THE UNDERSTORY IS A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE PINELLAS CHAPTER OF THE NATIVE SOCIETY The ! Understory

2015 Issue 3

A THANK YOU FROM KATY ROBERTS

I want to thank all the folks who came to help at the Spring plant festival. The day was beautiful, perhaps a little hot. I got great reviews on the hike lead by Greg Coston (thank you Greg). Sales were brisk in the morning and the talks were well attended. Our members and volunteers are what make these days so special. Our next opportunity to learn through volunteering while making friends will be at our landscape tour and next plant sale. See you there! Katy JOIN MEETUP FNPS Pinellas Chapter now has a meetup group. Join us to stay in touch with u p c o m i n g f i e l d t r i p s , programs, and volunteer opportunities

Newsletter Contents Labor of Love continued ...... Page 7 2015 FNPS Conf. by J. Allyn . . . . Page 8 Thank You from Katy ...... Page 1 FANN Trade Show by L. Boing . . Page 9 Upcoming Programs ...... Page 2 Parks in Pinellas ...... Page 10 Pinellas Chapter News ...... Page 3 Community Support ...... Page 11 A Labor of Love by C. Arnold . . . Page 4 Chapter Directory ...... Page 12 Conservation Topics ...... Page 5 Back Cover ...... Page 13 Summer Calendar ...... Page 6

The Understory 1 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS

Upcoming Programs Member meetings are usually held at Moccasin Lake Nature Park from 7 - 9 pm on the first Wednesday of the month. Exceptions will be noted. If the gate is locked, call Jan Allyn at 727-244-0312. These events are organized by the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society -- free and open to the public, featuring refreshments, seed swap, and silent auction of native . For more information visit: http://pinellas.fnpschapters.org. ! Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater, FL http://goo.gl/maps/Zofh0

1 July 2015 2 September 2015 Wednesday 7 pm Wednesday 7 pm Planting Green Roofs and Native Landscape Tour Living Walls Preview Claudia Lewis Jan Allyn In the most densely populated county in A sneak preview of the 9th Annual Tour Florida, walls and roofs could provide 5 August 2015 of Native Landscapes! See what is possible when conventionally practical spaces to bring back the plants Wednesday 7 pm landscaped yards are transformed into and animals that roads and buildings Native Plants to Attract native plant habitats that are environmentally and wildlife friendly. have displaced. These green roofs and Birds walls would have enormous ecological, Do you have a tour-worthy landscape? Tour sites should: economic, and aesthetic benefits. Marie Hughes • Be composed of at least 75% native Environmental educator Claudia Lewis Marie Hughes will present native species will showcase examples of green roofs Florida plants that you can add to your • Be free of exotic invasive plants (no and walls from cities around the world. landscape that will attract birds, Category I or II plants on the Consider planting green roofs and walls providing them with food, roosting, and FLEPPC list (see FLEPPC.org) for insulation, shade, reduced noise, n e s t i n g p l a c e s . P l a n t s p l a y a • Have no more than 25% irrigated grass area wildlife habitat, and creating an original fundamental part in a bird's life. They provide food, shelter, foraging areas, • Be aesthetically appealing and beautiful look in our “built” protective cover from predators, a stage Sites are chosen based on number and environment. diversity of species, aesthetic appeal, for courting and territorial displays, and proximity with planned tour route. nest-building material, and nest To have your landscape considered, platforms. The berries and seeds of contact Jan Allyn (727-244-0312) or native plants are natural bird food. [email protected]. Plants are also host to insects, another vital food source for birds. By planting Future Programs and Field a variety of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, Trips vines, and grasses you can provide an For updates to future events, visit array of resources for the birds in your the FNPS Pinellas Chapter landscape. Learn which plant species online calendar. are especially valuable, and get started or check us out at Capella Garcia Green Wall, Barcelona enhancing your landscape to support meetup our feathered friends!

