The Nature Coastline

Newsletter of the Nature Coast Chapter of the Florida Native Society

A Message from the President A little bit of Nature eases stress in our everyday life! We all have stress in our lives from not those gardens with stones, ce- one thing or another. We also all ment and alien that do not love native plants and know that encourage nature. Even if you our environment is very important spend only a short time outside MARCH-APRIL to us and the future. How can we enjoying your environment and 2020 handle our everyday lives and still breathing the fresh air, you can In this issue: have time to follow the mission of relieve stress. So, the moral of this Meetings/Programs the Florida Native Plant Society of story is that if we plant natives and by Pat Kelly preserving, conserving and restor- encourage wildlife into our back- ing native plants and native plant yards we are also healing our- Calendar communities of Florida? I found selves. In the Spotlight several ways to do this and I hope Thank you for being members of David Barnard you might have your own methods. the Nature Coast Chapter of the One way I found to cope with the Florida Native Plant Society. stress of life and still follow the Lessons from the Landscape by Julie Wert mission is to sit in the backyard with a cup of coffee or a glass of Jonnie Spitler, President Plant Profile: wine! and just enjoy nature around Florida Native Blackberries me. Breathe the fresh air, watch ( argutus, cuneifolius, the birds, the great variety of in- flagellaris, trivialis.) sects, look at the beautiful native by Peggy Gretchen plants you planted and even the volunteers that you cannot identify yet, look at the sky and take it all in. How lucky we are that we have a place we can absorb real nature,

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. Nature Coast Chapter meetings, field trips, The Society fulfills its mission through: and activities are open to FNPS members and  Support for conservation land acquisition the public alike.  Land management that enhances habitat suitability for native plants Monthly meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each  Education month at 7 p.m.  Public policies that protect our native flora, especially rare species Location:  Research on native plant species Land O’ Lakes Community Center  Encouragement of local landscaping practices and poli- 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd (US 41) cies that preserve Florida's native plant heritage Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639

In the back meeting room. Entrance is off the courtyard - on the south side of the To become a member go to FNPS.org and click on “Join/ building. Support” at the upper right-hand corner of screen. Print form, complete, and mail form to FNPS, or call. You may Chapter website: pasconativeplants.org also join at a chapter meeting. Chapter E-mail: [email protected] www.facebook.com/PascoNativePlants MEMBERSHIP LEVELS twitter.com/NatureCoastFNPS Gold $500 FNPS website: http://www.fnps.org/ Patron $250 Business $150 Non-Profit $150 Supporting $100 Household $50 Individual $35 A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL Full Time Student $15 INFORMATION FOR THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, A OR BOOST YOUR SUPPORT by renewing as a Sustain- FLORIDA-BASED NONPROFIT CORPORATION ing Member -- easy $10 monthly payments automati- (REGISTRATION NO. CH3021), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM cally and securely charged to your credit card. CREDIT THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL- CARD PAYMENT REQUIRED. No checks/invoicing. Sus- FREE 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR taining membership remains in effect as long as you VISITING THEIR WEBSITE AT csapp.800helpfla.com. REGIS-

OFFICERS: President Jonnie Spitler 813-948-8472 [email protected] Vice President Nancy Heusted 727-515-1642 [email protected] Treasurer Peter Gonzalez 813-416-2375 [email protected]

Secretary Carol Vanek 813-949-5588 [email protected]

Chapter Rep Diane Caruso 813-334-2886 [email protected]

CHAIRPERSONS Audio/Visual Molly Hays 813-469-9597 [email protected] Conservation Janice Howie 727-848-7689 [email protected] Construction Richard Stauffer 352-584-7116 [email protected] Facebook Administrator Gail Parsons 813-920-2730 [email protected] Field Trips Rebecca Clayton 813-416-5672 [email protected] Landscape Consultant David Barnard 813-406-3313 [email protected] Library Sharon Holding 727-843-9771 [email protected] Membership/Books Julie Wert 727-863-1363 [email protected] Newsletter Editor Karen Wright 813-963-7010 [email protected] Nominating Committee Jo Anne Hartzler 813-962-4216 [email protected] Plant Auction Joel Jackson 813-528-8156 [email protected] CHAPTER Plant Sale Peggy Gretchen 813-991-4812 [email protected]

