Why Are Native Plants Important?

Over the millenia, plants, insects, birds, and soil enhabitants have learned to not only tolerate each other, but also to depend upon each other. In a natural, native ecosystem, everything works together. Humans have drastically altered the landscapes with non-native plants and various poisons, which has upset these natural balances. But, research by Doug Tallamy and many others has shown that even small landscapes filled with native plants can make a significant difference in restoring the local working ecosystem.

As the saying goes, "Real butterfly gardeners cheer when something is eating their plants." 

To learn why native plants are so important, watch this 4-minute Doug Tallamy video. 

Also, watch this short video by Roger Hammer on FNPS. His native yard's bird count is 171!

Native Plant Selection

Florida has quite a number of different natural ecosystems including dry uplands, wetlands, mangrove forests, saltmarshes and more. When you are considering Florida natives for your yard or for your community, it's helpful to learn about the natural habitats that might have been in place before your neighborhood was developed. The Florida Native Plant Communities webpage on the FNPS site is an eye-opener. 

When selecting a plant, even a native plant, choose the “Right Plant for the Right Place”, that is, match the plant’s needs with the existing yard conditions for success. Some examples to consider are their preferences for sun/shade, moist/dry, and sandy/rich soil. You'll also want to know its mature size.

Also, Florida is a large state, so just because a plant is native to Florida, that doesn't mean that it's native to all of Florida. The plant profiles of recommended native plants on the FNPS website's Native Plants for Your Area will provide the information you need to make good choices. 

In addition, here are some local plant recommendations:

- A list of favorite natives compiled by Jake Ingram, landscape architect and Ixia member. These plants (68 in total with 24 “favorites” marked with *) are all inhabitants of upland sites in Florida and, with three or four exceptions, are native to NE Florida counties, USDA Zones 8B & 9A. Reliable, Durable and Dependable Native Plants for Northeast Florida

- Suggested Florida native plant replacements for exotic and invasive plants:  AlterNatives for Northeast Florida (This was a brochure that the Ixia Chapter designed as a handout to help educate people how to replace known, non-native invasive plants with sustainable natives.)

Native Landscaping Videos

FNPS and Karina Veaudry, a landscape architect who has been incorporating Florida natives in her designs and installations, have made this series of videos available to everyone. So if you don't know where to start, these videos will provide the background you need to get started and for the long run.

• Native Florida Landscape Design Series Introduction 
• Native Florida Landscape Design Part 1 - Why Go Native? 
• Native Florida Landscape Design Part 2 - Design Techniques 
• Native Florida Landscape Design Part 3 - Commercially-Available Natives 

Books for working with native plants in your yard and in your community:

(Using these links to purchase the books from Amazon
will generate a small payment to FNPS.)

• “Florida’s Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals”. Gil Nelson.
• “The Art of Maintaining a Florida Native Landscape”. Ginny Stibolt.
• "A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard" Ginny Stibolt, Marjorie Shropshire
• For other recommended books on Florida's native plants and native ecosystems go to The FNPS Book page

Native Plant Resource Links

• Florida Native Plant Society is a great starting point to find specific plants and plants based on your location and needs
• Florida Native Plants on UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions has numerous links to information about specific species & other UF/IFAS publications about native plants
• Plant Real Florida has a search features to find specific plants, plants that grow naturally in your area, retail & online plant nurseries, native plant landscapers & much more information about native plants
• Florida Wildflower Foundation has a lot of informaiton about growing Florida native wildflowers
• Hawthorne Hill Florida Native Wildflowers is a collection of blog entries written by Craig Huegel, a professor, ecologist, and author of numerous books about Florida native plants
• Florida Museum lets you search for wildflowers that support butterflies
• Sharon's Florida is a fun and informative website created by a FNPS member in Central Florida. Of particular note, it has a page listing all of the Florida native milkweeds
• National Wildlife Foundation Keystone Plants by Ecoregion lets you search by zip code to idenfity native plants in your area that support a wide variety of bee, butterflies, moths and other pollinators
• Atlas of Florida Plants covers more than 4,700 species of native or naturalized plants in Florida. Each plant profile includes a range map and usually several photos. This website is the authority as to whether a plant is native or not native.
• Floraquest.com is an Interactive dichotomous key by the University of North Carolina Herbarium.
• Alan Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern States lets you search for native plants by a variety of criteria
• University of Florida IFAS publication Plant Propagation Techniques for the Florida Gardener

Books:

• Check out our Library page for books that FNPS members can check out. The book list on that page are all recommended titles for learning more about native plants. Most of the books listed are available for purchase from Amazon.
• For other recommended books on identifying Florida's native plants go to The FNPS Book page
• The Jacksonville Public Library system has a large selection of books about Florida native plants. Search by subject for "Florida Native Plants."

Native Plant Landscapers and Nurseries:

• Check out pur page Local Business & Non-Profit Partners for a list of nearby nurseries and other business that sell native plants

Where To See Florida Native Plants:

• Native Park 3306 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204

• But to see real Florida native ecosystems it's best to sign up for some of our our guided field trips or get out on your own into natural areas, preserves, or state parks.  Subscribe to our periodic newsletter that lists upcoming programs and events by clicking the Subscribe button on the sidebar or by sending an email with your name and email address to ixiachapter@gmail.com.