Volume 41: Number 1 > 2025
The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
2024 Garden of Excellence Awards ● 2025 Conference Preview ● Root Farming Pocket Gophers
Apply for an FNPS Grant Endowment Research Grants The Florida Native Plant Society maintains an Endowment Research Grant program for the purpose of funding research on native plants. These are small grants ($2,500 or less), awarded for a 1-year period, and intended to support research that forwards the mission of the Florida Native Plant Society, which is “to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.” Conservation Grants FNPS Conservation Grants support applied native plant conservation projects in Florida. These grants ($5,000 or less) are awarded for a one-year period. These projects promote the preservation, conservation, or restoration of rare or imperiled native plant taxa and rare or imperiled native plant communities. To qualify for a Conservation Grant, the proposed project must be sponsored by an FNPS Chapter. Dan Austin Award for Ethnobotany The Dan Austin Award for Ethnobotany will provide up to $1,500 to graduate or undergraduate students who are studying Florida ethnobotany (the study of the relationship between peoples or cultures with plants native to Florida or Florida ecosystems). These can be current uses or historic uses. Application guidelines and details are on the FNPS website at www.fnps.org —click on ‘What We Do/Awards and Grants’. Questions regarding the grant programs should be sent to info@fnps.org. Application deadline for the 2025 awards is March 1, 2025. Awards will be announced in May 2025.
We depend on you. It has never been more important to have an engaged Florida Native Plant Society serving as a voice for native plants. You can help us continue our previous success by building a strong financial foundation to meet this year's new challenges.
Your donations in 2024 helped fund these successes: l Fieldwork to conserve imperiled plant species l
Science/conservation grants to support research on native plants l Land Management Reviews to assist state land managers l Quick action to help protect nine state parks from the threat of development.
Help us expand our reach by making a tax-deductible donation to our Annual Fund. Donations can be made online at FNPS.org or by mail to PO Box 5007 Gainesville, FL 32627
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Volume 41:1 ● 2025
Staff Executive Director.................Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes Director of Communications and Programming.................Valerie Anderson Director of North Florida Programs and TorreyaKeepers Project Coordinator..............Lilly Anderson-Messec Operations Manager............Cherice Smithers
Board of Directors Past President..................................................Mark Kateli President.............................................................Eugene Kelly Vice President, Finance.............................Ann Redmond Vice President, Administration..............Athena Phillips Treasurer.............................................................Chris Moran Secretary............................................................Bonnie Basham Council of Chapters Representative..........................................Melanie Simon Directors at Large: ..................................................................................Adam Arendell ..................................................................................Susan Earley ..................................................................................Jane Graham ..................................................................................Gage LaPierre ..................................................................................Natalia Manrique ..................................................................................David Martin ..................................................................................Bailey Piper ..................................................................................Paul Schmalzer
To contact board members
FNPS Administrative Services: Call (321) 271-6702 or email info@fnps.org
Committee Chairs Communications............................................Vacant Conservation....................................................John Benton Council of Chapters......................................Melanie Simon Education............................................................Vacant Land Management Partners...................Vacant Policy & Legislation.....................................Eugene Kelly Science................................................................Paul Schmalzer
Society Services Administrative Services.............................Cherice Smithers Bookkeeping.....................................................Kim Zarillo Editor, Palmetto...............................................Marjorie Shropshire Webmaster........................................................Paul Rebmann
MEMBERSHIP Make a difference with FNPS Your membership supports the preservation and restoration of wildlife habitats and biological diversity through the conservation of native plants. It also funds awards for leaders in native plant education, preservation, and research. Memberships are available in these categories: Individual; Multi-member household; Sustaining; Lifetime; Full-time student; Library (Palmetto subscription only); Business or Non-profit recognition.
Features 4 2024 FNPS Garden of Excellence: Celebrating Florida's Outstanding Native Landscapes Article by Natalia Manrique 9 Polyphemus Moth Host Plant Results Update by Marc Minno
To provide funds that will enable us to protect Florida's native plant heritage, please join or renew at the highest level you can afford.
