Canaveral National Seashore Fellers House
Sound
On/Off
[ Date ]
07 27 2026
A field station on the edge of Mosquito Lagoon, where research buildings, boats, field equipment, and oyster shell occupy a shoreline of estuarine wetland, oak hammock, and cabbage palm.
[ Geographic Features ]
Estuary, Lagoon, Tidal Creek, Wetland, Coastal Plain, Pine Flatwoods, Scrub Habitat, Shoreline
[ Patterns of Land Use ]
Conservation Land, Waterfront Access, Transportation Corridor
[ Data Set ]
7:04 PM EST
28.906921, -80.821286
83°F 28.3°C 80% RH, Cloudy
Wind: 5 MPH SW (218°), Wind Gusts: 8 MPH
A narrow dirt road winds toward Fellers House beneath cabbage palms and live oaks. Grass grows between the tire tracks, and water pools in low places after rain. A mailbox marks the edge of dense vegetation. Beyond it, buildings appear among trees draped with Spanish moss.
Boats and field equipment sit throughout the site. Some skiffs rest on trailers beneath the canopy; others lie on the ground, collecting leaves and palm fronds. Oyster shells form piles beside boats and buildings, with buckets and other materials stacked nearby. Metal rusts, fiberglass fades, and wood weathers. Grass is cut along the road, while vegetation presses close around the equipment, buildings, and cleared paths of the field station.
[ Plants ]
Virginia Saltmarsh-mallow
Common Names: Virginia Saltmarsh-mallow, Salt Marsh Mallow, Seashore Mallow, Sweat Weed
Botanical Name: Kosteletzkya virginica
A native coastal perennial with soft pink hibiscus-like flowers that thrives in salt marshes, brackish wetlands, and coastal hammocks. It tolerates salt spray and periodic flooding while providing nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Kosteletzkya
Species: K. virginica
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St. Augustine Grass
Common Names: St. Augustine Grass
Botanical Name: Stenotaphrum secundatum
A warm-season grass commonly used for lawns throughout the southeastern United States. Although native to coastal regions, it is frequently planted in developed landscapes and tolerates salt spray and sandy soils.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Stenotaphrum
Species: S. secundatum
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Sea Oxeye
Common Names: Sea Oxeye, Bushy Seaside Oxeye, Sea-marigold, Bushy Seaside Tansy
Botanical Name: Borrichia frutescens
A salt-tolerant evergreen shrub found in coastal marshes and estuaries. Its bright yellow daisy-like flowers bloom for much of the year and provide nectar for native pollinators.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Borrichia
Species: B. frutescens
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Late Boneset
Common Names: Late Boneset, Late-flowering Thoroughwort, Fall Boneset
Botanical Name: Eupatorium serotinum
A tall native wildflower producing dense clusters of white blooms in late summer and fall. It is an important nectar source for butterflies, bees, and other late-season pollinators.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Eupatorium
Species: E. serotinum
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Gumhead
Common Names: Gumhead, Sticky Selloa
Botanical Name: Selloa glutinosa
A native coastal shrub with narrow leaves and bright yellow flower clusters. Its sticky stems and foliage help reduce water loss, making it well adapted to dry coastal habitats.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Selloa
Species: S. glutinosa
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Eastern Red Cedar
Common Names: Eastern Red Cedar, Red Juniper, Pencil Cedar, Aromatic Cedar
Botanical Name: Juniperus virginiana
A hardy evergreen native to eastern North America that grows in coastal dunes, old fields, and forests. It provides valuable food and shelter for birds and other wildlife.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Pinales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus
Species: J. virginiana
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Bristly Greenbrier
Common Names: Bristly Greenbrier, Greenbrier, Catbrier, Sarsaparilla Vine
Botanical Name: Smilax tamnoides
A thorny native vine that climbs shrubs and trees using tendrils. Its berries feed birds, while the dense growth provides excellent wildlife cover.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Liliales
Family: Smilacaceae
Genus: Smilax
Species: S. tamnoides
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Coral Bean
Common Names: Coral Bean, Cherokee Bean, Red Cardinal, Cardinal Spear
Botanical Name: Erythrina herbacea
A striking native shrub with brilliant red tubular flowers that bloom in spring and attract hummingbirds. Its bright red seeds are poisonous if ingested.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Erythrina
Species: E. herbacea
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Purple Bushbean
Common Names: Purple Bushbean, Purple Bush-Bean, Siratro
Botanical Name: Macroptilium atropurpureum
A sprawling perennial legume with purple flowers that fixes nitrogen in the soil. Although widely naturalized in Florida, it is originally native to tropical America.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Macroptilium
Species: M. atropurpureum
Groundseltree
Common Names: Groundseltree, Groundsel Bush, Eastern Baccharis, Salt Bush
Botanical Name: Baccharis halimifolia
A fast-growing native coastal shrub common in salt marshes and disturbed areas. Female plants produce showy white seed heads in autumn that resemble drifting clouds.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Baccharis
Species: B. halimifolia
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Dog Fennel
Common Names: Dog Fennel, Sneeze Weed
Botanical Name: Eupatorium capillifolium
A tall, aromatic native perennial recognized by its finely divided foliage. It commonly colonizes disturbed fields and roadsides and supports numerous native insects.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Eupatorium
Species: E. capillifolium
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Cogongrass
Common Names: Cogongrass, Blady Grass, Lalang, Silver Spikegrass
Botanical Name: Imperata cylindrica
An aggressive invasive grass that spreads rapidly by underground rhizomes, displacing native vegetation and increasing wildfire intensity. It is considered one of Florida's most problematic invasive plants.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Imperata
Species: I. cylindrica
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Post Oak
Common Names: Post Oak, Iron Oak, Post White Oak, Cross Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus stellata
Short Description: A slow-growing native oak found on dry, sandy soils. Its durable wood was historically prized for fence posts, and its acorns provide an important food source for wildlife.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Species: Q. stellata
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Frostweed
Common Names: Frostweed, White Crownbeard, Iceweed, Richweed
Botanical Name: Verbesina virginica
A native perennial wildflower with clusters of white blooms that attract late-season pollinators. In winter, water freezing within the stems forms delicate ribbon-like ice sculptures that give the plant its common name.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Verbesina
Species: V. virginica