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FNPS Mission: To preserve, conserve, and restore native plants and native plant communities.
Learn more by visiting the FNPS website • Check our calendar for upcoming events sponsored by the Pinellas, Nature Coast, and Suncoast Chapters • Not a member yet? Join today!
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Event Updates
Please see details for these events in the newsletter below and check our Facebook Group and website calendar for the most up-to-date information.
- Tuesday, 11/2, 8 - 10am: Moccasin Lake Butterfly Garden Volunteer Opportunity
- Wednesday, 11/3, 6:30 - 7:30 pm - Zoom Membership Meeting and Presentation: Florida Native Carnivorous Plants with Lilly Anderson-Messec
- Sunday, 11/7, 9 - 11 am: Field Trip to Rosebud Continuum
- Monday, 11/8, 6:30 - 7:30 pm: Pinellas Chapter Conservation Committee Meeting
- Saturday, 11/13, 9 am - 4 pm: West Klosterman Preserve Fundraiser, Wilcox Nursery, Largo
- Sunday, 11/14, 9 - 11 am: Field Trip to Florida Botanical Garden
- Saturday, 11/20, 8 - 10am: Moccasin Lake Butterfly Garden Volunteer Opportunity
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Moccasin Lake Butterfly Garden Volunteer Opportunity
Tuesday, November 2nd and Saturday, November 20th
8 - 10 am
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Join a team of volunteers in maintaining the Butterfly Garden at Moccasin Lake. This is a great opportunity to learn more about which plants attract and host our local butterflies, what conditions they grow in and how to prune them.
Please bring hand tools, work gloves, sun and insect protection, and a reusable water bottle. The chapter will provide trash bags.
We really appreciate the City of Clearwater allowing us to use the classroom at the park for our monthly meetings, and volunteering in the park is our way of showing it.
RSVP@pinellasnativeplants.org
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Monthly Member Meeting: Florida Native Carnivorous Plants with Lilly Anderson-Messec
Wednesday, November 3rd
6:30 - 7:30 pm
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Our scheduled speaker for November, Dr. Donald Richardson, asked to be rescheduled for December. In his place we will be streaming a fascinating program on Florida Native Carnivorous Plants. This program was a FNPS member-only exclusive "Lunch and Learn" session, presented by Lilly Anderson-Messec, and recorded earlier in the year.
In this recorded program, Lilly gives a broad overview of all genera of carnivorous plants in Florida and then will focus on species in the genus Sarracenia, commonly known as 'pitcherplants'. Lilly Anderson-Messec is the North Florida Program Coordinator and TorreyaKeepers Project Manager for the Florida Native Plant Society and leads our TorreyaKeepers Program.
Meeting starts at 6:30 with announcements and final voting for 2022 Officers and Directors. Everyone is welcome. Questions? Email info@pinellasnativeplants.org
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88373765772?pwd=UzhVU2d0WWFKSlhPY1YrU1cvK1h2Zz09
Meeting ID: 883 7376 5772
Passcode: 307188
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,88373765772#,,,,*307188# US (Washington D.C)
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Field Trip to Rosebud Continuum
Sunday, November 7th
9 am - 11am
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 Join Professor Craig Huegel and Maryann Bishop, Founder and Owner of Rosebud Continuum, for a tour of one of the most unique properties in the Tampa Bay area. The property was once entirely composed of citrus groves. Now it is an ever more complex polyculture of native and domesticated ecosystems, a home to wildlife and wildflowers and groundbreaking projects in permaculture and sustainability, one of the last stands against the encroachment of suburban sprawl.
The Rosebud Continuum is a continuous and evolving project to restore and preserve a relatively large land and lake area in Pasco County Florida. The property also has a very unique historical connection as one of the owners was born on a Lakota Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota known as the Rosebud Reservation. Part of this project’s purpose will be to create a meaningful interaction with this Native American history.
Here is an article in 83 Degrees Media with more information about the Rosebud Continuum project.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP@pinellasnativeplants.org for an email with full details.
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Pinellas Chapter Conservation Comittee Meeting
Monday, November 8th
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
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 Are you passionate about conservation of native plants and native plant communities. Are you motivated to communicate important conservation issues to the public, government and private sector decision makers? If so, consider joining like-minded chapter members on the Conservation Committee.
The Conservation Committee meets monthly on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 pm by Zoom. If you haven’t contacted us already and are interested, please email us at conservation@pinellasnativeplants.org for more information.
