Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping

Q: I found a black ladybug and it has two red spots on it. I have never seen one like it before. Is it rare?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 24, 2017

A: It is not rare but a wonderful treat for you to find it feeding on your palm tree fronds. It is called a Two-stabbed ladybird beetle, Chilocorus stigma. They love to feed on scale and aphids. The term ladybird is a name used in England for ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Beneficial, Chilocorus Stigma, Two-stabbed Ladybird Beetle

The Buzz on Pollinators

by Lara Milligan
June 20, 2017

We all know pollinators are very important for the production of our food. Bees pollinate the cherry trees, and then the trees produce cherries. Same with apples, oranges, bananas and so on. But did you know that almost all flowering plants ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Natural Resources
Tags: Bees, Butterflies, National Pollinator Week, Pollinators, Wasps

Q: What is the white blooming tree I see just outside the wooded areas here?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 18, 2017

Q: What is the white blooming tree I see just outside the wooded areas here? I know it is not a dogwood as the flowers are too small. A: I believe you may be talking about the native flatwoods plum, Prunus umbellate. It is a round-topped, ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Flatwoods Plum, Prunus Umbellate

Q: What is wrong with my vinca?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 16, 2017

A: Thanks for bringing in your sample to the office; you were the second person I saw with an issue on vinca today at our plant clinic. I suspect both of you have the same problem – phytophthora root rot. Vinca love well drained soil, so I ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Phytophthora Root Rot, Vinca

Q: In past years I have just mowed these down pretty purple flowers. What are they and can they be transplanted into a group?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 16, 2017

Q: In past years I have just mowed these down pretty purple flowers.This year I have a small group of them in my yard and they are rather attractive. What is it and can it be transplanted into a group? It would be very inexpensive landscaping. A: ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Flower, Spiderwort, Tradescantia Ohiensis.

Q: I am interested in growing roses here. What should I know before I get started?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 16, 2017

A:Very few gardeners can resist the temptations of the Rose. For many of us a rose brings to mind romantic memories of warm summer evenings and intoxicating smells. You see, even I wax poetic at the thought of roses. Roses come in a variety ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Rose, “Fortuniana

Q: I have found this pretty ground cover throughout my yard in small patches. What is it?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 14, 2017

A: This is a native perennial wildflower, which usually blooms from the spring through the fall, but we have had such a mild winter this year, it just never went into dormancy. The plant is called Innocence, Roundleaf bluet, or Fairy Footprints, ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Fairy Footprints, Houstonia Procumbens, Innocence, Roundleaf Bluet

Q: Can I grow hollyhock here in North Florida?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 14, 2017

A: Hollyhock, Althaea rose, can indeed be grown here as an annual or perennial. Many garden enthusiasts love to start hollyhocks from seed but they are also a good choice for beginning gardeners. They should be planted in a bright, sunny site. ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Althaea Rose, Hollyhock

Q: My hibiscus plant produce buds but no blooms. Do you have a solution?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 14, 2017

Q: I have two, three year old hibiscus plants. They are in full sun with a southern exposure. The foliage is dark green and very healthy. I fertilize about once a month with azalea fertilizer. The plants produce buds but no blooms. They fall ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Hibiscus

Q: What is wrong with my Confederate Rose?

by BLOGS.IFAS
June 14, 2017

A: Hibiscus mutabilis, Confederate Rose is an old-fashioned perennial or shrub hibiscus. Flowers are double and are 4 to 6 inches in diameter; they open white or pink, and change to deep red by evening. Bloom season usually lasts from summer ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Tags: Confederate Rose, Hibiscus Mutabilis, Whiteflies

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