Wildflowers
are plants that grow in their natural state with little or no interference
from man. Florida has more than 3,600 native and naturalized flowering
species. Only Texas and California have larger floras, and both states are
physically larger than Florida. Our state has more than 170 endemic
(restricted to a particular area-growing naturally nowhere else) species,
with most of these in the northwest counties. Many of our wildflowers with
restricted distribution are the endemics and these are often endangered,
threatened or rare, living on the verge of extinction. These plants are a
part of our heritage and need our assistance to ensure their preservation.
At one time
Florida had large continuous tracts of longleaf pines (Pinus palustris).
The harvesting of pines has practically eliminated these large tracts.
Additionally, our skyrocketing population has taken it's toll. Housing,
farming, ranching and commercial development have destroyed huge areas of
forests. With these disappearing forests, we have also lost thousands of
acres of natural wildlife habitat. Birds, butterflies and bees, our vital
pollinators, have lost much of the native flora required for food and
shelter. With a little worthwhile effort we can help re-establish the
habitat they require to survive.
The purpose of
this article is to encourage you to enjoy and appreciate the value of our
wildflowers, and to motivate you to become actively involved in protecting
and preserving them for future generations.
More Than
Beauty… An ever-increasing number of private forest owners are taking
time to enjoy their property as well as growing trees. Wildflowers provide
a beautiful array of color when they are in bloom, and butterflies and
hummingbirds will come to drink their nectar. Besides hummingbirds, your
flowers will attract many other small birds, such as finches, pine siskins,
buntings, and sparrows, who come to eat their seeds. Wildflowers that
produce berries will attract fruit-eating birds, such as mockingbirds,
cardinals, jays, robins, and many others. Many species of native shrubs
and trees provide seeds and fruits that attract a variety of wildlife.
When you see wildflowers and native plants attracting other wildlife, it
is a reminder of the interconnectedness of nature. Take time to enjoy your
land, take in the fresh air, look at the flowers, listen to the birds
sing, and feel a sense of pride in what you are doing for the environment.
Where Do I
Start? Prescribed burning will bring many native
wildflowers back. If your property was previously used for farming, it may
need a little more help. You may need to sow seeds of some native species
of wildflower in sunny open areas or along the sides of your roads.
Also, many
native plants are available through nurseries that specialize in natives.
Through a cooperative effort with the Florida Department of Transportation
and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences,
research is being conducted to facilitate development of commercial
sources of native wildflower seeds. We now have several new Florida
wildflower seed growers. Dr. Jeff Norcini and other faculty members at the
research center have shown that seed source can affect the growth,
flowering, and survival of several species. Plants derived from wildflower
populations native to Florida outperform the same species derived from
non-Florida sources. By supporting this new wildflower seed industry in
Florida, we are helping to develop a stronger wildflower population.
If you would
like to add wildflowers to your property some good choices to begin with
are blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia
hirta), lance-leaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata), and Phlox (Phlox
drummondii). All species of coreopsis are native, do well, and are easy to
manage. The coreopsis is our state wildflower.
|
(Coreopsis leavenworthii) |
Please let us
know if you would like assistance selecting the best varieties of
wildflowers for your property. We will also be happy to make planting
method recommendations and send you a list of wildflower growers and
native plant suppliers.
This free
service is provided by “Wildflowers Matter,” a District 1 Florida
Federation of Garden Clubs project.
For more
information contact Dara Dobson, District 1 Wildflower Chairman, Florida
Federation of Garden Clubs, 850-859-0096 or e-mail
sevpines7@aol.com.
Selected 
Brief descriptions of
some habitats (adapted from Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Florida
Panhandle):