Purple coneflower
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) has striking blooms that attract a variety of butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds. Its seeds are eaten by birds and other wildlife.
Attracting Birds
Bring birds into your landscape by planting Florida native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs that provide food and habitat. Learn more now. Versión en español disponible.
Shady landscapes
Wondering what native wildflowers and plants to use in a shady landscape? Use our new handout to evaluate your landscape’s light conditions and choose diverse species that will thrive and give your landscape a “real Florida” feel. Versión en español disponible.
Attracting Butterflies
You can help provide food and habitat for Florida’s butterflies by landscaping with native wildflowers. Learn more now. Versión en español disponible.
Attracting Bees
You can help provide food and habitat for Florida’s native bees and other beneficial insects by landscaping with native wildflowers. Versión en español disponible.
Member Spotlight: Kirsten Sharp
Kirsten supports the Foundation because it helps promote and educate about the use of Florida native plants, which is so important.
Delaware skipper
Originally named for the Delaware tribes of Native Americans near where this butterfly was discovered, the Delaware skipper is now found throughout the eastern United States. This small, bright orange butterfly is attracted to grassy meadows and wet areas. As part of the Grass skipper subfamily of skippers, its larval hosts are grasses and sedges.
Summer news from PWA counties
Read about Escambia County’s new wildflower program, Santa Rosa County’s mowing challenges, spectacular blooms in Jefferson County, Leon County’s City Nature Challenge and much more news from around the Panhandle in the PWA Summer 2019 newsletter.
Welcome Baker’s tickseed
Coreopsis bakeri has gone undetected for years because of its resemblance to our common Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata). It is has been isolated long enough to have become a distinct species.
Goldenrod soldier beetle
Goldenrod soldier beetles (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) are pollinators and predators of pesky garden pests. They are found throughout Florida and most of the United States. Their populations peak in late summer and early fall, perfectly timed with the bloom of goldenrod. These common beetles prefer sunny spots with rich nectar sources, such as gardens, fields and roadsides.
When wildflowers blow in the wind…
As summer progresses many of our fall-blooming wildflowers become tall and stately, forming backdrops and filling fence rows as they reach peak bloom from September through December. But this also is when storms increase, bringing intense waves of wind and rain. And there are always those unpredictable hurricanes. Here’s how one wildflower garden survived Hurricane Irma’s big blow and steps you can take to hopefully rescue your own plantings.
Celebrate native bees and other pollinators
Do you enjoy juicy watermelons, local blueberries and strawberries and fresh Florida orange juice? How about carrots, broccoli, almonds and apples? If you do, please thank an insect. Learn more about our pollinators — especially native bees — and why they are so important.