10 2025 FNPS Conference Preview Article by Athena Philips
To become a member: Contact your local chapter, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at https://fnps.org
12 Root Farming Pocket Gophers Article by F.E. “Jackˮ Putz
The purpose of the Florida Native Plant Society is to preserve, conserve, and restore the native plants and native plant communities of Florida. Official definition of native plant: For most purposes, the phrase Florida native plant refers to those species occurring within the state boundaries prior to European contact, according to the best available scientific and historical documentation. More specifically, it includes those species understood as indigenous, occurring in natural associations in habitats that existed prior to significant human impacts and alterations of the landscape. Follow FNPS online: Blog: http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/floridanativeplantsociety Instagram: https://instagram.com/floridanativeplantsociety/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/8016136 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@floridanativeplants Twitter: https://twitter.com/fl_native_plant YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yx7y897d
Palmetto Editor: Marjorie Shropshire ● Visual Key Creative, Inc. ● palmetto@fnps.org ● (772) 285-4286 (ISSN 0276-4164) Copyright 2025, Florida Native Plant Society, all rights reserved. No part of the contents of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without written consent of the editor. Palmetto is published four times a year by the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) as a benefit to members. The observations and opinions expressed in attributed columns and articles are those of the respective authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official views of the Florida Native Plant Society or the editor, except where otherwise stated.
ON THE COVER:
This restored tropical hardwood hammock in the heart of Coconut Grove was honored in the Florida Native Plant Society’s 2024 Garden of Excellence Awards. See article on page 4. Photo by Cassanas.
Editorial Content We welcome articles on native plant species and related conservation topics, as well as high-quality botanical illustrations and photographs. Contact the editor for guidelines, deadlines and other information.
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Article by Natalia Manrique
2024 FNPS Garden of Excellence: Celebrating Florida's Outstanding Native Landscapes The Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is delighted to present the winners of the 2024 Garden of Excellence Awards. These distinguished projects, recognized in the categories of Commercial and Institutional Landscaping, Habitat Restoration and Conservation, Pollinator and Wildlife Demonstration and Community Gardens, and Residential Landscaping, showcase exemplary use of native Florida plants to create beautiful, functional, and ecologically valuable spaces. From innovative stormwater management to habitat restoration and pollinator-friendly designs, these efforts embody the mission of FNPS: to preserve, conserve, and restore Florida’s native plants and their ecosystems. This article highlights the unique stories, designs, and ecological impacts of each award-winning project, celebrating their role as models of excellence in native landscaping. Ripple Effect: Turning Stormwater Into a Community Treasure Old Palm City’s Ripple Project Shows How Native Plants and Creative Design Can Restore Ecosystems and Connect a Neighborhood When you hear the words “stormwater treatment,” the first image that comes to mind probably isn’t a space filled with art, walking trails, and native plants. But in Old Palm City, a small neighborhood in Martin County, Florida has completely redefined what a stormwater treatment area (STA) can be with Ripple...as a Drop of Water Becomes a River. It’s not only part of a larger effort to clean up local waterways— it’s a beautiful community space where residents can connect with nature. Located near the St. Lucie River, which feeds into the Indian River Lagoon (one of the most diverse estuarine environments in North America), Old Palm City has struggled with pollution for 4 ● Palmetto
Ripple has redefined what a stormwater treatment area can be. It functions as part of a larger effort to clean up local waterways, while at the same time acting as a beautiful community space where residents can connect with nature. Photo by Jordan Pastorius.
decades. Aging septic systems, untreated stormwater runoff, and rapid development have all played a part in harming the estuary. The project was designed as a solution to address these environmental issues while also creating a space that benefits the community.
