Gulf County Public Library at Port St. Joe Native Plant Garden

The library’s native plant garden expands the existing Viva Florida wildflower garden at the northeast corner of the grounds, transforming a long-mowed patch of sand into a vibrant learning space just a mile from St. Joe Bay. With support from the St. Joe Community Foundation, the project now features a 9-foot hexagonal stage, a child-friendly weather station, and two magnification stations for hands-on exploration. Volunteers from the Master Gardeners, Port St. Joe Garden Club, and local Florida Native Plant Society members have all contributed to bringing this outdoor classroom to life.

 

DID YOU KNOW? Florida native plants are adapted to thrive in our climate, conditions and soil. They need less water than other plants, and require no fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals. This saves precious water resources and keeps excess nutrients from polluting lakes, rivers and streams.

The garden was made possible by a grant from the Florida Wildflower Foundation.

A small wooden platform stands among tall pine trees and dry grass in a lightly wooded area under a clear blue sky.
Gulf County Public Library at Port St. Joe

The following native species were planted:

Swamp milkweed

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias perennis) blooms in late spring through early fall and attracts many pollinators. It is a larval host plant for Monarch, Queen and Soldier butterflies.
Read more… Swamp milkweed

Swamp milkweed

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ) has showy pink flowers that typically bloom in summer and attract many pollinators. It occurs naturally in floodplain swamps, hydric hammocks, wet pine flatwoods and…
Read more… Swamp milkweed

Vanillaleaf

Meet Vanillaleaf, the odiferous Carphephorus! Perhaps the most telling of common names, Vanillaleaf refers to the vanilla-like scent that the plant’s wilting leaves emit when crushed.
Read more… Vanillaleaf

Lanceleaf tickseed

Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata ) has conspicuously sunny flowers that typically bloom in spring. It attracts butterflies and other pollinators, and its seeds are eaten by birds and small wildlife.
Read more… Lanceleaf tickseed

Coralbean

Coralbean (Erythrina herbacea ) is a deciduous to evergreen woody shrub. It produces red tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Read more… Coralbean

Firebush

Firebush (Hamelia patens var. patens) is a hardy shrub to small tree. It produces clusters of bright orange to red tubular flowers that are filled with nectar, attracting butterflies and…
Read more… Firebush

Railroad vine

Railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is a fast-growing, evergreen vine found on beach dunes. Its large showy flowers attract bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps and ants.
Read more… Railroad vine

Dense gayfeather

Dense gayfeather (Liatris spicata ) has striking spikes of purple flowers that bloom late summer through fall and are excellent attractors of butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects.
Read more… Dense gayfeather

Wild olive (Osmanthus americanus)

Hercules’ club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis)

Chapman’s oak (Quercus chapmanii)

POLLINATORS NEED YOUR HELP!

Help Florida’s wildlife and environment by using native wildflowers and plants in your landscape. Click here to learn more information on planting, selecting and maintaining native plants, or check out these resources: