Planting and Care of Rudbeckias in Landscapes
2-page information sheet on the planting and care of Rudbeckias in the home landscape
Attracting Birds with Florida’s Native Wildflowers
Northern Parula on Coreopsis by Christina Evans View brochure Wildflowers for Nectar Hummingbird on Standing cypress (Ipomopsis rubra) by Peg Urban Hummingbirds gather nectar from wildflowers with tubular flowers. Many flowers produce fruit that other birds will eat. Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Wild columbine (Aquigelia canadensis) Firebush (Hamelia patens) Cardinalflower (Lobelia cardinalis) Beardtongue (Penstemon species)…
20 Easy-to-Grow Wildflowers – your guide to success!
With interest mounting in using wildflowers in urban landscapes, there is a huge demand for information for those new to Florida’s native plants. Enter “20 Easy-to-Grow Wildflowers,” a new publication from the Florida Wildflower Foundation. The free 24-page magazine features a selection of 20 “tried and true” species that are easy to grow and maintain.
It’s not a garden, it’s a habitat
Ecologists estimate that only 3 to 4 percent of land in the United States has been undisturbed by human activity. That’s why providing habitat — food, shelter and nesting areas for wildlife — within sustainable urban landscapes should be an important goal for everyone.
We can’t create a perfect natural habitat for each species. However, we can make a difference by using Florida’s native wildflowers and plants. Learn how!
FWF receives grant for “20 Easy Wildflowers”
The Florida Wildflower Foundation has received a $17,000 grant from Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust for its project, “20 Easy Wildflowers to Grow Now!” It includes a publication, continuing education courses for horticultural professionals, and live social media events.
Bloom Report: Head south and look to moist areas
It’s November, and you might not expect to see any showy bloom of native wildflowers and grasses. But don’t jump too that conclusion too fast, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
When wildflowers blow in the wind
As summer progresses many of our fall-blooming wildflowers become tall and stately, forming backdrops and filling fence rows as they reach peak bloom from September through December. But this also is when storms increase, bringing intense waves of wind and rain. And there are always those unpredictable hurricanes. Here’s how one wildflower garden survived Hurricane Irma’s big blow and steps you can take to hopefully rescue your own plantings.
Layering is key in Orange County meadow design
Central Florida gardeners will soon a have a new location to see and explore Florida’s native wildflowers and grasses. A no-mow wildflower meadow is being installed at the Orange County UF/IFAS Extension’s Exploration Gardens in Orlando, funded by the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration Garden grant. The meadow will be approximately 2,700 square feet and will include 25 species of Florida native wildflowers and grasses. Eventually, it will connect two sections of a planned native tree walk.
Bloom Report: For sizzling summer wildflowers, head to the wetlands
Many areas are very dry now, especially in Central and South Florida. When traveling in West Central Florida in mid-May, I saw very few wildflowers blooming, even in normally moist areas, many of which had dried up. The good news is that the NOAA Climate Prediction Center is forecasting that drought conditions should be alleviated by the end of August in all but east Central Florida, and even in that part of the state drought conditions should improve.
Bloom Report: Wildflowers bloom earlier than normal
Earlier-than-normal blooming of spring wildflowers seems to be occurring more often, but this year stands out because some wildflowers are blooming nearly a month earlier than expected. The influence of this “abnormal” weather will probably be greatest in North Florida. If the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) climate predictions hold true, March will likely be wetter and warmer than normal, which would speed up the time when mid- or late-spring wildflowers bloom, such as Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella).
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Browse the Flower Shop Let everyone know you’re a fan of Florida’s native wildflowers. We have seeds a plenty for your landscape, and accessories for the garden. Wildflowers for home and garden Let them know… where not to mow! Protect your roadside wildflowers and help them set seed for the future by displaying this 9 x…
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Cool native wildflowers for summer garden blooms
If you’re looking to dress up your landscape this summer, consider these native species, which adapt readily to home gardens and provide weeks of blooms.
Grow Wildflowers
Help paint Florida with wildflowers The State Wildflower license plate helps teach residents to create sustainable landscapes that showcase Florida’s first flowers. Get yours today. Image from Nancy Bickner’s garden in Largo Florida. Start with 20 Easy Wildflowers. Learn to grow and maintain 20 foolproof Florida native wildflowers. Bring best practices home Discover the best…
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Welcome Baker’s tickseed
Welcome Baker’s tickseed, a new Florida wildflower species! by Claudia Larsen. Photo by Dr. Edward Schilling, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Follow this plant’s journey from discovery to naming Recently discovered in North Florida’s Jackson County, Coreopsis bakeri has gone undetected for years because of its resemblance to our common…
Flower Friday: Black-eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susan is a bright, cheerful wildflower found throughout Florida. It typically blooms in spring through fall and occurs naturally in flatwoods, sandhills, open disturbed areas and along roadsides. It is pollinated by a variety of insects, and its seeds are eaten by seed-eating birds.