the pawpaw press Newsletter of the Pawpaw Chapter of the Native Society: August 2015 august meeting Native bromeliads face uncertain future Jay Thurrott, president idana. Jay kindly brought of the Bromeliad Society along trays full of the International, gave the latter two so everyone got Pawpaw Chapter a fas- a native bromeliad to take cinating look at Florida’s home. native bromeliads and the Unfortunately, many of threats they face at the Florida’s native bromeli- August meeting. ads are under threat from Bromeliads are a neo- man, in the form of loss tropical family, Jay told of habit, and from nature, us, meaning that all of in the form of the Mex- them are naturally found ican bromeliad weevil. was first discovered, and bromeliad population on in the New World. In the The weevil has quickly Jay showed us devastating a tree had been wiped out. , they are made its way north from photos of trees in Port — Doug Hunt/ only found along the east South Florida, where it Orange where the whole photo by Sande Habali coast, to as far north as Virginia. fnps conference 2016 Jay first introduced us to Spanish moss (Tilland- sia usneoides), perhaps the Donations needed for auction best known of Florida’s One of the biggest fund from local businesses, and be appreciated. 16 of bromeliads. raisers to support the gardening supplies. Please contact Ray There are also two natu- annual conference of the We are currently ac- Jarrett with any items rally occurring hybrids. Florida Native Plant So- cepting donations for the that you wish to donate He showed examples ciety is the silent auction. upcoming annual confer- or items that you solicit of bromeliads found in Items included in the auc- ence being held in Dayto- for the auction. E-mail: Volusia County, including tion consist of technical/ na Beach in 2016. Anyone [email protected]; bartramii, T. field books on and who can help contribute phone: 386-2950481 fasciculata, T. recurvata, Florida natural history, an item or solicit items for —Ray Jarrett T. utriculata and T. × flor- artwork, gift certificates the auction would greatly upcoming events: september Pawpaw meeting: Presentation by Chris Fall wildflower walk with Dr. Susan Carr. 14 Waltz of the Florida Milkweed Project 26 Contact: [email protected] council of chapters Push for publicity The highlight of the bution of the new “Native FNPS Council of Chap- Plant of he Year” posters. ters and Board Meeting Blazing star (Liatris spp.) held at Orlando’s Turkey has the inaugural honor Lake Park on August 15 of being the 2015 “Florida was meeting the new Native Plant of the Year”. FNPS Director of Devel- All chapters of FNPS opment, Andy Taylor. will get a statewide pub- He is already coordi- licity blitz of their Octo- nating a state wide push ber activities and events, to have October designat- inviting all Florida public ed as the Florida Native officials, friends, and Plant Society Month. neighbors to participate. Publicity should include —Sonya Guidry proclamations and distri-

In memoriam: Don Lieb august field trip by saying it is known to the festivities. Yet another pillar of tinue to follow to date. bloom from August to After lunch and the our Pawpaw Chapter Over the years with March. So this one was plant swap it was just a has been lost. Don Lieb his wife, Jeannie, Don Sleuthing and swapping barely an early bird. short drive over to the and his gardening wife, also lent both hands We also saw a terrestri- Shell Bluff boat launch on Jeannie, came to us in and back to the Pawpaw on the shores of Little Lake al orchid ready to bloom, a much bigger lake, Cres- the early years when Chapter, as it installed probably a Habenaria spp. cent Lake, where folks the chapter was several native Shell Bluff Park west Carolyn Kiel also discov- looked all the way across struggling to garden projects in of Bunnell was the site ered the neat spiraling to Crescent City, where organize itself. Volusia and Flagler Gail and Mike Duggins seed spike of slender we had our lunch at Three Don had Counties. selected for the Pawpaw woodoats (Chasmanthium Bananas back in January. recently retired For many, Don Chapter’s August 22 plant laxum). What a view! as comptrol- Lieb will be most swap. What a wonderful The group also collect- New member Warren ler from Ohio remembered as the hide-away park on Little ed four bags of invasive Reynolds was inspired State University smiling, cheerful, Lake this turned out to be, Caesarweed (Urena lo- to consider bringing his Hospital. So fortune nimble-footed mon- complete with picnic shel- bata). A more horrifying kayak over and paddling smiled on us June 