Category: Horticulture

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Butterfly Milkweed

by Julia Sirchia
October 30, 2025

Milkweed is a flowering Florida native that supports pollinators, like the monarch butterfly. It is the only plant on which Monarch butterflies can reproduce. But, beyond their critical role in supporting monarch butterfly populations, milkweed ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture
Tags: Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Horticulture, Native Gardens, Native Plants, Protect Native Plants

IPM: What is it?

by Julia Sirchia
September 2, 2025

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach that uses methods that prioritize the least harmful methods to control insects, plant diseases and weeds. Through this approach, you can learn to manage, not eliminate, insects in the garden without ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Wild Coffee

by Julia Sirchia
July 31, 2025

Wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa), also known as Seminole balsamo, is a native plant that could be the perfect addition to your Florida landscape. Find out if this low-maintenance, evergreen shrub is right for your garden or landscape: The 9 ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Horticulture, Landscape, Landscaping, Native Gardens, Resilient Landscaping, Shade Tolerance, Tropical Plant, Wild Coffee

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Swamp Lily

by Julia Sirchia
July 17, 2025

Swamp lily (Crinum americanum), also known as the seven sisters, string lily, or powder lily, is a native plant that could be the perfect addition to your Florida landscape. Find out if this low-maintenance, fragrant perennial is right for your ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Native Gardens, Swamp, Water

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Star Anise

by Julia Sirchia
July 15, 2025

Star anise (Illicium parviflorum), also known as Anise or Yellow Anisetree, is a low maintenance, fragrant, native shrub that could be the perfect addition to your landscape. Origins of the Florida Star Anise The evergreen star anise is native ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture
Tags: Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Flowering, Garden, Gardening, Horticulture, Illicium Parviflorum, Landscape, Landscaping, Native Gardens, Resilient Landscaping, Star Anise, Water-wise, Yellow Anisetree

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Seagrape

by Julia Sirchia
July 10, 2025

You may not recognize the name, but you have certainly seen the seagrape before. This broad-leaf evergreen is a coastal plant that brings beauty and ecological value to your landscape. If you live along the coast and you're looking for a hardy, ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: Coastal Landscaping, Drought Tolerant Plants, Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Gardening, Horticulture, Irrigation, Landscaping, Native Gardens, Resilient Landscaping, Salt-tolerant, Seagrape

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Saw Palmetto

by Julia Sirchia
July 7, 2025

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is one of Florida’s most recognizable plants. This plant stands out because of its striking, pointy, fan-shaped leaves. While it is prevalent in the wild, the saw palmetto is a great option for landscapes. It ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Horticulture, Landscaping, Monocot, Native Gardens, Native Plants, Palm, Resilient Landscaping, Saw Palmetto

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Passion Flower

by Julia Sirchia
June 13, 2025

Passion flowers (Passiflora incarnata), commonly known as maypop, are cherished for their stunningly intricate blooms and their vital role in Florida’s native ecosystems. This vigorous native vine is a feast for the senses, showcasing an ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Maypop, Native Gardens, Native Plants, Passion Flower, Resilient Landscaping

Exploring Florida’s Natives: The Prickly Pear

by Julia Sirchia
June 5, 2025

Florida has its very own native cactus, so if you're looking for a pretty, but low maintenance plant, consider the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa). This plant adds both beauty and ecological value to your landscape. Let’s explore ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Tags: #EdibleLandscaping, #RightPlantRightPlace, Cactus, Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Horticulture, Native Gardens, Prickly Pear, Protect Native Plants, Reslilient Landscaping, Smart Landscape

Peculiar Plants: The Water-Spider Orchid

by Julia Sirchia
May 21, 2025

Among the countless species of orchids, few are as fascinating and unique as the Water-Spider Orchid (Habenaria repens). This orchid is one of the rare examples of an aquatic orchid. Native to Florida, the Water-Spider Orchid thrives in wet, ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, Aquatic, Aquaticorchid, Conservation, Exploring Florida's Natives Series, Habenaria Repens, Horticulture, Native Gardens, Native Plants, Orchids, Terrestrialorchid, Water-spider Orchid

Subscribe For More Great Content