DIRECTORY Programs/Plant Sale Pat Kelly 352-588-0266 [email protected] Publicity Sandra Vanno 727-376-7663 [email protected] Refreshments Rebecca Dance 813-368-9041 [email protected] Web Master Melissa Perkins 813-417-5506 [email protected]

Meetings/Programs MARCH 10 , 7 PM Crop Wild Relatives – Native Plant Cousins of the Foods We Eat Speaker: Katie Mac Millan From Biodiversity International, “Crop Florida grows 106 native Katie Mac Millen has Master’s degree in Environ- wild relatives are wild plant species that plant species that are mental Studies from the University of Montana and a are genetically related to cultivated closely related to the Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Carleton College. crops. Untended by humans, they con- foods we eat. Pasco and She has worked as an environmental educator at the tinue to evolve in the wild, developing its adjacent counties J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park in Pasco County, a biologi- traits – such as drought tolerance or pest grow 64, or 60%, of cal technician on Pasco conservation lands managed resistance – that farmers and breeders these native plant spe- can cross with domesticated crops to pro- cies. How can we, as an by the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Manage- duce new varieties.” FNPS chapter, contrib- ment Program and as a development review biologist ute to global food secu- for Pasco County Natural Resources. Katie is now a From Crop Trust, “The wild relatives of rity? Collecting crop grant specialist for Pasco County Parks, Recreation and our domesticated crops are the greatest wild relatives might be Natural Resources. source of untapped diversity. These crop one answer. wild relatives are, however, threatened in their natural environment; they are also missing in crop collections.”

APRIL 14 , 7 PM Explore, Experience, Embrace Wild Florida Speaker: Linda Wilinski

This presentation will introduce us to Linda Wilinski, a freelance photographer focused on the Linda will take us on a photo- the conservation of wild Florida, is a certified Florida graphic journey through wild Florida Master Naturalist, Springs Ambassador and attended to be inspired by its natural beauty, Crealde’ School of Art. She completed a year-long hear about its perils and learn how we photo series at the Oakland Nature Preserve and her can all make a difference. artwork has been exhibited throughout Florida with an upcoming exhibit in Cedar Key in March of 2020. Linda’s mission is to serve as the bridge between the audience and wild Florida. She will have some of her prints for sale. Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering is the most important part of any organization. We do not pay people, but we have a mission and need people to fulfill that mission. Here are some ways you can help and at the same time have fun

Outreach: During the year there are several opportunities to connect with the public and promote FNPS and our chapter. Out- reach usually consists of a tent, table, and literature and 2-3 volunteers. If you are interested in being chair for one event or sev- eral, we need you.

Volunteer Administrator: It is important for FNPS to gather information about our volunteer efforts. The person who chairs this task uses their computer to fill out the volunteer information received from our members and officers.

Photo Chairperson: Many of us take great pictures at events, field trips and in our own gardens. A central person to gather these photos and then send appropriate ones to update our website and facebook and archive for our chapter.

Education Chairperson: What about that younger generation? Anyone with ideas and energy to help us educate the young? This is a great opportunity to lead a committee.

The Nature Coastline 3 January Field Trip to Tucker Hill

Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest

Led by Vince Morris, ecologist and forest supervisor Man made nest box for endangered red- cockaded woodpecker

Loblolly Pine native common blue violet Smilax pumila or dwarf smilax

Yucca filamentosa - Adam's needle frostweed with hoverfly Common Buckeye

The Nature Coastline silkgrass 4 Calendar of Events

Monday, March 2, 2020: Nature Coast Chapter Board Meeting 2:00 pm.