Ripple provides a creative approach to clean water. The project covers twenty acres and spans four county-owned parcels of land in Old Palm City. Originally, the area was filled with invasive plants, trash, and stagnant water—far from the vibrant, connected green space it is today. Through Volume 41:1 ● 2025
Above, from left: Ripple's wet detention area and pavilion is a relaxing place to birdwatch, and local kids enjoy fishing from the dock. The last stop for stormwater is the dry detention area, which filters stormwater before it enters the adjacent St. Lucie River. Photos by Jordan Pastorius.
a process called “creative placemaking,” the project transformed the lots into interconnected stormwater treatment areas that are now planted with Florida native species. The concept behind Ripple...as a Drop of Water Becomes a River was inspired by both the local landscape and the need to foster a deeper connection between residents and nature. As Lucy Keshavarz, the EcoArtist and project lead, explains, the project was about more than just stormwater treatment. “Using native plants was never a question,” Lucy says. “We knew they would provide the best ecological benefits by cleaning the water, supporting local wildlife, and giving the community a space that felt natural and tied to Florida’s environment.” This project wouldn’t have been possible without the forward-thinking approach of the Martin County Board of County Commissioners, whose commitment to using native plants has shown off in Ripple’s success. Their strong backing, along with proactive lobbying for funding, ensured that the project had the resources it needed to fully integrate ecological and community-centered goals. “Martin County staff understood the value of native plants from the start,” says Lucy, “and their efforts to secure funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were essential to making Ripple a reality.” From the beginning, the design of Ripple was shaped by both the environment and the community’s input. “We held several community engagement sessions where people shared how they wanted the space to feel.” “We wanted to balance the ‘wild’ look of native plants with pathways, seating, and educational elements to make the space welcoming.” Volume 41:1 ● 2025
The project design didn’t rely on completely reshaping the land either. Instead, the team worked with the existing topography, deepening some areas to hold water and selecting plants that would thrive in wetlands, swales, and retention areas. “The idea of ‘right plant, right place’ was critical,” Lucy explains. “We also knew that smart maintenance, rather than over-manicuring the landscape, would be essential to keeping the project healthy.” One of the most significant impacts of the project has been the dramatic improvement in water quality and local biodiversity. These are ecological benefits you can see. Before the project, the lots were described as “invasive species-filled, garbage-strewn, and mosquito-infested.” Now, these same spaces are teeming with life, from hummingbirds and wood ducks to marsh rabbits and snook. Beyond the ecological impact, Ripple also serves as an educational tool for the community. Marjorie Shropshire created the illustrated panels along the trails, offering information on both the natural history of the area and the connections between Old Palm City and its environment. Just by being there, Ripple is teaching people about the role native plants play in keeping our ecosystem healthy. While the project is officially complete, the space is far from static. Like any landscape, it will continue to grow and evolve. One of the unique aspects of Ripple is the opportunity to experiment with introducing more native species over time. The plan is to see how different plants perform and learn from the space as it matures. For Old Palm City, it’s become more than just a practical solution—it’s a place of beauty, learning, and connection.
Advice for Aspiring Native Plant Gardeners For those inspired by Ripple to create their own native plant landscapes, Lucy offers some simple advice: “Start small, and enjoy the process. Learning about native plants is like learning a beautiful new language, full of sights, smells, and sounds. Visit native gardens and nurseries, and experiment in your own yard. The key is understanding ‘right plant, right place’—and remember, smart maintenance is just as important as good design.” Thanks to the combined efforts of the local community, Martin County’s vision, and Ripple’s innovative design, this project stands as a testament to the power of native plants—not just to restore ecosystems, but to strengthen the bond between people and nature. Restoring the Longleaf Pine Sandhill Habitat: A Labor of Love and Legacy Peggy Sias Lantz, a charter member of the Florida Native Plant Society, has long been a passionate advocate for Florida’s native plants. Now, in her latest endeavor, she’s tackling a formidable challenge— restoring a five-acre longleaf pine sandhill habitat on her property along Red Gate Road in Orange County. This project, aimed at bringing back gopher tortoises, scrub lupine (Lupinus aridorum), and a range of other native species, is a testament to the power of dedication, vision, and perseverance. Peggy’s connection to the Florida Native Plant Society began in the late 1970s when she was asked to write an article for the very first issue of the FNPS newsletter. That initial writing assignment sparked not only a love for Florida’s native Palmetto ● 5
Peggy Sias Lantz is restoring a five-acre longleaf pine sandhill habitat on her property in Orange County. This project is aimed at bringing back gopher tortoises, scrub lupine (Lupinus aridorum), and a range of other native species. It is also a living testament to the beauty and resilience of Florida’s native ecosystems. Photos by Mac Camacho-Viera.
