The Nature Coastline Newsletter of the Nature Coast Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society A Message from the President September - October 2018 In this issue: Meetings/Programs Field Trips Lessons from the Landscape by Julie Wert Karen P Watrous Trail Mix: Antidotal Evidence by John Lampkin Happy to Say Goodbye to the Hot Summer….. Or Maybe Plant Profile: Not Eastern Silver Aster You may be saying how happy you are ra longwings than ever or how the Red- Symphyotrichum concolor to see the end of our hot summer and bellied woodpecker family enjoys the that you cannot wait for the pleasant garden and all the native plants you fall weather. But Wait! What has been have to offer them. And all of this is happening in your garden in the heat? because YOU have planted Native Butterflies, Bumblebees and Birds of all plants. It is true: If you plant it they will types have been thriving and pollinating come. Just today, Rob and I checked and putting on a show for all of us. the wild lime in the front yard. We Everyone I talk to has a story about the spotted a giant swallowtail egg, a larva giant swallowtails or noticing more zeb- and a chrysalis. To Florida Native Plant See PRESIDENT, page 4 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 The Society fulfills its mission through: trips, and activities are open to FNPS • Support for conservation land acquisition members and the public alike. • Land management that enhances habitat suitabil- ity for native plants Monthly meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday • Education of each month at 7 p.m. • Public policies that protect our native flora, espe- Location: cially rare species Land O’ Lakes Community Center • Research on native plant species 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd (US 41) • Encouragement of local landscaping practices and Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639 policies that preserve Florida's native plant herit- age In the back meeting room. Entrance is off the courtyard - on the south To become a member go to FNPS.org and click on side of the building. “Join/Support” at the upper right-hand corner of screen. Print form, complete, and mail form to FNPS, Chapter website: pasconativeplants.org or call. You may also join at a chapter meeting. Chapter E-mail: [email protected] www.facebook.com/PascoNativePlants twitter.com/NatureCoastFNPS MEMBERSHIP LEVELS FNPS website: http://www.fnps.org/ Gold $500 Patron $250 Business $150 Non-Profit $150 Supporting $100 Household $50 A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL Individual $35 INFORMATION FOR THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, A Full Time Student $15 FLORIDA-BASED NONPROFIT CORPORATION (REGISTRATION OR BOOST YOUR SUPPORT by renewing as a Sustain- NO. CH3021), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF ing Member -- easy $10 monthly payments automati- CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-HELP- cally and securely charged to your credit card. CREDIT FLA (435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING THEIR WEB- CARD PAYMENT REQUIRED. No checks/invoicing. Sus- SITE AT csapp.800helpfla.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT taining membership remains in effect as long as you IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPR wish and your card number is valid. OFFICERS: President: Jonnie Spitler 813.435.8143 [email protected] Vice President: Mary Ellen Gotto 727.264.8701 [email protected] Secretary: Julie Wert 727.863.1363 [email protected] Treasurer: Stephen Joyce 813.767.3131 [email protected] Chapter Representative, Field Trip Chair & Facebook Administrator Gail Parsons 813.920.2730 [email protected] CHAIRPERSONS: Newsletter Editor: Karen Watrous 813.528.2368 [email protected] Publicity Chair: Sandra Vanno 727.376.7663 [email protected] Membership: Deb Tribbey 727.857.6583 [email protected] Library Chair: Sharon Holding 727.247.7367 [email protected] Refreshments: Rebecca Dance 813.929.9882 [email protected] Conservation Chair: Jan Howie 727.848.7689 [email protected] Program Chair: Pat Kelly 352.424.2224 [email protected] CHAPTER Plant Sale Coordinator: Peggy Gretchen 813.991.4812 [email protected] DIRECTORY Volunteer Coordinator: Jean Nixon [email protected] Landscape Consultant:: Annie Johnson 352.518.0545 [email protected] Website Coordinator: Cheryl McAloon 813.928.7724 [email protected] Meetings/Programs Climate-Wise Landscaping: Plant Identification: Practical Actions for a All Those Pesky Little Parts Sustainable Future Speaker: Ginny Stibolt Speaker: Katie MacMillan September 11 October 9 7 PM 7 PM This program is based on Ginny’s new book she wrote with You’re walking through the woods and the person ahead of Sue Reed, a landscape Architect, and a foreword