Saturday, March 7, 2020: Native Plant Walk at Lettuce Lake Park 9:00 a.m.6920 East Fletcher Avenue Visi- tor's Center Tampa FL, 33637 Saturday, March 28, 2020 Native Plant Sale Heritage Park 5401 Land O Lakes Blvd. 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Field Trips Contact Becky Clayton 813 416-5672 [email protected] Sunday, March 22, 2020 10:00 am Title: Crop Wild Relative Hunt Location: Big Pine Tract of the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area – 12060 Old Crystal River Road, Brooksville. Field Trip Leader: Katie Mac Millen, MS Grants Specialist Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources This trip is a follow up to the March Program. Our walk will generally be a pleasant longleaf forest and spring wildflower walk and more specifically a chance to keep our eyes open for these precursors of our domesti- cated crop vegetables and herbs. This site is slightly lower elevation than the surrounding hills, where Meadow Garlic, Bearded Milkvetch, Woodland and Grassleaf Lettuces, and Creeping Cucumber have been vouchered in the USF plant database. https://myfwc.com/media/6352/big_pine_trailguide_web.pdf http://floridanaturecoast.org/County/Hernando/ChinsegutBigPine/ChinsegutBigPine.aspx https://floridahikes.com/chinsegutbigpine

Saturday, April 18, 2020 10:00 am until 3:00 pm Title: Home Native Plant Garden Tour Tour Stops: Gail Parsons 14346 Wadsworth Odessa, FL 33556 Jonnie Spitler 2435 Oasis Drive Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639 Karen Watrous 2930 Carson Drive Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639 Cypress Acres Nursery, Dave Barnard 8632 Ehren Cutoff Land O Lakes, FL 34639 Join members and friends as we visit three different landscapes using native plants to reduce water use, reduce pesti- cide and herbicide use and improve habitat for Florida’s wildlife. The tour will end at Cypress Acres Nursery where we can purchase native plants.

The Nature Coastline 5 Member Spotlight is on David Barnard David Barnard is the owner of Cypress Acres Nursery and he joined the FNPS Nature Coast Chapter 25 years ago when the meetings were held at the Hudson Library. His nursery will be one of the stops on the Native Plant Garden Tour on April 18, 2020.

1) Are you from Florida or did you relocate from somewhere else? If you re- located from where? I was born in Toledo Ohio & my family owned a farm. We moved to Florida in 1955 & bought property in Land o Lakes which became Cy- press Acres Ranch. 2)When did you first become interested in Florida Native Plants and Why? While making my nursery deliveries. I became interested in native plants. I was look- ing for new plants to grow& create a niche by growing natives at our nursery. 3)How long have you owned Cypress Acres Nursery and what motivated you to start your own nursery? My dad, my oldest brother & myself started Cypress Acres Nursery in 1984. I took over running the nursery in 1994 after my dad passed and got more involved into natives. 4)Tell us about your greatest learning experience from owning a nursery? As I made my deliveries, I learned more about new Florida native plants from other growers, nurseries & gardeners. 5)What is your favorite Florida Native Plant and why? My favorite native plant is porterweed as it was the first native I grew from cuttings. Wilcox Nursery in Largo let me take natives for cuttings and this got me started into becoming a native nursery. 6)What plants do you recommend for those members who are new to Florida Na- tive Plants? Red tropical sage is a good native to start out with because it is easy to grow and it flowers all year, likes to be cut back plus it attracts butterflies and humming birds. 7)What are some basic questions one should ask when trying to select a plant for a specific area? Growing habits, light requirements & watering.

The Nature Coastline 6 Lessons from the Landscape

By Julie Wert

Three people, all men, all saying the same thing in the same tone “I’m not a gardener!” They could have been denying the eating of quiche, as real men don’t do that. Yet all are fascinated with native plants, they buy the plants, they plant them and care for them. One keeps them in pots, a sure way to increase the maintenance, or gardening chores. They are interested in na- tive plants and their value to the environment. They study and observe how the plants they select interact with the habitat they have chosen. They could be gardening, even if they aren’t interested in the aesthetics of growing things. Perhaps these guys would be more comfortable thinking of themselves as savers of the world. By planting and caring for natives to our region they are preserving habitat for a myriad of creatures, all part of the very complex food web. They are contributing to the ecosystem ser- vices that support life on our fragile planet, including us humans. They are creating functional landscapes. Gardeners create landscapes in many ways, as various as the personalities of those humans. Doug Tallamy, in The Living Landscape, said “Because the resources and services that support all humans come from functional landscapes, and function starts with plants, the planting and management choices we make at home impact our neighbors and indeed, the greater society as a whole.” A home, or better yet, a neighborhood, that functions ecologically becomes a public resource, used by others. This is an idea that is counter to our culture of private land ownership. But if our home land- scapes are not contributing to necessary ecosystem services, those services will have to come from somewhere else. In the past we had large, natural, connected areas to provide ecosys- tem services. But as we expand our human population those areas are constantly shrinking and fragmented. By recognizing the importance of productive landscapes, we can mitigate the loss of the natu- ral resources that sustain us. By using native plants in our home landscapes we can contribute to diverse and sustainable food webs that support life. We can create functional landscapes that contribute to ecosystem services.

