I just love the fall wildflowers.  All the yellows and purples and some reds are just so beautiful to me.  

There are so many wildflowers in bloom right now.  My favorite has to be tickseed (coreopsis is the scientific name).  Coreopsis became the official state wildflower in 1991 after many artists painted them in scenic Florida paintings.  There are 7 species of coreopsis that are native to Florida. 

These flowers grow on upright stems making them attractive for flower arrangements.  They range in color from orange to yellow to even pink and purple but my favorite is yellow with a thin orange ring around the center.

They are more than just beautiful.  They are food sources to bees, butterflies, moths, wasps and other pollinators.  They provide a home for insects, birds, and small mammals.  Also, they improve soil and water quality.

This is a great time of year to plant wildflowers and they are easy to plant because you can just broadcast the seeds over an area where your grass is thin and rake over them.  This needs to be in an area where you won’t mow over them next summer.  They don’t require much effort to grow but they provide so much next year when they pop up.

So, when you’re traveling around and see those flowers everywhere, remember the benefits they provide and enjoy their beauty.

Here’s a link to my podcast of this subject:  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jennifer-bearden/episodes/Fall-Wildflowers-e2pt1r5/a-abjb6tm

1