by Doug you on the trail is calling out plant names, one after another. Tallamy. It will take an optimistic approach on climate How do they know which plant is which? In some cases, it’s change with many actions people can take now to accom- easy, when a plant has a unique appearance, like partridge plish at least one of 3 objectives: 1) help the landscape berry, or Adam’s needle. But what if a plant has lookalike survive climate change, 2) help wildlife survive climate siblings? Then it comes down to small botanical differences. change, 3) help to mitigate climate change. Even Come join us for a hands-on experience using loupes though this book is not specifically for Florida, this presen- (magnifiers) to see the small parts of plants, and a dichoto- tation will be targeted to actions most important for Floridi- mous (two-choice) key to identify the plants by those small ans. Signed copies of Ginny’s book (which retails for parts. $29.95) will be offered for sale for $25 (cash or check only). Speaker Bio: Katie Mac Millen’s parents taught her to be a Speaker Bio: Ginny Stibolt began her professional life as a nature geek as soon as she could toddle down trails and dig teacher of math, science, business, and computer courses in the back yard. She holds a BA in Geology and English from 7th grade through college. She is a life-long gardener from Carleton College in Minnesota and an MS in Environ- with a Master of Science degree in Botany from the Univer- mental Studies from the University of Montana. She has sity of Maryland. Since moving to Florida in 2004, she has taught Environmental Education and is currently a Pasco written 4 peer-reviewed books on Florida gardening all pub- County Biologist. lished by University Press of Florida. In addition, she has written hundreds of gardening and nature articles for vari- ous publications. She speaks regularly to environmental and gardening groups. Her website is www.GreenGardeningMatters.com. Field Trips Saturday, September 15 Saturday, October 13 Local Native Nurseries Aripeka Sandhills Preserve Wesley Chapel & 18000 Aripeka Road Land O’ Lakes area Hudson, FL 34667 9 AM 9 AM Meet in former Kmart parking lot on Collier Parkway and Katie MacMillen will be our leader while we all practice SR 54 (Beside Vallarta’s). We will carpool to 2 different what we learned in her “Plant ID” program the previous native nurseries. Tuesday. October is the a great time for finding fall wild- flowers. Lunch at nearby restaurant. Contact field trip leader if you plan on coming or have questions. [email protected] or 813-928-1412 Contact field trip leader if you plan on coming or have questions. [email protected] or 813-928-1412 The Nature Coastline 3 Heartwood Preserve hrough the central part of Heartwood Preserve is a Cypress Dome Wetland. We invite you on a guided walk with our guest host Anne Sylvester. Anne is a Florida Master Naturalist. For over 10 Tyears Anne has taught Environmental Education at Crystal Springs Preserve, which is a field trip destination for K- College students. Previously, Anne was an Eco-Tour guide for Jay B. Starkey’s ‘Flatwoods Adventures’, on the Stark- ey Ranch sharing the flora, fauna & history of the working cattle ranch. Come tromp through our lush Heartwood August 25, 2018 swamp → bring your boots. 9 a.m - 10 a.m Please RSVP Bring water ▪ Wear sunscreen, insect repellant & hat ▪ Wear closed-toe shoes or boots ▪ Free event ▪ All ages welcome ▪ 4100 Starkey Blvd., Trinity ▪ 727-376-5111 ▪ www.HeartwoodPreserve.com PRESIDENT, from Page 1 Society folks, this is exciting. So, enjoy the rest of our hot November 17th Upcycle Festival in New Port Richey. summer because the Fall is going to be very busy for our Please consider volunteering for a few hours to hand out chapter. brochures and talk about the chapter. Speaking of our busy chapter, we have a few new things October 20th is the Fall Plant Sale. We will need as many that have been happening while you have been enjoying of you as possible to spend time helping out. Pat Kelly will nature. We have a new LOGO! It depicts a cabbage palm be organizing the volunteers and is planning a terrific sale on the Nature Coast. We will use the logo on our website at a new venue in Land O’ Lakes. Check the newsletter for and Nature Coast materials. When people see the logo, the details. they will immediately think of our chapter. A great deal of hard work was put into creating this. I would like to thank December 1st is a very important date. This is a mini- Cheryl McAloon for urging us to do it and keeping the ball conference of Pinellas, Suncoast and Nature Coast chap- rolling, Julie Wert for the artwork and Shirley Denton of ters held at Brooker Creek Preserve, a beautiful nearby the Suncoast Chapter for helping Cheryl get it just right for location.