The Nature Coastline 7 FLORIDA NATIVE BLACKBERRIES By Peggy A. Gretchen FNPS Member Pasco Master Gardener Botanical Name: 1) Rubus argutus, syn. R. pensilvanicus, syn. R. betulifolius, syn. R. floridus. 2) Rubus cuneifolius. 3) . 4) . Common Name: 1) Sawtooth Blackberry, Highbush Blackberry, Pennsylvania Blackberry, Florida Blackberry. 2) Sand Blackberry. 3) Northern Dewberry. 4) Southern Dewberry. Family: (Rose)

Type of Plant: Native, shrubby perennials, often with short, sharp, stiff, curved “prickles” or thorns. Showy and edible flowers and fruits, providing excellent wildlife value. Sucker extensively. There are 4 native blackberries in Florida, 3 species of which are native to Central Florida: the Sawtooth Blackberry, Sand Blackberry and Southern Dewberry. The Sawtooth and Sand Blackberries have a generally erect habit, but highly variable forms. The Sawtooth is distinguished by ridged and grooved stems, arching or clambering (vinelike). The Dewberries have a trailing or prostrate vinelike habit, unarmed or armed with numerous prickles, often rooting at the tips of trailing stems. Distinguished by flowering stems conspicuously pubescent with purplish-red hairs, not requiring magnification. There is significant hybridization among our native blackberries. Height: The Sawtooth Black- berry is erect to about 5 – 9 ft. The Sand Blackberry is erect to about 3 – 4.5 ft. The trailing/prostrate Dewberries are low-growing to about 3 ft. in height, but with long-growing stems up to 10 – 15 ft. in length. Width: Will trail up to 10 – 15 ft. and sucker exten- sively. How to Identify: : Alternate, palmately compound with 3 – 5 leaflets. Sawtooth leaves are about 2-4 in. long, petioles (/leaflet stalks) are long and prickly. Sawtooth leaves usually have 5 leaflets on the main stem, and 3 on the flowering/fruiting branches; elliptic to broadly lanceolate with sharply toothed (serrate) margins; green undersides, smooth or hairy, but without the whitish pubescence (hairs) seen on the Sand Blackberry, which usually has 3 leaflets on the main stem, sometimes 5, and on the flowering/fruiting branches. The Sand Blackberry is distinguished from the other native blackberries by this dense covering of soft, short, whitish hairs, known as pubescence, on the undersides of its leaves, which is felt-like to the touch. The leaflets are obovate, oblanceolate, or spatulate, with margins coarsely toothed (serrate). The Northern Dewberry has 3 - 5 leaflets, and is distinguished by leaflets of main stem being ovate, serrate, and often displaying basal lobing – lower 2 leaflets are lobed, usually on one side or the other. The Southern Dewberry has mostly 5 leaflets, sometimes 3, which are elliptic to lanceolate and serrate with green undersides on stems with robust thorns and red-purple hairs. Tobe, Dr. John D. et al., Florida Wetland Plants An Identification Manual, Tallahassee, Florida, Florida Department of Environ- mental Protection, 1998.