2 2015 Issue 3 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS PINELLAS CHAPTER NEWS

Field Trips Environmental 9th Annual Landscape Restoration Tour Tour

The Florida House 5 September 2015 26 September 2015 Institute 8 am - 12 noon 8 am - 3 pm 11 July 2015 See firsthand a few of the projects Tour route TBA. For more information around Pinellas County designed to see page 2 or contact Jan Allyn 9:00 am improve water quality, biodiversity, A Field Trip to Sarasota recreation opportunities, and aesthetic appeal. Debbie Chayet, Senior Grants Join Kodiak Brothers to visit the first Specialist for Pinellas County, will lead “Green” building open to the public. this outing. Carpool encouraged: Twenty years ago, the Florida House meeting place and time to be was the nation’s first “green” building announced. Debbie Chayet open to the public and helped catalyze [email protected] the green building industry. Today, Florida House is poised to be the country’s first high-performance demonstration of improvements and retrofit strategies for existing buildings and communities. Florida House Institute 4454 Beneva Rd. Sarasota, FL (941) 924-2050 To RSVP and get directions, contact Candy at [email protected] For more about The Florida House go to: http://flhouse.org

The FNPS Pinellas Chapter Board of the preservation of existing parks and Goals of the Pinellas Directors has been in discussion about preserves. how the mission can best be expressed Chapter FNPS Short-term goals include plant here in Pinellas County. propagation for Silent Auction, show- The mission of the Florida Native Plant To date, long-term goals include case a local park or preserve each month, balance budget with minor Society (FNPS) is to promote the expansion of the urban tree canopy, changes to ongoing activities, expand preservation, conservation, and increase involvement of younger publicity, education, advocacy, and restoration of the native plants and generations, develop revenue- outreach, recognize business efforts, native plant communities of Florida. generating workshops, increase membership, and, since Pinellas County and test-drive a Garden Party in has little land left to preserve, support conjunction with Landscape Tour in 2016.

The Understory 3 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS A LABOR OF LOVE by Candy Arnold panhandle region at Rock Hill, owned keep growing, colonizing, and by the Nature Conservancy. Its home surviving at its home in the scrubby It’s an odd little plant. For much of the range is in rocky terrains throughout pinelands in St. Petersburg. the Piedmont and Coastal Gulf Plains. year it appears no more than a wispy The staff at Boyd Hill has worked just It grows sporadically in areas of tuft of green threads a few inches in as diligently. Since 2011 the scrub has , , , and size, with older plants spreading into had two prescribed burns and Barbara , where it is listed as S3 or fairy rings. Mushrooms aren’t the only Stalbird, Nature Preserve Supervisor, Vulnerable throughout most of its ones that form rosettes or clonal has spent over 150 hours on grant range. colonies called genets; bacteria, corals, management. The Florida Fish and and plants form them too. Genets are The St. Petersburg colony is unique, Wildlife Conservation Commission genetically identical individuals called growing in sandy scrub rather than (FWC) awarded three grants for ramets that originate vegetatively, not rocky sandstone strata, and is habitat management. sexually. Several other Florida natives genetically different than the form genets: Sweetgum, Pawpaw, specimens growing at Rock Hill. Blueberry, and Sumac species are a few examples. Nuttall’s Rayless Goldenrod is a bit of a misnomer. It is not a goldenrod, but it is rayless, meaning this member of the Aster family has no outer petals on the flower head, only disk florets. The flowers of nuttallii bloom later than its northern counterparts. In Pinellas the fluorescence is seen in November after most fall wildflowers have gone to seed. Juliet Rynear, Rare Plant Specialist at B o k To w e r G a r d e n s a n d t h e Conservation Chairperson for FNPS, explains in an article on the Bok Tower website ( B o k T o w e r Conservation) how she became involved in the project. “Because the population is small and occurs near a major pathway through the park, park s t a f f a s k e d t h e R a r e P l a n t Conservation Program for help in Juliet Rynear explains the importance protecting and preserving the of tags in each pot of Nuttall’s Rayless population. From 2009-2011, the Rare Goldenrod. Photo by C. Arnold Plant Conservation Program collected seeds as well as ramets which are Love continued on page 7….. rooted individuals within the clonal colony at Boyd Hill.” Critically Imperiled in Florida, Nuttall’s Rayless Goldenrod, , Since 2009, Juliet has spent countless “Gardening is civil and social, grows naturally at Boyd Hill Nature hours caring for the plant collection Preserve Photo by C. Arnold placed at the Center for Plant but it wants the vigor and Conservation, National Collection at The plant is Nuttall’s Rayless Bok Tower Gardens. In the summer of freedom of the forest and the Goldenrod, Bigelowia nuttallii, listed 2014 she began growing a new as S1 Critically Imperiled in the state population of plants from the outlaw.” of Florida. It currently grows naturally genetically unique stock collected at at only two known locations, Boyd BHNP for re-introduction back into ― Henry David Thoreau. Hill Nature Preserve (BHNP) in the their scrub habitat. Thanks to Juliet’s City of St. Petersburg and Florida’s efforts this endangered species will

