Most places seem to have a plant that is a harbinger of spring. In the garden, that title must go to our Shiny Lyonia, Lyonia lucida, which has been filling the garden with blooms since February. It's small, pinkish flowers are reminiscent of those of the blueberry, which is not surprising since they are in the same Family, Ericaceae. The flowers are little bell shaped jewels, about a half inch (12 mm) long, borne in 10-15 flower clusters from the leaf axils. They come out on wood of the previous season, before new growth begins in early spring. These flowers are an important source of nectar for butterflies and other pollinators. Later in the year, the flowers will become tiny, brown five-chambered, oval-shaped capsules occurring in clusters that surround the stem.
The leaves are simple, alternate, and persistent. They are usually 1" to 3" long, 1" to 2" wide, and elliptical in outline. The upper leaf surface is shiny green and the lower leaf surface is dull lighter green with tiny black spots. The leaf margin is entire. There is a conspicuous vein that runs around the leaf blade just inside and parallel to the margin. The margin also has a distinct ridge along the lower side and the petiole is ribbed where it attaches to the twig.
Shiny Lyonia is an arching, sprawling shrub that averages around 3-6 ft tall, but can sometimes get as tall as 12-15 ft. It has branching stems near the base and alternately arranged twigs farther outward. Lyonia lucida is a common understory shrub in wet savannas, bogs, cypress swamps, pine flatwoods and even dry scrubby habitats throughout the southeastern coastal plain from Virginia though the Florida peninsula and west to Louisiana. The plants in the garden are all native to Cedar Point, not planted.
References:
Florida 4-H Forest Ecology, Florida Forest Plants, Fetterbush:
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Fetterbush/fetterbu.htm
Floridata, Lyonia lucida:
http://www.floridata.com/ref/L/lyon_luc.cfm