Wunderlin, Richard P., Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1998. Flowers: Showy, white or pinkish, 5 , numerous , about 1 – 2 in. across, borne singly or in loose clusters near ends of branches. Produced on stems from the previous year. Flowering stems of Sawtooth and Sand Blackberry have sparse to non- existent prickles, whereas those of the Southern Dewberry are quite spiny/thorny. Flowering Time: Mostly in Late Winter – Spring: 1. Sawtooth: March – April. 2. Sand: March – May. 3. Northern Dewberry: April – May. 4. Southern Dewberry: February – April, earlier than most others. Fruit : Showy, edible by humans and wildlife (sweet and juicy), about 1 inch, deep purple-black berries. Not a true berry. Each “berry” is a tight aggregate of tiny fruits, each with its own tiny seed, called drupelets. Produced on stems (canes) from previous year. In Central Florida, fruits ripen typically in late May or early June, but can ripen as early as late March, turning red and then black at maturity. Habitat: 1. Common in wet hammocks, stream banks, pond margins, and swamps. Also in disturbed sites, roadsides, fields, & fence lines. 2. Common in sandhills and flatwoods. Also in upland mixed woodlands, sandy thickets, and disturbed sites. 3. Occasional in open hammocks, sandhills, and flatwoods. 4. Common in a variety of habitats, from dry open hammocks to wet hammocks (woods) and woodland edges, pine flatwoods, thickets, roadsides and ditches, suburban yards, fields, and fence lines. Landscape Use / Wildlife Benefit: The Sawtooth, Sand, and Southern Dewberry native blackberries make for an interesting and useful groundcover in Central Florida. Use them in naturalistic landscapes or in areas where the suckering can be effectively con- trolled – need plenty of room! They provide exceptionally valuable wildlife habitat, both for cover and for food. The spring flowers are showy and attract Florida butterflies (small, medium, and large), native bees, and other pollinators for nectar and pollen. Black- berries are of special value in providing cover and nesting for native bees and other pollinators. Spring and summer fruits (the blackberries!) attract birds and mammals for food. If you would like some too, get there first! They are delicious eaten out of hand, or in cobblers, pies, jams, and jellies. Fresh or dried leaves may also be used to make tea. The weather in spring, especially the rain- fall, makes a big difference in berry production and taste. Some years may be unproductive, with tiny, dry fruits; however, every few years berries are numerous, fat, juicy, and sweet. Cultivation: Soil: Most prefer sandy to organic, fertile, and well-drained. Sawtooth likes wetter soils. Southern Dewberry is very adaptable, from dry to wet, but prefers mesic (moist) sites. Light: Full Sun best - Partial Shade. Will flower and fruit better with more sun, but will need more water. Water: Dry – moist, depending on species. Sawtooth prefers to be moist and may require irrigation. Sand likes to be on the dry side. All need to be well watered to establish. Do not over water. Native species are unlikely to require irrigation after establish- ment, if planted in the right place for that species. Water only as needed. Miscellaneous: Prune only those stems that have already flowered and fruited. Cut back almost to the ground after fruiting. Re- quire little, if any, fertilizer. Sucker extensively. Give them plenty of room. Grow near a fence or trellis where trailing stems/canes can be trained to grow upright if needed or desired. Moderate deer resistance. Propagation: Easily done from seed or from root or leafy stem cuttings. Also by division or tip layering. The easiest and quickest method is to utilize the suckers that naturally form from roots. Availability: Native blackberries are not commercially available at present in Florida. Find a source and propagate your own! Many commercial cultivars are available.

References: Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell, Native Florida Plants, Houston, , Gulf Publishing Company, 1999. Huegel, Craig N., Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife, Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 2010. Lantz, Peggy, Florida’s Edible Wild Plants, Gainesville, Florida, Seaside Publishing, 2014. Minno, Marc C., and Maria Minno, Florida Butterfly Gardening, Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1999. Nelson, Gil, The Shrubs & Woody Vines of Florida, Sarasota, Florida, Pineapple Press, Inc., 1996. Taylor, Walter Kingsley, Florida Wildflowers, A Comprehensive Guide, Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 2013.

Wunderlin, Richard P., Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1998.

THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR “CREATE BACKYARD HABITAT” February 6– 17, 2020

Join us for our The Florida State Fair longest Tampa Fairgrounds, outreach US Hwy 301N, Tampa event Creative Living Center Building near Gate 3

The Nature Coastline 10 The Nature Coastline 11