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Fall Festival and West Klosterman Preserve Fundraiser
Wilcox Nursery and Landscape
Saturday, November 13th
9 am - 4 pm
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Wilcox Nursery and Landscape will be hosting its second annual Fall Festival on Saturday, November 13th, from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. This event will be a fundraiser for the West Klosterman Preserve, with a portion of sales being donated to the preserve fund. Partners include the Pinellas Chapter Florida Native Plant Society, Sierra Club, St. Petersburg College, and other groups to promote this important cause. Plan on education stations, educational speakers, fun activities (like an intense weeding competition), a silent auction of plants and services from Wilcox Nursery, and of course, plenty of native plants! More details will be announced in the coming weeks, but mark your calendars today!
If you would like to help staff the FNPS display, help with the plant sale or work in other areas of the fundraiser, for a couple hours, email volunteer@pinellasnativeplants.org or call 727-320-5135.
They plan on getting tables and canopies set up prior to 9:00 AM. Parking for vendors/exhibitors will be provided by the galleria north of the nursery. Breakdown and cleanup will start at 4:00 PM.
Click here for more information
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Field Trip to Florida Botanical Garden
Sunday, November 14th
9 am - 11am
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 Join us Sunday, November 14th for this tour, as a follow-up to Cameron’s presentation at the October members meeting on Ethnobotany in the Native Plant Garden. Attendance is limited to 15 guests, so RSVP now to reserve your spot.
WHEN: Sunday, November 14th, 9am - 11am
WHERE: Florida Botanical Gardens (FBG)
12520 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL. 33774
This is the main entrance and parking lot at FBG. When facing the Extension Building, the native garden is to the left. We will meet at the entrance to the native garden.
WHAT:
Tour of the native garden at Florida Botanical Gardens led by Cameron Dasher, a summer intern from Eckerd College who worked alongside the Florida Botanical Garden Foundation (FBGF) in Largo renovating and replanting the Florida Native Garden, with the goal of incorporating Ethnobotanical history*, new plant additions, updated signage and volunteer opportunities.
Cameron Dasher is an Undergraduate student at Eckerd College, with studies including a mix of Anthropology, Biology, and Environmental Studies, concentrating on Ethnobotany.
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Watch the Video: Ethnobotany in the Native Plant Garden - Cameron Dasher
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If you missed his presentation on October 20, view it below.
Cameron Dasher, a summer Ethnobotany intern from Eckerd College, worked alongside the Florida Botanical Garden Foundation (FBGF) in Largo renovating and replanting the Florida Native Garden, with the goal of incorporating Ethnobotanical history, new plant additions, updated signage and volunteer opportunities. Cameron will talk about his work in the garden, the changes that have taken place, the study of Ethnobotany and how it helped shape those changes.
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By Scott Hoffman Black on 12 November 2020, XERCES SOCIETY
For many people, fall cleanup means cutting all the seed heads and stems off the flowers and raking up all of the leaves. A tidy garden and yard are what many people strive to achieve. Everything clipped back, leaves raked and removed, messy piles of branches put in the green bin for pick up. This tidiness may look nice to us, but it is not good for all of the small creatures that live in and around your property. Please consider leaving the leaves this fall.
Leave the leaves does not mean ignoring them and leaving them where they fell. You can move them to places in your yard where they are out of the way, will not kill your turf, and will still help wildlife. A thin layer of leaves can actually help turf—but too much will kill the grass. Consider raking leaves into areas around trees, or use them as winter mulch for perennials or to cover garden beds. I have found in Oregon that a thick layer of leaves in my garden beds helps minimize weed problems early in the spring and can be a great soil amendment.
We also let our neighbors know what we are doing so that they know we are not just being lazy. The same neighbors see a variety of flowers throughout the season and an abundance of pollinators and birds visiting our yard. The messiness is just an extension of our wildlife gardening and by making sure people know that wildlife need places to live year round—especially when it is cold and grey outside—it does help them understand why we should all #leavetheleaves!
So next time you have fall cleanup chores in your yard think about how you can have a yard for you, your family, and for all of the animals with which we share this planet.
 NEW! Leave the Leaves Sign
The Xerces Society are excited to announce the launch of their delightful new Leave the Leaves sign! This beautifully illustrated yard sign will help explain to your neighbors why you have decided to leave the leaves this year. The sign has two holes so you can easily mount it to a fence or post (hanging hardware is not included). These signs are available for a donation in their online Gift Center.
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Know Your Weeds For Better Control
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This article is reprinted with permission from the October Water Wise eSplash newsletter.
Do You Know That We Have 2 Weed Seasons?