plants but also a fifteen-year tenure as the newsletter’s editor. Over the years, her deepening knowledge of native flora has only strengthened her resolve to promote native plant habitats. Restoring a habitat that had become overgrown with invasive species presented a daunting challenge. The woods, once home to mature longleaf pines, turkey oaks, and native wildflowers, had succumbed to invasive cherry trees, air potato vines, and other non-native species. With housing developments creeping closer, controlled burns—a traditional method for maintaining longleaf pine habitats—were no longer an option. But Peggy didn’t give up. “I found a machine that could chew up everything in its path,” Peggy explains. This mechanical solution allowed her to clear roughly three and a half acres of the overgrown woods. Working with Green Isle Gardens and Marc Godts, she reintroduced native plants suited to the longleaf pine/ sandhill habitat. The planting included twenty longleaf pines (Pinus palustris), ten saw palmettos (Serenoa repens), and thousands of native grasses and wildflowers. 6 ● Palmetto
The work didn’t stop at planting. During a particularly dry summer, Peggy diligently watered her new plantings, moving hoses and sprinklers nearly every day. She hand-pulled invasive plants and herbicided others, all while eagerly watching to see what would naturally return from seeds lying dormant in the soil. “I never knew it would be such fun to watch grass grow!” Peggy laughs, reflecting on the joy she finds in seeing the native species slowly reclaim the land. Native grasses have come back in force, young lupines are sprouting, and wildlife is returning to the area. Pileated and Hairy Woodpeckers have taken up residence in standing dead trees, and other animals are finding homes amidst the new plantings. As with any large-scale restoration project, the work is ongoing, and planning for the future is imperative. Green Isle Gardens has a five-year agreement to maintain the land, including the removal of invasive species and the use of herbicides where necessary. Though the project has been expensive, Peggy feels strongly that it’s worth every penny. Her hope is that her children will continue her work
and keep this precious habitat thriving. Peggy has shared her restoration journey with friends, family, and even her church community. Her series of short articles, titled Earth Care, appeared weekly in her church’s newsletter and garnered much interest. On her ninety-first birthday, a group from the Oakland Nature Preserve visited the site to celebrate with her and witness the progress firsthand. For Peggy, this project is more than just a personal achievement—it’s a legacy of conservation and education, a gift to future generations. The land she’s nurtured back to health is now a living testament to the beauty and resilience of Florida’s native ecosystems. Creating a Haven for Pollinators and Wildlife at Fanning Springs State Park At the entrance of Fanning Springs State Park, a vibrant pollinator garden now welcomes visitors, providing a glimpse of Florida’s native beauty and an example of conservation-focused landscaping. Led by Heather Blake and the Garden Club of the Tri-Counties, this project supports Volume 41:1 ● 2025
The pollinator garden at Fanning Springs State Park is an example of conservation-focused landscaping. The garden was designed to mirror the local environment, creating an ideal habitat for native pollinators and birds. It also is a model for park visitors, demonstrating how native plants can inspire conservation and support wildlife in home landscapes. Photos by Heather Blake.
pollinators, birds, and mental well-being and serves as a living testament to Florida’s rich ecosystems. The thoughtful design showcases how native plants can benefit wildlife while enhancing landscapes with a touch of “the Real Florida.” The idea for a pollinator garden first blossomed in 2018 when Assistant Park Manager Alex Kinder spoke to the Garden Club of the Tri-Counties. Conversations between Alex and Heather Blake, who served as the lead on this project, sparked a vision: replacing turf grass with native flora near the ranger station, where visitors enter and exit the park. This space would become a model for park-goers, demonstrating how native plants can support wildlife and inspire conservation efforts in home landscapes. A number of challenges occurred during the planning process. The biggest hurdle was obtaining approval from the state, requiring patience and perseverance from everyone involved. With Heather’s guidance and the commitment of the park staff, the team kept the project moving forward, setting a strong foundation for its success. To ensure the garden’s success, the Volume 41:1 ● 2025
team designed with local ecology in mind by carefully selecting plants suited to the site’s soil type and light conditions. By choosing species adapted to well-drained soils and natural light, the design mirrors the local environment, creating an ideal habitat for native pollinators and birds. Key plants include wiregrass (Aristida stricta), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), coral bean (Erythrina herbacea), firebush (Hamelia patens), dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis), pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), corky-stem passionflower (Passiflora suberosa), and coontie (Zamia integrifolia). Together, these species support biodiversity and enhance ecological resilience. Since its completion, the garden has not only attracted a wealth of pollinators and birdlife but has also drawn positive reactions from visitors. The Garden Club volunteers and park staff frequently receive comments and questions, showing the community’s interest in native landscaping. The steady presence of pollinators and birds highlights the garden’s success in providing food, shelter, and water for wildlife.