4 2015 Issue 3 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS CONSERVATION TOPICS

SPEAK UP NOW ON AMENDMENT 1 district to want the county to hold the title. But to act as if the land “is no longer needed for conservation purposes” and to Reprinted from FNPS website: hold out the threat that “a public sale will be” initiated if an equitable exchange cannot be worked out with Hillsborough The Florida legislature continues to ignore the wish of the is appalling. The county should not have to pay for land that voters by not funding the Amendment 1. “FNPS worked it partnered in good faith with the district to preserve. Yet the throughout the session to convince the legislature that the district looks to be playing hardball with the county. Florida Forever land acquisition program deserves much SWFWMD Surplus Lands. To read the whole article: Surplus more funding than the pittance they have budgeted to this Lands Fiasco stage. Many of our lawmakers continue to advance inaccurate ********* arguments that we shouldn’t buy any more land because we don’t properly manage what we already own – or the even PARK REVENUE VERSUS VISITORS AND more outrageous position that we’ve already protected NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS enough land through public ownership. We’ve sent them a letter on your behalf that refutes their wrong-headed position. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP You can download a copy from our website at http://fnps.org/ News) is proposing more private cattle grazing in state parks. news/alerts/LetterToLegislature. Cattle grazing at state parks is part of FDEP’s newest plan to Please phone or email your local Representative and Senator make green spaces earn more “green” and to become self- and tell them you'd like to schedule a 5-minute appointment sustaining. Officials are considering increasing or adding to discuss what you had in mind when you voted “yes!” on revenue-generating activities to some areas of State Parks Amendment 1. You can find contact information for your including logging, cattle grazing, and hunting (see Tampa senator at www.flsenate.gov and for your representative at Bay News). www.myfloridahouse.gov. Download a copy of our (FNPS) “It’s a short-sighted view of revenue,” says Chuck O’Neal of letter before you contact them, using the link above, to arm the League of Women Voters. “I’m not really sure what the yourself with facts and other information that refute their disconnect is with this particular administration.” It is up for bogus arguments.” (from FNPS news) debate whether the proposal to increase mixed-use of State Park lands is: ********* • appropriate to solve FDEP budget-woes SWFWMD SURPLUS LANDS • is in line with the State Park system goals and objectives by Katy Roberts • or may have adverse impacts on ecosystem or park-visitor needs. The official FNPS position and letter written to SWFWMD can be found at the FNPS website FNPS News SWRWMD Environmental groups say introducing cattle to lands would fundamentally change the ecosystem and damage the lands. Lands that are to be surplussed can be found on the water "We're unhappy about the mixed use, commercial and management district website SWFWMD Surplus Lands. industrial development of our state parks," said Frank I attended the meeting in Tampa where the lands were Jackalone, with the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club. See reviewed and was pleased with the flexibility shown in their more at Action News, The Republic, Channel News 9, and review and recommendations to the board. One exception that FDEP News to consider the issues. has been in the paper is that Hillsborough County is very Conservation continued page 8….. unhappy with surplussing lands that they helped to purchase. The Tampa Tribune reported “The Alafia property includes a number of significant species, including gopher tortoises, Sherman fox squirrels and kestrels. It also contains grand oaks and is a critical link in the plan to establish a green corridor linking Lithia Springs Regional Park and Alafia River State Park.” It is understandable that the district might want to turn the 150 Alafia acres in the Alafia River Corridor Preserve over to the county. The preserve was bought jointly by the district and Hillsborough ELAPP, and the lands in question are leased and managed by the county. It is not unreasonable for the