Yes, it is true. In west central Florida we deal with two annual weed seasons besides our permanent weeds such as nutsedge and torpedo grass. Plus, we have biannual weeds! Lucky us.
So, what exactly is a weed? Very simply, a weed is a “plant out of place”, growing and thriving in a location that is undesirable to the gardener. Thus, the identification of a plant as a weed is subjective. For example, while Spanish needles (Bidens alba) is considered by many gardeners to be a weed, to gardeners wanting to attract pollinators this plant is highly prized as a great attractant for bees and butterflies. These gardeners generally have dedicated areas for this plant to grow and only pull the seedlings popping up where they don’t want them.
Here are some other general definitions, but keep in mind that many plants don’t follow the "rules":
- an annual plant is one that completes its entire life cycle (sprouting, growing leaves, flowering, fruiting and producing seed) within one season. And then it dies.
- a biannual completes its life cycle in two years. Typically, during the first year it grows roots and leaves; the second year is when it flowers, fruits and goes to seed before it dies.
- a perennial usually takes more than two years to go through its life cycle yet produces seeds often.
 Our area’s two annual weed seasons allow plants that love our hot, wet and humid summer weather to thrive, while a separate set of weeds prefer our slightly cooler and drier weather from fall through spring. Examples of summer annuals include Spanish needles, ragweed, pigweed and garden spurge. Winter annuals include cudweed, lamb’s-quarters and wild geranium.
What can we do to manage annual weeds that compete with our lawns and plants for water, nutrients and space? Here are a few ideas and strategies.
Prevention
1. Healthy turfgrass and landscape plants typically out-compete many annual weeds.
2. When designing a landscaped area, select plants that fit the site’s conditions such as soil pH, drainage and the amount of sunlight. When successful, the new plants will grow and in time create a dense cover, leaving little space and sunlight for annual weeds to sprout and grow.
3. Buy healthy, weed-free plants.
4. Check your tools, equipment, socks and pant legs (plus your furry helper) for weed seeds as you move through your yard or from someone else’s yard. Remove the seeds and deposit them in the trash or composter.
Site Management
 1. Walk your yard weekly and look for weeds, then pull them while they are small. Get the roots, too!
2. Avoid breaking up the landscape’s soil, which brings buried weed seeds to the surface and provides new areas for air-borne weed seeds to land and grow. If you have to break up the soil, apply mulch quickly to cover the exposed soil surface.
3. Mulch with plant-based products, such as pine bark or needles, fallen leaves, eucalyptus or (free) yard waste mulch. This suppresses most weed growth by providing a physical barrier and preventing sunlight from reaching the ground. Mulch depth should be 2 to 3 inches.
4. Watch where and how you water. Are there open areas where no plants or turf is growing (see image)? If so, do you really need to water there? Are you applying the correct amount of water? Use this guide to measure the amount of water you apply and make any necessary changes.
5. Consider installing micro- or drip-irrigation in landscape beds. Not only does this technology conserve water, it applies water only where it is needed – the base of the plants. Annual weed seeds will have a harder time sprouting where they cannot receive water. There are methods and technologies to “retrofit” traditional sprinkler systems to drip. Consult this guidebook to learn more about this technology.
6. Apply nutrients to the lawn and landscape only when needed and apply the specific nutrient(s) the plants need. Remember that weeds require the same nutrients as other plants, so applying nitrogen and phosphorus when it is not needed “feeds” the weeds too!
 Weed Control
1. Chemical control should always be the last resort. Why? Non-chemical approaches such as those mentioned here offer a lower risk of damaging non-target plants, wildlife, soil organisms, adjacent properties, people and our local environment. If you choose to use chemicals, all label information must be followed - improper use is against the law.
2. Is the plant really a weed? Try to identify it so you can decide on the best control method. The University of Florida weed science specialists have reviewed some popular free plant identification apps for accuracy with weeds. View the results and recommendations here.
3. Become tolerant of some weed growth in turfgrass areas. The perfect lawn is mostly unattainable and costly. While there are chemical controls for broadleaf weeds in turfgrass, grassy weeds such as nutsedge and torpedo grass in lawns are the hardest and most expensive to control.
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2022 Board Elections Are Underway
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If you are a current paid member of the Pinellas Chapter FNPS, you should have received an email asking you to vote for the 2022 slate of Officers and Directors. You can read about the new nominees here. If you did not receive the email sent out Thursday, Oct. 28th at 2:20 pm, and your membership is current, check your SPAM folder. Once you are sure you did not receive the email, contact me with your name and email address and I will look into it.