Advice for Aspiring Native Plant Gardeners For those inspired to create their own pollinator gardens, planning for the future is essential. Heather recommends considering the mature size of plants and recognizing that areas around young trees will transition from sun to partial shade as they grow. Grouping similar plants together creates a striking visual display and makes the garden more inviting to pollinators. A diversity of plants, including trees, shrubs, grasses, groundcovers, and perennials, adds layers to the garden. Structural elements should come first, with pollen and nectar plants filling in around them. Including host plants for specific butterfly species and providing a shallow, safe water source ensures that wildlife needs are met. Cleaning bird baths with a water and vinegar solution, rather than soap, is a simple step to keep pollinators safe. Looking forward, plans for expansion and education will allow the garden’s educational impact to grow even further. With approval from the state, interpretive signage and plant ID markers with QR Palmetto ● 7
codes will be added, offering visitors an opportunity to learn more about the plants and their role in Florida’s ecosystems. Thanks to Heather Blake’s leadership and the dedication of the Garden Club of the Tri-Counties, this pollinator garden stands as a shining example of what can be achieved with native plants and a commitment to conservation. It not only enhances the park’s natural beauty but also inspires visitors to bring a piece of Florida’s wild landscapes into their own lives. Rebuilding the Tropical Hardwood Hammock: A Journey in Native Landscaping In the heart of Coconut Grove, a restored tropical hardwood hammock is inspiring neighbors and visitors alike. This project
celebrates the power of ecological restoration, biodiversity, and sustainable land stewardship. It is a vision rooted in preservation and community impact. For the property owner, the daily erosion of native flora and fauna across Florida was a powerful motivator. “We wanted to recreate a piece of our natural world,” they shared. “Our goal was to bring back the native, tropical hardwood hammock ecosystem unique to Coconut Grove.” The aesthetic elegance of this hammock restoration, they noted, stands in beautiful contrast to the tropical, non-native landscapes often featured in media. The project’s challenges were primarily educational, involving a steep learning curve in native plant selection. Guided by experts like Michael Kuras of Kuras
Designs, NaMa Native Landscapes, and insights from the Florida Master Gardener Program, the team embraced every step in cultivating their knowledge of local plant communities. The transformation, from an overgrown and invasive-filled property to a landscape that reflects South Florida’s natural beauty, speaks to their dedication and vision. Positioned at the crossroads of the coastal strand and maritime thicket, this landscape beautifully reflects the natural ecological transitions of its environment. Along the coastal edges, beach creeper (Ernodea littoralis) anchors the ground, leading to a maturing canopy and forest characteristic of a maritime thicket—a stunning homage to Coconut Grove’s native plant progression. Key species like Chapman’s wild sensitive plant (Senna mexicana var. chapmanii), Bahama wild coffee (Psychotria ligustrifolia), and Bahama maidenbush (Heterosavia bahamensis) add depth and authenticity. Complementing this, a variety of native plants enrich the hammock-like landscape, including coontie (Zamia integrifolia), crabwood (Gymnanthes lucida), firebush (Hamelia patens), pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia), joewood Transformed from an invasive-filled property to a landscape that reflects South Florida’s natural beauty, this thriving wildlife habitat in Coconut Grove inspires local residents to consider similar restorations on their properties. Photos by Cassanas.
