Ceraunus blue butterflies, found in the gossamer-winged family, fly in southern Florida throughout the year. The common name of these small butterflies comes from the violet blue of the male’s dorsal side. Females have a smaller amount of blue which is located on their dorsal side at the base of their wings. The larval hosts of the Ceraunus blue are plants in the Fabaceae family.
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.
What will Florida’s ecosystems look and feel like in the future? Using herbarium records, scientists can predict how Florida’s native plants will react to our changing climate. In this free webinar, Drs. Pamela and Douglas Soltis will discuss how an “evolutionary tree” is being built with molecular samples from herbarium collections to predict Florida’s natural future.
Thinking of applying for a Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration Garden grant? Want to know more about the program? This recorded webinar will introduce you to the program’s eligibility, project and budget requirements and show examples of successful Viva Florida-funded projects.
Did you know that many of Florida’s native plants are edible? Even some of those pesky “weeds” that pop up in our yards have culinary value. Watch “Incredible Edible Natives,” presented by FWF Program Manager Stacey Matrazzo, to learn about the edible, medicinal and nutritional properties of some native plants commonly found in our yards and landscapes.
October started with a beautiful full moon, and in those hours when a wildflower gardener can’t sleep, she looks out the upstairs window over her dappled moonlit wildflower garden. It looks serene and scary at the same time!
Dr. Walter Taylor presents at the 2014 Florida Wildflower Symposium.