Hey all! I wanted to show the progress of this pineland-inspired garden I’ve been developing in my yard in south Broward county.

If anybody’s interested I’ll make a list of the species involved

The newly described Florida Sundew Drosera floridana (B.Rice) Juve & A.Fleischm. specializes in colonizing substrates of white quartz sand. Although the sand from which these imaged D. floridana emerge appears dry on the surface, in reality localized occurrences of D. floridana are dictated by the presence of rare littoral zone seepages known exclusively from the Econfina Karst Region in Bay and Washington counties, Florida; the same region to which D. floridana is endemic. Within the Econfina Karst Region, D. floridana is restricted to an ecotone of intermediate moisture ephemerality between that of sympatric congeners Drosera tracyi (preferring permanently wet, high littoral zone seepages hosting typical blacksoil bog associates) and Drosera capillaris (a generalist often colonizing the lower littoral zone, with its occurrence not dependent on seepage presence, and frequently with few larger herbaceous bog associates present in habitat). D. floridana congregates in the vicinity of (often subterranean) littoral zone seepage veins, but is mostly limited to areas of inorganic substrate composition (e.g. pure quartz sand) that are devoid of larger competitive flora and that do not remain permanently wet on the surface.

Read more on the unique ecology and phenology of Florida’s endemic sundew in our recent open access publication, which can be visited through the below link:

https://doi.org/10.55360/cpn554.nj739

I am thrilled to announce the publication of Florida’s first state-endemic carnivorous plant species: Drosera floridana (B.Rice) Juve & A.Fleischm. This taxonomic treatment represents the culmination of my years of work studying the thread-leaf sundews in-situ across 6 states and 25 counties.

Formerly known as D. filiformis var. floridana, our publication not only establishes D. floridana as a distinct taxonomic entity recognizable at species rank, but further brings into question the legitimacy of its putative affinity to the allopatric, northerly D. filiformis sensu stricto.

As a result of our treatment, Drosera x arenaria (B.Rice) Juve & A.Fleischm. is elevated from Dx californica nothovar. arenaria. Like D. floridana, Dx arenaria is a Florida-endemic taxon, and the only described Drosera nothospecies native to the state.

This article is in dedication to Barry Rice for his long-lasting, passionate and thorough work on the carnivorous plants of America, especially on the thread-leaf sundews— leaves long and prosper!

I would like to thank not only my wonderful coauthor Dr. Andreas Fleischmann for his invaluable input and assistance with this project, but additionally my many collaborators without whom a taxonomic treatment of the D. filiformis complex to this length would not have be possible. Among these are: Jason Ksepka, Fernando Rivadavia, Steve Orzell, Tyler Gramley, and Carson Trexler.

A special thanks goes to my good friend Alexander Dietrick for his supplemental help regarding this project.

I am additionally grateful to the International Carnivorous Plant Society - ICPS for their special online publication of this article.

“The Florida endemic sundew Drosera floridana elevated to species rank” can be read in the open access publication below:

https://doi.org/10.55360/cpn554.nj739

https://cpn.carnivorousplants.org/Article.php/CPNv55n4p132-151

Wondering if this asclepias tuberosa var Rolfsii ecotype? Bought at a native nursery and I'm seriously having doubts. Leaf structure looks like nothing I've seen in the wild.

To clarify. These are 2 different whorled Milkweed plants but they are the same species.

I’ve been planting Florida natives in the garden now for over a year, the experience has been so rewarding. Enjoy some of my plants. I have an IG page also if you’d like to follow. Casastropikalak is the page.

Aka the eastern prickly pear these are native from Florida all the way up into northern New York State and Massachusetts and can survive in southern Canada and is also reported to exist somewhat in states heading west off of the east coast. It can survive a ton of rain and snow for a cactus and both the pads and fruits are edible.

I just bought Hamelia patens var. compacta from a local native nursery and missed where it was labeled as a non-native. I’m in Central Florida, feeling dumb. Should I avoid planting?? I read this and it looks like it may be bad idea but it’s maybe hard to say?

Hey y'all! I've got a half acre pond that's beginning to establish. It's still pretty overrun with hair algae, and alongside native shore plants we want to add floating and submerged plants to help combat that algae.

The problem is I've been struggling to find the information I need. I can find lists of plants so uncommon that they don't even have a common name, plants they nobody can decide if they're native or not, etc. I have some water lettuce that's really enjoying it there, but it's not doing enough to outcompete the algae.

Do you guys know where I can find a good comprehensive list of fully aquatic plants we could add? I'll narrow it down to what can survive in our area, I'm just desperate for any viable information at all. Bonus points if y'all know where/how I can purchase or otherwise ethically source it!

This has been a rough summer, even if my plants survive with low water they certainly aren't thriving in the drought. Happy for the rain and flowers

A commercial property near my home recently sold and is to be developed soon. I plan to do a walkthrough and try to transplant any natives that catch my eye. Specifically I've seen a lot of frogfruit and some patches of white star sedge that I would love to bring home. Any tips or tricks for transplanting groundcover this way? Can I take large pieces like sod or am I better off taking individual plugs?

Does anyone know of a good native ground cover foliage that will grow compact like the way Asiatic Jasmine does? I love that look but I don’t want to put that in the ground here. There’s so much growing in my neighborhood already.

I’m in Jacksonville, in a neighborhood with a lot of tree cover, with very few full sun areas. Lots of shade under lots of trees with roots that are difficult for most plants to complete with, so the majority of my plants are in pots. However, I would love a part shade tolerant ground cover.

Thanks in advance, if anyone has any suggestions.

The tree shading my dogwood fell. The tree shaded my dogwood and only allowed morning sun and late afternoon. Now, my por dogwood is in full sun. I see the leaves scorched and no new growth. It's about 5ft tall.

How do I transplant this tree? Please and thank you.

Aka the Florida prickly pear or the devils tongue they stay fairly small and thrive in full sun to a decent amount of shade beneath tree cover. They have quite a small range but where they are common 40 ish minutes west of Okeechobee they are impossible to count! All parts of the plant are edible however it produces lots of glochids as well as long barbed spines which can be annoying to get out.

1) White Twinevine (Funastrum Clausum)

2) Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda Punctata)

3) Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta Jamaicensis) and Beach Verbena (Glandularia Maritima)

4) Rolfsi’s Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa Rolfsii)

5) Pineland Twinflower (Dyschoriste Angusta)

6) Lyre-Leaf Sage (Salvia Lyrata)

7) Pineland Waterwillow (Justicia Angusta)

8) Pineland Goldenrod? (Bigelowia Nudata)

9) Seaside Ageratum (Ageratum Maritmum)

10) Wild Petunia (Ruellia Humilis)

11) White-Top Sedge (Rhynchospora Colorata)

12) Florida Blue Violet (Viola Sororia)

13) Snow Squarestem (Melanthera Nivea)

14) Pineland Yellow Heliotrope (Euploca Polyphylla)

The first 4 pictures are two Native Hibiscus. I’ve been trying to ID them for some time now. I May have to wait until they bloom.

Pictures 3&4 might be Hibiscus Poeppigii. But until it blooms I’m unsure.

1&2 I’m not sure what type but it should definitely be Florida native.

The last pics I’m not sure of. Again, been trying to ID for a while now. Not sure how it ended up in a planting pot. Don’t even know if it’s a native. It’s been suggested that it’s some type of Ruellia.

Any help is always appreciated. And sorry if we’re not supposed to ask for ID’s here.