The Understory 5 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS SUMMER CALENDAR

Florida-Friendly Plant Database: Florida Master Naturalist Hot summer months in Pinellas http://www.floridayards.org/fyplants/ County are usually fairly quiet. index.php Course With increased humidity, heat, and Explore Your Alternatives: A plant July 14-17 & 20 "Freshwater Systems thunderstorms, there are fewer substitution guide for South Florida: Module" Saint Petersburg College, public outdoor events. You might http://www.fleppc.org/Misc/ Seminole Campus, and regional field even limit your own outdoor AlterNative2.pdf trips. Register by July 9 at http:// activities to early morning or The Florida Botanical Gardens conference.ifas.ufl.edu/fmnp/ evening walks, kayaking, or a http://www.flbg.org refreshing bike ride. Wings and Wildflowers A d o p t A P a r k : https:// Why not take the time to do a little www.pinellascounty.org/park/ Festival adopt_a_park.htm reading, online learning, or explore 2-4 October local parks, preserves, and trails, Friends Groups: Venetian Gardens in Leesburg FL now that the crowds have gone. http://www.wingsandwildflowers.com/ • Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Pinellas County has a lot to offer, With thousands of acres of preserves • Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve and some of it might be near your and passive parklands, Lake County home, school, or workplace. Take a • Egmont Key Alliance has become a premier birding location. a Master Naturalist course or enroll • Friends of Florida Master Naturalist This 4th annual festival includes field a youngster in a nature-based trips to birding hotspots and programs • Friends of Fort Desoto summer camp. Consider learning by wildflower and nature experts. It is about Florida Native and Florida- • Friends of the Hammock a great opportunity to learn more about A park in Dunedin, FL. See page 10 Friendly landscaping options for the connection between wildlife and your condominium, apartment, or • Friends of the Island Parks Florida’s natural habitats. neighborhood park. Become • Friends of Moccasin Lake familiar with No Mow Zones and • Friends of Shell Key Did you know? Water Wise concepts. Learn what • Friends of Tampa Bay National Friends Groups (see list to right) do that wildflowers along roadsides Wildlife Refuges for their favorite park or preserve. provide food and shelter to crop Volunteer at your own community • Friends of Weedon Island pollinators such as honey bees park. and native bees, as well as the imperiled Monarch butterfly Here are some websites to explore. Florida Wildflower Symposium Florida House and Senate Water Conservation in Saint agriculture appropriations Petersburg: http://www.stpete.org/ 25-26 September subcommittees were butting heads water/water_conservation/index.php over a request to fund valuable Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando pollinator habitat and education in Pinelllas County Extension Service Florida. Unfortunately, the Lawn and Garden Section: http:// http://flawildflowers.org/events/2015- wildflower-symposium.html pollinator project was not funded, pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/home_landscape/ even though it was in line with the index.shtml The 7th Annual Florida Wildflower National Pollinator Strategy. P l a n t R e a l F l o r i d a : http:// Symposium focuses on Florida’s For more information on pollinators www.plantrealflorida.org/county/ native wildflowers. The symposium pinellas go to Pollinator Partnership or start includes field trips, a dinner with a Pollinator Garden in a Pot Pinellas County Parks and Events: speaker, J.C. Cahill, and a plant sale. http://www.pinellascounty.org/Events/ default.htm

