Bee City Gainesville—Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville Native Plant Garden
Installed in December 2024, this demonstration garden utilizes Florida native wildflowers and shrubs that provide vital resources for native butterflies, bees, birds and other wildlife. Click for a full list of plants utilized in the garden.
DID YOU KNOW?
Florida native plants are adapted to thrive in our climate, conditions and soil. They need less water than other plants, and require no fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals. This saves precious water resources and keeps excess nutrients from polluting lakes, rivers and streams.
Bee City Gainesville planting at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Photo by Emily Bell
The City of Gainesville received its Bee City USA designation in November 2022. An initiative of the Xerces Society, Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants and free of insecticides. Pollinators like bumble bees, sweat bees, mason bees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, and many others are responsible for the reproduction of almost ninety percent of the world’s flowering plant species and one in every three bites of food we consume.
The Florida Wildflower Foundation protects, connects and expands native wildflower habitats through education, research, planting and conservation. Learn more at FlaWildflowers.org.
Native Garden at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville — Featured Plants
The following native species were planted in the Grow Hub native plant garden:
Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a perennial that produces large, showy clusters of bright orange to reddish flowers from spring through fall. It occurs naturally in sandhills, pine flatwoods, and…
Florida greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis) is an endemic wildflower found in Florida’s sandhills, pine flatwoods, mixed upland forests, and along dry roadsides. Their bright yellow flowers bloom in spring, attracting a…
Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata ) has conspicuously sunny flowers that typically bloom in spring. It attracts butterflies and other pollinators, and its seeds are eaten by birds and small wildlife.
Leavenworth’s tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii) is often used as a component of mixed wildflower and butterfly gardens, and is excellent for sunny roadsides, highway medians and powerline easements.
Dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis) occurs naturally along the coast. Its bright flowers attract a variety of pollinators, its dense growth pattern provides cover for many small animals and birds enjoy…
Dense gayfeather (Liatris spicata ) has striking spikes of purple flowers that bloom late summer through fall and are excellent attractors of butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects.
Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) is a robust, aromatic wildflower known to attract a huge variety of pollinating insects, including bees, wasps and butterflies. It blooms from early summer through fall.
Nothing says fall in Florida like the purple haze of Muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) in bloom. When planted en masse, this perennial bunchgrass puts on a spectacular fall display.
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) typically blooms in spring through fall. It is pollinated by a variety of insects, and its seeds are eaten by seed-eating birds.
Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) is a versatile perennial wildflower that no pollinator can resist, but it is particularly attractive to bees, large butterflies and hummingbirds.
Helmet skullcap (Scutellaria integrifolia) typically blooms in late spring and summer, attracting a wide range of bees, including leafcutter, cuckoo and bumble bees.
The low profile of Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) makes it an excellent groundcover choice. It is fairly adaptable to a variety of conditions.
Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis) typically blooms in spring and summer, but may bloom throughout the year, attracting a variety of bees, wasps and butterflies.
Darrow’s blueberry (Vaccinium darrowii) is a small shrub that is underappreciated as a landscape plant. Its profuse spring blooms attract many pollinators and the sweet summer berries are attractive to…
Narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia) blooms late summer through early winter in sandhill, flatwoods and scrub habitats throughout the state. It has brilliant yellow flowers and silvery leaves.
Help Florida’s wildlife and environment by using native wildflowers and plants in your landscape. Click here to learn more about planting, selecting and maintaining native plants, or check out these resources:
