Wild petunia
Wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis) typically blooms late spring through late summer/early fall, attracting a variety of pollinators. It is the host plant for the White peacock and Common buckeye butterflies.
Nightflowering wild petunia
As the name suggests, Nightflowering wild petunia (Ruellia noctiflora) is a night-blooming wildflower whose flowers open around dusk then shrivel and drop by mid-morning the next day. The bloom’s nectaries are located at the base of a 3″ long flower tube requiring a special pollinator whose tongue is long enough to reach in and take a sip! The pollinators that fit this bill are sphinx moths (family Sphingidae). These nocturnal moths are attracted by the petunia’s large white flowers.
Saving Roadside Plants Works!
When Scott Davis found a large population of the state-listed endangered Night-blooming petunia (Ruellia noctiflora) growing along US 98, he asked the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to declare it a protected wildflower area. FDOT did.
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.
Great wildflowers for your dry landscape
If you have added wildflowers to your landscape, you’ve probably learned how adaptable they are to a wide range of environmental conditions.
Create a Pollinator Pot
The insects that pollinate our food crops and natural areas are in steep decline. Our suburban landscapes are more important than ever in supporting them. No place for a garden? No problem! Our new video and handout can help you create a small pollinator oasis in a pot! Versión en español disponible.
Summer in the wildflower garden – some like it hot!
Although summer’s heat keeps many of us inside, it’s a busy time for wildflowers. Thousands of butterflies, bees, wasps and other insects visit flowers to obtain nectar.
Plant selection guide
This guide includes over 120 Florida native wildflowers, shrubs, vines and grasses that work well in home landscapes. It will help you choose plants based on your location, soil and light conditions, color and season of bloom, and pollinator use. Versión en español disponible.
Foundation awards 15 Viva Florida grants
The Florida Wildflower Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration Garden grants.
Greenbriar Park Native Meadow in Wellington
Welcome to our Greenbriar Park Native Wildflower Demonstration Meadow made possible through the Florida Wildflower Foundation Viva Florida grant with cooperation from the Village of Wellington.
Attracting Butterflies
You can help provide food and habitat for Florida’s butterflies by landscaping with native wildflowers. Learn more now. Versión en español disponible.
20 Easy-to-Grow Wildflowers
This 24-page magazine features 20 “tried and true” wildflowers that are easy to grow and maintain in home and urban landscapes. Versión en español disponible.