Tag: Native

Groundcovers for an Alternative Lawn

by Tia Silvasy
September 9, 2025

Lawns planted with turfgrass can require a lot of maintenance. Bahia grass is a drought-tolerant turfgrass with minimal pest and disease problems and a low nitrogen requirement. St. Augustinegrass has a high demand for water and fertilizer and ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Alternative Lawns, Groundcover, Hillsborough, Native, No Mow Lawns, Pollinator, Silvasy, Tampa
Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake

Who’s that critter? UF/IFAS wildlife series spotlights Florida’s native snakes

by Megan Winslow
June 11, 2025

Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot.  More than 4,000 animal species, in fact, are native to the Sunshine State. (more…) READ MORE

Category: Wildlife
Tags: Behavior, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Critter, Eastern Coral Snake, Florida, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Megan Winslow, Native, Rattlesnake, Snake, Species, Steve Johnson, UF, University Of Florida, Viper, Who's That Critter?, Wildlife

UF research into lantana earns Dissertation of the Year

by Brad Buck
May 15, 2025

Brooks Parrish has spent the past three years studying the genetics of lantana. These plants are beautiful, but if they’re not properly contained, they can escape cultivation, invade natural and agricultural lands, displace native plants, ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: #Dissertation, Brooks Parrish, Dean For Research Office, Dissertation Of The Year, Ecosystems, Environmental Horticulture, Genetic Sterilization, Genetics, Invasive, Lantana, Molecular Biology, Native, Robert Gilbert, Sandra Wilson, Sterilization, Zhanao Deng
termites

Who’s that critter? UF/IFAS wildlife series spotlights Florida’s native termites

by Megan Winslow
May 14, 2025

Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot. More than 4,000 animal species, in fact, are native to the Sunshine State. (more…) READ MORE

Category: Wildlife
Tags: Animal, Bug, Entomology, Florida Critter Of The Month, FLREC, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, IFAS, Insect, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Megan Winslow, Native, Subterranean Termites, Termite, Thomas Chouvenc, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Who's That Critter?, Wildlife

UF/IFAS study: Non-native trees quietly invading our U.S. forests, causing decline in native trees

by Lourdes Mederos
April 23, 2025

A new University of Florida study tracking more than 5 million trees over nearly three decades reveals a troubling trend for the future of forests in the United States – the loss of native trees. According to findings, published in ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Forests, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Biodiversity, Biological Invasions, Forest, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion Science Research Institute, ISRI, Lourdes Mederos, Native, Native Trees, News, Non Native, Non-native Trees, PNAS, Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, Research, Species Richness, Tree Biomass, Tree Plots, Trees, U.S. Department Of Agriculture Forest Inventory And Analysis, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, USDA

Celebrate Native Plant Month with Upcoming Classes

by Heather Kalaman
March 26, 2025

April marks Native Plant Month, a time to honor Florida's rich plant diversity and the essential role native species play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Native plants are well adapted to Florida's unique climate, making them drought tolerant, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: #Floridafriendlylandscaping, Central Florida Gardening, FL Natives, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Florida Grown, Florida Native, Florida Native Bees, Florida Native Plants, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Lawn Alternative, Native, Native Bunch Grass, Native Flowers, Native Landscaping, Native Plants, Native Tree, Ocextension, Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Landscaping

What is a nativar and why use them in the landscape?

by Tia Silvasy
August 4, 2024

What is a nativar? A nativar is a cultivated variety of a native plant. Nativars have the same drought-tolerance and local adaptations as straight natives, but may also have improved form or other traits desirable for urban landscapes. A ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Cultivar, Florida Native Plants, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Native, Pollinator, Tsilvasy

Florida Native Groundcovers for Shade

by Tia Silvasy
May 21, 2024

Do you have that difficult area under a tree where nothing can grow? Groundcovers are a great solution for this tough spots in the landscape. Here are some plant recommendations for Florida native plants that grow well in the shade. Alternative ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida, Florida Native Plants, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Landscape, Native, Shade, Tsilvasy

On the Prowl for Poisonous Pasture Weeds

by Cassidy Dossin
May 17, 2024

When North Florida really starts to warm up, I often get numerous calls concerning unknown weeds, identifying foreign plants, and lots of, "Is this poisonous?" questions. In fact, there is not a season that goes by that I don't add an entirely ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Clay County, Livestock, Native, Nonnative, Pasture, Plant, Poisonous, Toxicity, Weed, Weeds

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