Neta Villalobos-Bell is passionate about native plants and the value they have for wildlife. She delights in tending to her native wildflowers, and is a huge advocate for creating habitat for Florida’s butterflies and bees.
Of the 22 milkweed species that occur in Florida, all but one are native. Our native milkweeds bloom mainly in spring or summer; however, in summer, only four of them are common. Do you know which milkweeds to look for?
The Florida Wildflower Foundation defines “Florida native wildflower” as any flowering herbaceous species that grew wild within the state’s natural ecosystems in the 1560s when Florida’s first botanical records were created.
A visit to Cape Coral’s Rotary Park Environmental Center includes an opportunity to become acquainted with Florida’s beautiful wildflowers. With funds from the FWF’s Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration Garden grant, a native wildflower garden has been planted near the park’s education center.
Bruce J. Host Northeast Branch Library in Tallahassee was selected to pilot the Seeds of Knowledge Library Demonstration Garden Grant in spring 2024.
At this time of year, the foliage of many native grasses has senescensed, or is senescensing — the technical term for dead or dying. So, it’s time cut them back, right? Not so fast.
This bloom report is from November 2017. In November, the foliage of many native grasses has senesced. The various shades of brown and reddish brown that native grasses exhibit through the latter stages of life adds an aesthetic that appeals to many folks.
Tropical milkweed can enable monarchs to continue breeding well into fall and winter, causing populations to persist longer in certain areas than they naturally would. Unfortunately, this can foster higher than normal infection rates by a lethal protozoan parasite.
Pollinators and the native plants that support them have come to the forefront this year. The showiest of the pollinators are the butterflies, which often are seen flitting around native wildflowers.
Executive Director Stacey Matrazzo shares her journey of transforming her home landscape into a native garden and highlights some of Florida’s tried-and-true, easy-to-grow native plants.
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.
Imagine yourself as a native Indian or early explorer 500 hundred years ago trying to survive in Florida. There is quite a compendium of knowledge about early uses of native trees and shrubs, but what about wildflowers?
