Eggplant is generally underappreciated and underused in the American diet. It’s too bad; this versatile, very low-calorie vegetable can be used in a wide variety of delicious recipes. Eggplant is also packed with powerful antioxidants like ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables
Venomous and nonvenomous snakes are a natural part of the Florida environment. Unfortunately, many people suffer from ophidiophobia - which is a strong anxiety toward all snakes (Schaefer 2019). Having increased knowledge of which snakes are ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Mexican Petunia (Ruellia simplex) You can easily identify Mexican Petunia in the landscape. Its upright growth produces beautiful blue to purple flowers. Growing approximately 3' tall, it is commonly seen placed as a perennial plant along edges ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS ExtensionWild Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Unlike other invasive plants introduced for their ornamental quality, Wild Taro appeared as a potential crop substitute. The U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced it in hopes to develop a substitute for potatoes, ... READ MORE
Category: Clubs & Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Join us online for a free, self-paced class on growing strawberries! Class topics include how to select, plant, and grow strawberries in the home garden. Register here to access our classroom which includes a 25-minute instructional video, ... READ MORE
Category: Events, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Work & Life
In part one of this series, we discussed risk. To have risk, hazard AND exposure must both be present. Remember Risk = Hazard + Exposure. Then we discussed acute, sub-chronic and chronic exposure, and what those mean. Now it is time to dig beyond ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf
Interested in connecting with your local community and BEEing more environmentally friendly? Keen on supporting pollinators or tapping into some of our many Extension resources on gardening or sustainability? Read on for ways to "BEE" connected ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Home LandscapesCoral Ardisia (Ardisia crenata) Coral Ardisia, in some communities, is recognized as "Public Enemy #1". Its rampant growth throughout our natural communities quickly displaces natural plant communities. First introduced as an ornamental plant, ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
With the botanical name Psychotria nervosa you ask, “why put this plant in my yard?” The name translates “life” and “sinewy,” describing red berries that birds and small mammals eat and green shiny leaves with pronounced veins. ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Work & Life
A recent find from a homeowner in New Smyrna Beach (Volusia County) has us scratching our heads. A resident was pruning his pink Powderpuff tree (Calliandra haematocephala), when it led him to the discovery of Thorn bugs, Umbonia crassicornis ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension