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This year marks a major milestone for the Foundation: 25 years of advocating for Florida’s native wildflowers. To honor that legacy — and to look boldly toward what comes next — we’re having a year-long celebration built around community, storytelling and impact.
Bloom Report: Thistles — Spiny but Spectacular
Thistles (Cirsium spp.) make a bold statement in the landscape. From their low rosettes of spiny leaves to their striking flowers perched atop stems that can reach 3 feet or more, these plants are hard to miss.
Butterweed
Butterweed (Packera glabella) is one of the first wildflowers to bloom in early spring. It grows in dense stands that illuminate moist roadsides and river edges.
Blue-eyed grass
The low profile of Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) makes it an excellent groundcover choice. Its dainty, star-shaped flowers bloom winter through summer and attract a variety of pollinators.
Canadian toadflax
Canadian toadflax (Linaria canadensis) is an annual wildflower that forms a delicate sea of lavender when in bloom. It is common along roadsides, and in pastures and other disturbed areas.
Giant swallowtail
From its wingspan to its range across the Americas — and even its appetite for oranges — everything about the Giant swallowtail is just that: giant!
Garden Spotlight: Little Bay Park
Tucked away in the small town of Surfside, Little Bay Park is a peaceful and inviting space for the community. The native plant design of this Viva Florida Demonstration Garden fits in seamlessly with the neighborhood’s warm tropical vibes.
Common blue violet
Florida’s Common blue violet (Viola sororia) is aptly named as it is the most common violet throughout the state. It is often seen in cultivated lawns and occurs naturally in hammocks and upland hardwood forests.
WEBINAR – Weeds with Superpowers
Florida Wildflower Foundation board member Sara Burke presents “Weeds with Superpowers”, teaching us about the best and worst of Florida’s common yard weeds.
Red chokeberry
Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) is a deciduous shrub found in moist to wet pine flatwoods and along wetland and swamp margins. In late winter and spring, the plant is covered in a profusion of showy, sweet-scented blooms.
Snowberry
Snowberry (Chiococca alba) is a robust evergreen vinelike shrub that occurs naturally in pine rocklands, shell mounds and coastal strands and hammocks. Its fragrant flowers bloom spring through fall.
Yaupon holly
Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) blooms attract bees, and its abundant fall fruit provides food for birds and small mammals. A tea can be made from its leaves.
New Port Richey Public Library Native Plant Garden
The New Port Richey Public Library in Pasco County was selected to pilot the Seeds of Knowledge Library Demonstration Garden Grant in spring 2025.
Winter Park Library Native Plant Garden
The Winter Park Public Library in Orange County was selected to pilot the Seeds of Knowledge Library Demonstration Garden Grant in spring 2025.
The Miccosukee Wildflower Meadow ”Swampy Meadows Garden”
Welcome to the Miccosukee Community Garden Viva Florida Demonstration garden made possible through the Florida Wildflower Foundation Viva Florida grant.
Loblolly bay
Loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus) is an attractive evergreen tree found in swamps, bayheads and cypress domes throughout much of Florida. Its fragrant showy flowers bloom spring through summer and attract a variety of pollinators.
Black swallowtail
The Black swallowtail can be found year-round throughout Florida and much of North America, ranging from southern Canada to northern Mexico and as far west as Arizona.
WEBINAR – Blooms, Bugs and Climate Change
FWF Board Member Ramona Johnston presents our webinar “Blooms, Bugs and Climate Change”, exploring the effects of climate change on Florida’s native wildflowers and insects.
Christmasberry
Christmasberry (Lycium carolinianum) gets its common name from the many bright red, egg-shaped berries it produces in December. While toxic to some animals, they are favored by many birds.