Welcome to the homepage for the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
The Ixia Chapter serves the northeast Florida counties of Clay, Duval and Nassau
Clickable Index to Our Website Content
Upcoming Events 
Native Plants
Resources
Native Park
Information about the chapter's adopted Native Park
Conservation Newsletter
Weekly newsletter pubished by the chapter's conservation director, Chadd Scott, with conservation and environmenal news about Florida and the nation
Local Business & Non-Profit Partners
Nurseries in northeast Florida that sell native plants, designers, landscapers, installers & maintainers who use native plants and other businesses and non-profits. All are members of the Florida Native Plant Society.
Chapter News Briefs
Short news briefs about what the Ixia Chapter has been doing.
Chapter Team
Listing of current officers and directors; contact information
# # #
In Memoriam: Sally Steinauer, 1934-2023
A powerful proponent of the native plant movement and a tireless supporter of their use in home landscaping, Sally Steinauer passed away Saturday, August 12th at the age of 89. Sally was a founding member of the Ixia Chapter and served in many Board positions throughout the years. She developed an early interest in native plants and began turning her own yard in that direction decades ago.
Her career path included employment at Jacksonville’s Parks and Recreation Department and she was instrumental in making the Ixia Chapter the official steward of Native Park in 2010, responsible for planning and implementing its improvements and ongoing maintenance to this day. She is still remembered with fondness by many members for being there every month for workdays, where she could always be found on hands and knees in her exclusive domain “Coontie Corner.” While tending to its every need, her head of curly white hair bobbed up and down as she moved, her little great granddaughter thought she lived there.
Her years as Ixia Chapter president brought her own sense of fun and delight into meetings. Newcomers were warmly welcomed, a social period with refreshments evolved and attendance soared. She created partnerships with many other organizations with shared goals. She coordinated on our popular “AlterNatives” brochure and her sunny smile and little hats lit up many an Ixia Chapter outreach table.
Her tributes poured in from old and new members alike upon hearing the news of her death. Many mentioned her charming yard that hosted many meetings and yard tours through the years - “all the starry rosinweed in my yard came from her yard”, “it overflowed with lush beauty and all wildlife was welcomed there” and “joyous landscape of native plants” – are only a few of the comments received. Others wrote how she was responsible for their passion for natives, a dynamo and fun to be with, a kind-hearted person who loved to talk about natives, and a great international traveler. Sally was funny, adventurous and eager to see and learn new things.
Sally’s son contacted our chapter to let us know of her passing after a prolonged illness. He mentioned one of her final wishes was to make a donation to our chapter. Her family plan to place a bench in our adopted Native Park in remembrance of all her many hours spent tending her beloved plants and to memorialize her name to all who stop there to rest.
Written by Bonnie Sinatro, Director of the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
# # #
Native Park Turns 100
Check out the UF/IFAS Blog about the 100th anniversary of Native Park at the following link. Also, watch our Event Newsletters and Events tab on this website for infomation about a Centennial Celebration later this year.
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/duvalco/2023/07/10/jax-native-park/
# # #
Homegrown National Park is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks. It is the largest cooperative conservation project ever conceived or attempted. The initial goal is 20 million acres of native plantings in the U.S. This represents approximately ½ of the green lawns of privately-owned properties.
For more information and to get your yard on the map, go to https://homegrownnationalpark.org