18, ey-taker at our annual ter, restrooms, and deeply discovery made by Mark up the creek to Little Lake 1991, when Don stepped native plant auctions. shaded nature trails. Wheeler was Japanese Park. From the looks of up to offer this foundling Though retired to In addition to sprays of Plant Spotting” for find- climbing fern (Lygodium things he had better bring chapter his highly capa- Florida, Don remained shoestring ferns (Vittaria ing an early blooming japonicum). The roots his machete or loppers to ble skills as treasurer, a an avid Ohio State Buck- lineata) and a young red white-flowered green-fly were almost impossible break through the vegeta- position he would hold eye fan. So when my buckeye (Aesculus pavia), orchid (probably Epiden- to remove completely, but tion to access Lake Little. until 2003. front-yard buckeye bush we found a number of drum magnoliae). Paul we filled a bag with the Despite the soaking Even as the chapter blooms in February or “green dragons” (Ari- Martin Brown, in his spore-bearing vines. humidity and the need for forged ahead to establish March, I’ll think of Don saema dracontium) and book Wild Florida Or- The more than a dozen some insect repellent, it itself as a 501(c)3 (not Lieb. The over-winter- endangered angularfruit chids (University of Flori- Pawpaw members who was a pleasant day spent for profit) entity, Don ing hummingbirds will milkvine (Gonolobus da Press), puts this orchid participated were happy in a hydric hammock. laid a very clear account- say thank you! suberosus). Carolyn Kiel in the locale where it was to have Eric Powell from —Story and photos by ing format that we con- —Sonya Guidry was dubbed “Queen of found and surprised me the Sea Oats Chapter join Sonya Guidry plant of the month A pollinator friend for sun or shade Scorpion-tail (Heliotro- be used in landscaping as pium angiospermum) is a a tall ground cover or a long-lived perennial with small shrub. It propagates woody, branched stems by seed well, so give it and hairy leaves that room! alternate. The small white Scorpion-tail is native flowers are in two rows on from Volusia County hammocks. plants for their nectar. elongated, curved, termi- south to the Keys and In our yard, we have This information was nal spikes. These spikes from Pinellas County some scorpion-tails in found in two of Walter can grow three to four south into mainland shade and some in full Kingsley Taylor’s books feet tall. Scorpion-tail is Monroe County. It can be sun. The ones in full sun and the FNPS website. moderately salt tolerant found in disturbed sites, seem the happiest. Bees —Fran Burduck/ and grows in sand. It can shell mounds, and coastal and butterflies visit the photo by Doug Hunt september field trip upcoming events Wildflower In brief… september 14 Pawpaw walk, more Chapter meeting, 7 Join the Pawpaw p.m., Piggotte Center, Chapter for a guided fall 504 Big Tree Road, wildflower and native South Daytona. Chris plant ID walk with Dr. Waltz of the Florida Susan Carr on Sept. 26 Milkweed Project. at the Clearwater Lake october 10 Mark Wheel- Recreation Area in Ocala er will lead a walk on National Forest. After Mala Compra Green- a picnic lunch we will icance of forestry man- duced to $2.75 each. way Trails on A1A in travel farther west to agement. After our picnic lunch Palm Coast. (Harriet tour the Carr Family Difficulty: Moderately (bring your own) we Damesek coordinat- “Cabin in the Woods.” difficult due to length of will travel 15 minutes ing the carpool from Dr. Carr is a plant walk on uneven terrain. west to take a tour of the Ormond). ecologist, with her PhD Contact person: Sonya Carr Family “Cabin in october 12 Pawpaw work on the diversity of Guidry. Cell: (386) 690- the Woods,” where Dr. Chapter meeting, 7 native ground covers in 1797 Email: guidry.sonya Carr’s father and uncle, p.m. Ginny Stibolt will fire-maintained pine- @gmail who would grow up to speak on her latest lands. She has agreed to Carpools: Leave at become an astronomer book, The Art of Main- duplicate this trip for the 8:30 a.m. from Ormond and a herpetologist taining a Florida Native 2016 FNPS Conference. Publix and NSB Walmart respectively, spent many Landscape. Field trip goal: Not Meet: 9:30 a.m. at boyhood hours, growing october 24 TomokaFest: only do we want to see Clearwater Lake Recre- to love the environment Pawpaw Chapter will a great variety of fall ation Area, (SR 42, one and all its critters. provide outreach with wildflowers, but we want mile west of Paisley) —Sonya Guidry/ an exhibit, children’s to understand the signif- Admission fee: Re- Photo by Sandra Friend activity table, tours.