Florida Native Plant Society Blog

by Carolyn Gregsak , Mangrove Chapter Just before Thanksgiving 2018, Bonnie Moore and I headed down to the tip of Gasparilla Island. We were on our way to meet Christine and John Holyland at the native plant garden in the State Park. I had heard about the garden from a few members of the Mangrove Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) - the “Little Garden-in-the-Sand” or as Christine Holyland sometimes calls it, “The Little Triangle Garden”. The garden was initiated by Sharon McKenzie, Director of Barrier Island Park Society (BIPS). She is a strong advocate for native plants and energetic in her support of the environment. Through BIPS, she appeals for grant money and donations. Her efforts have helped with hurricane clean up, repairs, boardwalk and dock replacement, as well as renovation of the lighthouse. Her duties cover Gasparilla Island, Cayo Costa, Don Pedro, and Stump Pass. The native plant garden was approved a year after Sharon’s plan was submitted, with the ...

The Mangrove Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society presented its first meeting of the season on October 9 at Lemon Bay Park in Englewood. More than two-dozen guests were in attendance at the Open Forum, a framework for an interactive, question/discussion session, between the audience and 4-person panel, concerning gardening with native plants in this area of SW Florida. Several first-time attendees were present and we look forward to seeing them throughout the coming season.    The panel consisted of four members of the Mangrove Chapter: Bonnie Moore, Linda Wilson, Al Squires, and Gail Finney. Several questions, submitted prior to the meeting, brought the audience and panel into the full spirit of discussion and debate. Some of the most enthusiastic debate revolved around planting non-native plants with native plants, soil composition, and soil amendments.    Meeting adjournment at eight o’clock seemed to arrive too soon, and many guests lingered to sha...

Berlandiera subacaulis Submitted by Jean Evoy, a 30-year veteran of FNPS. She has been active in several chapters including Miami-Dade, Serenoa, and Mangrove . Lobed basal leaves and hairy stems, photo by Jean Evoy There are a lot of plants that say “spring”, but one of my favorites is the endemic Florida Greeneyes, Berlandiera subacaulis, named for Jean-Louis Berlandier, a Swiss Physician who collected plants in the early 1800s. Greeneyes, photo by Jean Evoy Seedhead of the Greeneyes photo by Jean Evoy This drought tolerant plant grows throughout most of the Florida peninsula in sandhills, dry flatwoods, and disturbed sites in acid to neutral sandy or loamy soils.  The related Soft Greeneyes, Berlandiera pumila, grows in  the Florida panhandle and south to Marion and Volusia Counties. Greeneyes flowers are a common sight along roadsides in central Florida. This short-lived perennial can be grown from root division or seeds that are quite easy t...