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(Jacquinia keyensis), and Key thatch palm (Thrinax morrisii). Together, over fifty different species contribute layers of biodiversity, creating vital habitats for local wildlife. The ecological benefits have been remarkable. During a recent garden tour, a local resident commented on the abundance of birdlife, describing it as “unlike anything seen before in Coconut Grove.” This thriving wildlife habitat has become a model for other residents, inspiring them to consider similar restorations on their properties.
Advice for Aspiring Native Plant Gardeners For those new to native landscaping, the property owner emphasizes the importance of investing time, resources and selecting knowledgeable advisors. They advocate for moving beyond partial solutions: “A 100% native landscape is the most practical contribution a Floridian can make to support their community and the environment.” With future plans to add stone structures for visitors to enjoy the surrounding wildlife, the restoration continues. Once
neglected, the property has transformed into a peaceful space for contemplating the beauty of Florida’s native flora and fauna—a project that stands as a testament to the power of ecological landscaping. About the Author Natalia Manrique is Chair of the FNPS Landscape Committee and co-owner of NaMa Native Landscapes and Flora of Miami. Natalia has dedicated her career to promoting sustainable landscaping practices, with a special focus on Florida’s native plants. As an advocate for biodiversity and environmental stewardship, she celebrates the visionaries who lead the way in creating landscapes that honor Florida’s unique ecosystems.
Polyphemus Moth Host Plant Results By Marc Minno
To follow up on my article published last year in Palmetto (volume 39 #1, pages 4-5) requesting information about native plants eaten by the Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus), I received emails, letters, photos, and cocoons from a number of FNPS members. I greatly appreciated receiving responses from Lesley Arrandale, Stephen and Jana Bares, Cathy Benton, Karen Brown, Marcie Clutter, Linda Curtis, Jay Davis, Sharon and Brent Dolan, Linda Fish, Gina Holt, Judy Jenkins, Mary Kimmel, Joyce King, Suze and Fred Peace, Wendy Poag, Lester Scott, Nancy West, and Stephanie Wooley. Native hosts that these astute observers documented for the Polyphemus Moth include sweetgum, wax myrtle, two maples, and four kinds of oaks (Table 1). Several exotic ornamental trees planted in yards were also found to be host plants, including Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), ‘St. Lukes’ purple leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), and ‘Drake’ elm (Ulmus parvifolia). I believe that there are still other hosts waiting to be discovered, so keep an eye out for the cocoons or caterpillars. Table 1. Native hosts of the Polyphemus Moth documented by FNPS members. Altingiaceae
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Fagaceae
Laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia) Myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia) Shumard’s oak (Quercus shumardii) Live oak (Quercus virginiana)
Myricaceae
Wax myrtle (Morella cerifera)
Sapindaceae
Boxelder (Acer negundo) Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
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A Polyphemus Moth and its caterpillar. Photos by Marc Minno (top) and Wendy Poag (bottom).
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Article by Athena Philips
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Photos by Valerie Anderson
2025 FNPS Conference Preview We are pleased to share a preview of the upcoming 43rd Florida Native Plant Society Conference, to be held April 2-6, 2025 in Gainesville. Excitement is building for the first in-person conference since 2019, to be held at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center, located next to the UF campus. Save the date–we are looking forward to seeing you in Gainesville. The Florida Native Plant Society champions Florida’s native plants, and this multifaceted mission will be well covered at the 2025 conference. As the leading organization for Florida’s botanical treasures, we have a rich well to draw from and an important role to play in the state’s future. This year’s gathering will include many beloved activities, but we have added new things, too! Sessions and CEUs We’ll have two full days of sessions, featuring three tracks of speakers covering new research, conservation matters, and bridging our home environments with natural ones. We have also lined up Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for Landscape Architects, Florida Nursery Growers, and Landscape Association professionals. For those who can’t be with us in person, we are offering a virtual option that features one of the session tracks broadcast live and all the same camaraderie of our online conferences from the last few years. Online access will be via the Whova event platform, which will also be available to in-person attendees who wish to network before the conference begins, catch a session they may have missed later, or navigate the venue rooms and schedule. Speaker Preview An exciting lineup of speakers will be presenting for us. Dr. Reed Noss will start off our plenary speakers by discussing how to move forward with conservation strategy. Drs. Doug and Pam Soltis will explore the cultural and practical 10 ● