong dune ecosystem helps to protect against hurricanes and tropical storms.
You can see Coastal Groundcherry on spoil islands. Rent a boat to Spectre Island and see if you can spot them!

Marsh Pink (Sabatia grandiflora)

Also known as largeflower rosegentian, is an herbaceous wildflower that blooms in the summer in northern Florida. This wildflower thrives in moist open areas such as mesic pine flatwood, wet prairie, and freshwater marsh ecosystems. This wildflower is comprised of five vibrant pink petals with yellow and red outlines at the base of each petal. Marsh-pink is almost only found in Florida, occurring in only one county in Alabama.
You can see Marsh Pink near the marsh or on spoil islands!