If you do not wish to vote electronically, you can vote during the November membership meeting on Wednesday, November 3rd. Details above.
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This feature of our monthly newsletter will highlight local conservation issues and opportunities for our members to influence decision making by our local, state and federal governments. If you have issues you would like the Conservation committee to explore, email them to conservation@pinellasnativeplants.org.
Anclote River Development Project
After a meeting that spanned multiple days and went into the wee hours of the morning, and included more than 16 hours of testimony from individuals and organizations (including Jan Allyn representing FNPS), Tarpon Springs commissioners voted 3-1 in favor of approving preliminary plans to build an apartment complex in a highly-disputed plot on the banks of the Anclote River.
The approval is the first of two the Morgan Group will need from the city in order to move forward, but environmental groups and residents say they’re prepared to fight the project every step of the way. The area is home to threatened species like gopher tortoises and bald eagles.
You can read more about the controversial vote here.
Gladys Douglas Hackworth Preserve Pinellas FNPS Pinellas is a few steps closer to beginning the floristic survey on the property. Thanks to all the amazing advocates and members for protecting this treasure in Pinellas County.
Represent The Chapter on The Conservation Coalition
The Pinellas Conservation Coalition is a new group who's overarching mission it to develop an updated Conservation Plan for Pinellas County, a funding mechanism, and supporting regulations to ensure a lasting environmental legacy. Led by members of Suncoast Sierra Club, Clearwater Audubon and others, the group has been meeting over the summer to develop the vision and action plan. Our representative on the Coalition has had to step down and we need someone to attend quarterly meetings and participate on our behalf in decision making and projects. If interested email conservation@pinellasnativeplants.org.
Conservation Committee Has Open Seats
The Conservation Committee of our chapter currently has several open seats. Our Board considers it critical to hear the voice of our members to discuss strategy and formulate policies regarding local conservations issues. The Conservation Committee meets monthly, usually on the 2nd Monday of the month. If you haven’t contacted us already and are interested, please email conservation@pinellasnativeplants.org for more information.
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The Pinellas Chapter has several volunteer opportunities that will allow you to channel your passion for native plants and conservation into helping the chapter fulfill its mission. Many volunteer positions require just a few hours a month, and most duties can be performed at your home. If you are interested in applying or would like more information, email volunteer@pinellasnativeplants.org.
Florida Botanical Garden, Native Garden Maintenance
- Biweekly maintenance of the Native Plant Garden at the FBG in Largo.
- Identify and prune existing native plants according to seasonal growth and bloom cycles. Identify and relocate native plant seedlings.
- Identify and remove weeds and non-native seedlings.
- Assist with updating signage as needed.
- Keep records of volunteer hours and report them to FNPS.
- (2 to 4 hours per month)
Volunteer Committee Member
- Recruiting volunteers for special projects and the speakers bureau utilizing social media, emails, and special events.
- Collecting volunteer contact information, availability and skills, and maintaining a volunteer database.
- Keeping new and existing volunteers informed about the organization’s volunteer opportunities, matching volunteers to opportunities that suit their skill sets, and ensuring they understand their responsibilities and receive the proper training.
- Keeping records of volunteers' hours and reporting them to FNPS.
- Motivate and reward volunteers through a volunteer appreciation program.
- (2 to 4 hours per month)
Volunteer Coordinator - Director-at-Large
- Recruiting, training, and supervising members of the Volunteer Committee.
- (2 to 4 hours per month)
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Thank You To Our Business Members
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Pinellas Chapter Florida Native Plant Society
2021 Officers, Directors and Committee Chairs
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President - Michael Coleman
Vice President - Stefan Babjack
Secretary - Sari Wood
Treasurer - Robin Peacock
Past President / Conservation Chair - Jan Allyn
Director / Chapter Representative - David Perkey
Director - Jane Graham
Director / Membership Chair - Ginger Brengle
Director / Programs Chair - Pam Schrader
Director - Nicole Jones
Director / Feature Writer - Debora Moran
Communications Chair - Rebecca Wellborn
Webmaster - Patty Perkey
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View a profile of the Pinellas Chapter FNPS created for the 2021 FNPS Annual Conference.
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Florida Native Plant Society Mission
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The Mission of the Florida Native Plant Society is to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.
The Society fulfills this mission through:
- Support for conservation land acquisition
- Land management that enhances habitat suitability for native plants
- Education
- Public policies that protect our native flora, especially rare species
- Research on native plant species
- Encouragement of local landscaping practices and policies that preserve Florida's native plant heritage
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