6 2015 Issue 3 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS

…..Love continued from page 4 Burning was one component of the project aimed at creating ecological Did you know? openings so herbaceous plants, grasses, and gopher tortoises could thrive. that Pinellas County is the 2nd Burning is vital to insure a healthy smallest county in Florida environment for this keystone species. In preparation for these burns, staff and with 280 square miles, Pinellas volunteers have spent hundreds of hours County is smaller than all but Union marking sensitive plants and gopher tortoise burrows, and hand trimming Volunteers gather at Boyd Hill Nature that Pinellas County is the around these areas. Tree cutting and Preserve for the 2015 replanting effort most densely populated spraying invasive exotics are also part of of Nuttall’s Rayless Goldenrod, county in Florida preparing for these burns. Bigelowia nuttallii. with over 900,000 residents, The Florida Native Plant Society also Photo by C. Arnold Pinellas County has 3,400 residents awarded a grant for the Sand Scrub per square mile compared to 360 Conservation Project to “evaluate the Years of effort came to fruition on May people per square mile statewide or current health and diversity of the Scrub 27, 2015 when Juliet Rynear arrived at the next closest county, Broward, Habitat through a species inventory, BHNP with 392 pots of Bigelowia with 1,500 people per square mile. analysis of the inventory, and nuttallii. A group of dedicated volunteers recommendations for future management that less than 6% of land in to preserve this imperiled plant worked through the hot afternoon to community” (FNPS Conservation establish three locations in the preserve. Pinellas County is vacant or Grants). When I asked Juliet why she worked so developable long and hard on this project, she replied Pinellas County reached “build-out” “It is a labor of love”. by 2005

that the majority of Pinellas Welcome New Members County residents do not own or have control over a “landscape” Leah Bailey Joena Bartolini Landscaping with native plants is an Norma Bartolini option for only about 43% of Evette Bloom residents, those who actually own Lois Bradshaw and occupy a single-family home. Amy DiAngelus Upwards of 57% of Pinellas County Grow-out of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve residents either rent homes or live Dudley Diehl Nuttall’s Rayless Goldenrod, Bigelowia in mobile homes or multi-unit Nora Gaunt nuttallii, clones in 2013 at a National structures with limited control over Jay Gould Collection Bed at Bok Tower Garden. landscape and gardens. Sherry Hawley Photo by J. Rynear Kendal Jackson that Pinellas County boasts 16 John Mankowski The lifespan of this species is still acres of recreation and open Karen Mullins unknown; some of the oldest living space per 1000 residents Doris Pierrro plants are clonal plants that are Countywide, including both Angela Pietras thousands of years old. Now a new and developed and environmental park Jim Reeder exciting phase begins for this program, Misty Reeder collecting data on this enigmatic little land, recreational trails, boat ramps, Zachary Leyton Rivera-Reed wildflower. Volunteers are needed to municipal and State Parks, it comes Debborah Scholtz perform biometric monitoring on to 29 acres per 1,000 residents. survival status, life cycle stage, and Pinellas County Commission says New Business Members height and width of each plant. The first conserving open space is an monitoring is scheduled for this important legacy. (See 2005 Earth Friendly Nook September. To help please contact Juliet Pinellas Plan) Rynear at [email protected].

