The Florida Wildflower Foundation nurtures the awareness, understanding and enjoyment of Florida native wildflowers through conservation, preservation and education.
Paul Owens of 1,000 Friends of Florida will speak on Friday, April 12, at the Florida Wildflower Symposium, Gainesville. By Loraine O’Connell With Florida growing by up to 1,000 people a day, state leaders need to revive growth management “before rampant development irreparably spoils what makes our state special,” says Paul Owens, president of 1,000…
Data from herbaria throughout the state and beyond, field collections, plant DNA and computer analysis have enabled the University of Florida’s Pamela and Douglas Soltis to create models projecting how plants are going to respond to climate change. They will share their research as keynote speakers at the 2019 Florida Wildflower Symposium in Gainesville.
The Foundation is now accepting applications for its Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration grant. The grants provide assistance to Florida parks, nature centers, county extension offices and other public spaces that wish to establish or augment wildflower demonstration gardens. Resulting gardens showcase the beauty and variety of Florida’s native wildflowers while demonstrating their use in conventional landscapes.
Want to learn about Florida’s native wildflowers and the butterflies, bees and wildlife depending on them? Join us at the Florida Wildflower Symposium on April 12 and 13 in Gainesville to learn from expert speakers and workshop leaders. Visit the symposium page to learn more. Cost is $45 for Florida Wildflower Foundation members and $55 for nonmembers.
See how Florida’s fabulous wildflowers change seasonably across the state. You’ll find just what you need to be a wildflower tourist, whether you’re on the road or a virtual explorer.
When in bloom, Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is arguably one of Florida’s most beautiful flowering trees. Though dormant in winter, the tree comes alive in early spring. Before leaves emerge, a bounty of showy white to pinkish blooms cover the crown. From late summer to fall, its abundant fruit provides food for a variety of birds and small mammals. Flowering dogwood occurs naturally along the edges of mesic hardwood forests and pinelands throughout North and much of Central Florida.
Pollinators are responsible for every third bite we eat and the reproduction of 85 percent of the world’s plants and trees. But they are in trouble. Development of Florida’s natural lands has robbed them of the wildflowers they need to survive.
But there is good news: You can help save pollinators by purchasing the State Wildflower license plate. Each time a State Wildflower plate is bought or renewed, the Florida Wildflower Foundation receives $15 to support native wildflower planting, education and research projects statewide. The plate is the only dependable source of revenue for Florida’s wildflowers and plants.
Do your part to support natural Florida’s future – get your tag today.
Want more wildflowers in your county? Learn about wildflower conservation programs and how they apply to your community. Be a wildflower champion!
