Canaveral National Seashore Turner Flats
Sound
On/Off
[ Date ]
06 19 2026
A layered shoreline along Mosquito Lagoon, where mangrove roots extend into the water, cabbage palms rise above live oaks, and dead trunks stand among the living canopy.
[ Geographic Features ]
Estuary, Lagoon, Shoreline, Wetland, Watershed, Coastal Plain, Scrub Habitat, Mangrove Fringe
[ Patterns of Land Use ]
Waterfront Access, Conservation Land, Public Park, Boardwalk
[ Data Set ]
10:59 AM EST
28.882530, -80.799890
86°F 30°C 74% RH, Mostly Cloudy
Wind gusts up to 14 MPH
From the boat, mangroves, cabbage palms, and live oaks mark the line between land and lagoon. Mangrove roots reach into the water. Palms rise above the canopy, and Spanish moss hangs from inland oaks. Dead trunks stand above the living growth.
Small waves pass among the exposed roots. Barnacles cluster at the waterline, and shell fragments collect beneath the branches. Fallen trunks rest among living trees, with roots twisting around older wood and holding sediment and shell. From the water, the shoreline appears as a narrow tangle of root, trunk, and canopy.
[ Plants ]
Common Myrtle
Common Names: Common Myrtle, Myrtle, True Myrtle, Sweet Myrtle, Roman Myrtle
Botanical Name: Myrtus communis
An evergreen shrub with fragrant, glossy leaves and white, brush-like flowers. Although native to the Mediterranean, common myrtle is widely cultivated and valued for its aromatic foliage, ornamental beauty, and historical use in herbal medicine and perfumery.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Myrtus
Species: M. communis
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Cogongrass
Common Names: Cogongrass, Blady Grass, Alang-alang, Silver Spikegrass
Botanical Name: Imperata cylindrica
A fast-spreading perennial grass considered one of Florida's most aggressive invasive plant species. Cogongrass forms dense colonies that displace native vegetation, increase wildfire intensity, and reduce wildlife habitat.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Imperata
Species: I. cylindrica
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White Mangrove
Common Names: White Mangrove, White Buttonwood
Botanical Name: Laguncularia racemosa
A salt-tolerant coastal tree commonly found along lagoon margins, estuaries, and mangrove shorelines. White mangroves help stabilize shorelines, filter runoff, and provide habitat for birds, fish, and invertebrates.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Myrtales
Family: Combretaceae
Genus: Laguncularia
Species: L. racemosa
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Florida Strangler Fig
Common Names: Florida Strangler Fig, Strangler Fig, Golden Fig
Botanical Name: Ficus aurea
A native subtropical tree that begins life as an epiphyte before sending roots to the ground and enveloping its host tree. Its abundant figs are an important food source for birds, mammals, and other wildlife in coastal hammocks.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Rosales
Family: Moraceae
Genus: Ficus
Species: F. aurea
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Spanish Moss
Common Names: Spanish Moss, Old Man's Beard, Gray Moss, Florida Moss
Botanical Name: Tillandsia usneoides
An epiphytic bromeliad that drapes from the branches of trees in humid forests and coastal habitats. Rather than drawing nutrients from its host, it absorbs moisture and minerals directly from the air and provides nesting material and shelter for wildlife.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Poales
Family: Bromeliaceae
Genus: Tillandsia
Species: T. usneoides
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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 conifer common in coastal scrub, maritime forests, and upland habitats throughout the eastern United States. Its berry-like cones provide food for birds, while its dense evergreen canopy offers year-round shelter for wildlife.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Pinales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus
Species: J. virginiana