The Understory 7 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS 2015 FNPS CONFERENCE REPORT by Jan Allyn Program. Thursday night’s social was on year as president-elect, two years as the top floor of the State Capitol building, president, and one year as past-president. The annual conference was held in with spectacular views. A Friday night Elected as president-elect at the meeting was Catherine Bowman, botanist, past Tallahassee this year, with a theme of social event was held at the lodge in Wakulla Springs State Park with attendees p r e s i d e n t o f Ta r f l o w e r C h a p t e r “Born to Burn”. Presentations on this (2006-2013), and proprietor of the firm enjoying a sightseeing cruise on the river. theme included: fire ecology education, Bowman and Blair Ecology Design Inc. controlled burning in urban settings, role A Saturday night social was located at Tall She will shadow current president Anne of fire in natural history of red cockaded Timbers Research Station, a fitting spot as Cox for a year to “learn the ropes” and woodpecker, flatwoods salamander, a center of research on prescribed burns take office as the Society’s president in longleaf pine ecosystem, pine-grassland and the longleaf pine ecosystem. May 2016. Other incoming officers plant communities, prescribed fire and include our own Debbie Chayet, For central Florida residents like us, public engagement, “the natural and continuing as vice-president of Tallahassee offers a wonderful change of unnatural history of fire in Florida”, fire administration, a position to which she pace for field trips, and the conference did management on private land, flower was appointed last year to fill a vacancy. not disappoint in this regard. Conference- Kim Zarillo (Conradina Chapter) will visitors under fire regimes, and fire goers were treated to marvelous continue in her role as treasurer. New at- ecology and the Florida Master Naturalist wildflowers, pitcher plant bogs, longleaf large directors are Winnie Park Said (Palm pine and wiregrass forests, calcareous Beach Chapter) and Peter Rogers upland glades, and kayaking on the (Conradina Chapter). Peter is replacing Dave Feagles (Serenoa Chapter), who is Wakulla River. incoming Chairman of the Council of At the annual members meeting on Chapters, replacing Julie Becker Saturday afternoon, a change in the (Tarflower Chapter). Society’s bylaws was adopted that changes Despite its distance from Pinellas, our the way the president is elected. chapter had a good showing. Attending Previously, a new FNPS president was elected every other year in even-numbered from Pinellas were Debbie Chayet, Sue years, with the president serving on the Taylor, Ray Wunderlich, Craig and Alexa FNPS board for three years, two as Huegel, Connie Price, Jim McGinity, and president and then one as past president. myself. The 2016 conference will be quite The new bylaws switches the election to a bit closer, as it will be hosted by the odd-numbered years, and the president- Pawpaw Chapter in Daytona Beach. Save elect will now serve for four years: one the date—May 19-22, 2016!

…..Conservation continued from page 5 CLEARWATER CHRISTIAN COLLEGE PINELLAS COUNTY Clearwater Christian College has closed their doors. Located on old Tampa Bay, the property is home to nesting eagles and may come Clearwater residents seeking to preserve one of Pinellas on the market soon. Due to its waterfront location it may become an County's last pieces of undeveloped land on Old Tampa Bay attractive property for development. The property's zoning is are a step closer to seeing it turned into a park (Tampa Bay classified as institutional. There are 28 acres of uplands and 85 Times) acres of low elevation and protected wetlands. This may be worth monitoring for conservation issues. See Tampa Bay Times article. In a zoning hearing on June 9th, commissioners left the door open to the idea of a park on about 12 acres near 164th Avenue and 49th Street, at the south end of the Bayside Be Active Bridge. Neighbors and representatives from local chapters of the Audubon Society and Sierra Club now want the If you have a personal opinion on a conservation topic, commission to take the next step: put the county land back on please contact your representative or the contact provided an agenda, rezone it for "resource-based recreation" and with each topic. If you are aware of a conservation topic, create a passive park. That would give visitors access while particularly about native plants in Pinellas County, please protecting the habitat offered by wooded uplands, wetlands share with your FNPS Chapter [email protected] and thick clusters of mangrove trees along Old Tampa Bay.

