Berlandiera subacaulis

     Florida Greeneyes is a Florida-endemic perennial found in dry pinelands, sandhills, upland mixed forests, and other well-drained sandy sites. It grows as a low basal clump and produces bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with a distinctive green central disk. Blooming typically begins in spring and can continue through fall, with flowering often extending much longer in warm parts of the state.

Once established, Florida Greeneyes is highly drought tolerant and well suited to lean soils where many ornamentals struggle. It prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade, particularly in open pine settings, and can adapt to a wide pH range. The flowers are regularly visited by native bees and butterflies for nectar, making it a dependable pollinator plant for low-input native gardens and restoration-style landscapes.

The first Florida Greeneyes I ever grew came from tubers that had been dug up at a road-side construction site. I brought them back to our nursery, and just stuck them in the ground with low expectations. 3 out of 5 survived. That experience shaped how I view this plant: while it does form a thick, tuberous root, it can handle transplanting better than it’s often given credit for when treated reasonably.