8 2015 Issue 3 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS FANN TRADE SHOW by Lisa Boing Day 1: Native Plant Adaptations, Native Plants for Stormwater Ponds, This year’s Florida Association of Landscaping for Pollinators, and Native Nurseries (FANN) Trade Show Native Plants for S. FL Butterfly & was held 9-10 April 9 at Osceola Hummingbird Gardens Heritage Park Exhibition Building, Day 2: Native Plant Landscaping for Kissimmee, Fla. Shady Places, Creating Wildflower My friend and Florida native plant Gardens & Meadows Successfully, enthusiast Sue Taylor and I set out Simply Sabals - Florida Native Sabal early to Kissimmee to fulfill our Palms, and Natives vs. Invasives. passion of “all things native”! This Throughout the exhibition hall were was not our first trip together, having many booths of vendors of native shared expenses and experiences at the shrubs, wildflowers, trees, and liners Wildflower Symposium at Bok Tower (a trade name for a tray of similar in Lake Wales and the Florida Native small seedlings or plants) as well as Plant Society Convention in Ft. Myers, authors, mulch vendors, seeds vendors, but this was our first experience at a vendors of wildlife food, and trade show together. It proved not to specialized nurseries who were be a disappointing trip. promoting publications and apps of packed a few plants in my Sonata, Sue, being the Secretary of the Pinellas native plants. Need a restoration to a armed with insight as to proper Chapter of the Florida Native Plant pond or large meadow or tract of land? plantings for the right ecosystem, sun Society and I, a Master Gardener and There were people selling their light requirements, as well as Florida Botanical Garden Board services for that, too. The folks at the knowledge about some plants we had Member, were hoping to meet and booths were very happy to share their never heard of before. learn about native plant vendors in our vast knowledge and experience with us area. As an added bonus, we had the and share a list of plants they were We highly recommend anyone who opportunity to hear from a panel of growing and of course, selling. wants to increase their knowledge of expert speakers on topics which native plants to attend this trade show Toward the end of the show on Friday, included: next year. It is a great source of plants were available for purchase by information and a way to make new the public. As attendees of the Trade connections with vendors in your area. Show, we were able to pick up a few We overheard Cammie Donaldson, plants early to bring home for the who runs the show, say that FANN is Native Area of the Florida Botanical the largest association of native Garden in Largo, where Sue and I nurseries in the country. Great people, volunteer on Wednesdays. We snugly a great time, and well done!!

SILENT PLANT AUCTION

D o y o u h a v e n a t i v e p l a n t s volunteering in your garden? Please pot them up and bring to a monthly program (1st Wednesday of each month at Moccasin Lake Nature Preserve). A silent auction is held each month. Your extra plants will go home with someone trying to establish n a t i v e s i n t h e i r o w n y a rd o r community project AND the proceeds benefit the Pinellas Chapter FNPS!

The Understory 9 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS PARKS TO VISIT IN PINELLAS

The Hammock Did you know? The Hammock is a beautiful nature park in the city of Dunedin. It is a large multi-use urban park with butterfly garden, disc golf, trails, boardwalks, salt and freshwater that Florida native plants were in wetlands, creeks, dry uplands and mesic woods. Dogs are allowed on leash, biking is Florida before European supported, and kayaking is possible when tides are high. The park boasts 95 acres with settlement wildlife habitat supporting otter, gopher tortoise, marsh rabbit, woodland and wading birds, and much more. The natural range of a Florida native plant includes part of Florida. An active friends group, Florida native plants are adapted to Friends of the Hammock, physical conditions, weather, and h e l p s t o a d d r e s s other features of their home range. management issues such Native plants provide wildlife as development pressure, benefits and mutual support under removal and ongoing natural conditions. prevention of invasive species encroachment, and that exotic plants come from a h a b i t a t l o s s o r different region or part of the maintenance. Before you world go, check out Friends of the Hammock website: The Butterfly Garden at The Hammock is well-cared for An exotic plant (also called non- http://hammockpark.org and worth a visit. Here, Theresa Polgar arrives for native, introduced, or alien) has its weekend maintenance. Photo by E. Raabe origins somewhere other than Be forewarned, Pinellas Florida. An exotic plant might C o u n t y i s t h e m o s t require extra resources (water, developed county in fertilizer) to survive. An exotic Florida. The park and plant might “naturalize” - grow on butterfly garden are highly its own in Florida. OR an exotic recommended for viewing plant might be so aggressive it native plants and plant becomes invasive. communities, wildlife habitat, and "old Florida" landscapes. But this park that an invasive plant is so well- and many others also adapted that it is a problem c o n t a i n e x o t i c a n d An invasive plant is usually an invasive plants (see Did exotic, or non-native, plant that has You Know page 10). In “naturalized” and become a addition to native plants, n u i s a n c e , i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h you may see invasive ecosystems, agriculture, or the plants such as torpedo economy. grass, Brazilian pepper, non-native palms, Boston fern, air potato, Mexican that not all exotic plants are The Hammock is an urban nature-park with disc golf, invasive petunia, Chinese tallow, trails, and boardwalks in addition to natural habitat. bamboo, rosary pea, and Photo by E. Raabe Less than 300 of the 20,000 exotic more. plants introduced to Florida are Curlew Creek Park considered to be invasive.

Also in Dunedin, two-acre Curlew Creek Park is on the south side of Curlew in the Read more about terms or about middle of housing and condominium developments. This site has towering oaks non-native invasive plant covered with ferns and air plants, a stately longleaf pine, coral bean, St. Andrew's assessments at IFAS assessment Cross, spice bush, and wetlands along a creek with a small spring. This site is worth a 30-minute walk to experience a remnant sandy upland and running stream.

10 2015 Issue 3 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS

COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

Our Chapter can help FNPS achieve its mission of conserving, preserving, and restoring native plants and native plant communities with the help of our members. Your participation in the Chapter, with local parks, or at home is encouraged.

Remember, your volunteer hours are a flexible gift. Give what you can and when you can. Taking your family for a walk to enjoy nature is a way of volunteering by teaching the next generation to appreciate our natural resources. Please do that and be happy. If you are happy giving a few hours on a weekend to remove invasive species from a park, please do that and be happy. If you are happy writing articles, planning programs or field trips, manning a booth, managing an event, or being active in conservation, then please do that and be happy. In any case, your interest, your dedication, and your joy brings joy to everyone around you. We are all better for that! How do you volunteer? Please share.

Volunteer opportunities currently available: • Volunteer Coordinator • Field Trip Coordinator • Plant Festival Manager • Hospitality Provider • Membership Coordinator • Program Coordinator • Sales Table Manager More information about these positions can be found at: http:// pinellas.fnpschapters.org/volunteer/ ***** Our volunteers are the best. Thank you to our members, Sunset House & Gardens new and old, and thank you to our business members. They “A place to relax, recharge and explore” support the Florida Native Plant Society. Please support them. ***** 1246 Sunset Point Rd Clearwater, FL 33755 This is your newsletter. As always, please feel free to 727-543-3010 contribute. Understory Editor, Ellen Raabe http://www.sunsethouseandgardens.com

The Understory 11 PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS Chapter Directory “To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature" ~ Auguste Rodin

Officers Committee Chairs and Coordinators Candy Arnold, President [email protected] Advocacy/Conservation: Katy Roberts Kodiak Brothers, Vice President, [email protected] Sue Taylor, Secretary, [email protected] Artist: Cathy Vogelsong Donna Trott, Treasurer, [email protected] Events/Displays: Andy Karpinski Jan Allyn, Chapter Representative [email protected] Fall Plant Sale Coordinator: Mary McMahon Claudia Lewis, Past President, [email protected] Hospitality: Kodiak Brothers Membership Coordinator: Nancy Bickner Board Members Programs/ Field Trips: Vacant Debbie Chayet [email protected] Publicity: Carlton Rowell Andrew Karpinski, [email protected] Sales/Merchandise: Vacant Katy Roberts, [email protected] Social Media: Katy Roberts and Donna Trott Ellen Raabe, [email protected] Understory Editor: Ellen Raabe Lisa Boing, Native Plant Demonstration Garden Liaison Volunteer Coordinator: Vacant [email protected] Web Master: Jan Allyn

12 2015 Issue 3

PINELLAS CHAPTER FNPS FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY The mission of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.

Join us at monthly meetings for inspirational speakers, on field trips to see natural habitats, at plant sales, or visit local plant nurseries specializing in native plants. Visit us online. Pinellas Chapter web address: http://pinellas.fnpschapters.org/ FNPS Blog: http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com

Follow us onTwitter @FNPSonline

Like us on Facebook Pinellas Chapter FNPS

Join us on meetup

Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society 2015 Issue 3

Pinellas Chapter Florida Native Plant Society P.O. Box 1661 Pinellas Park, Florida 33780-1661

The Understory 13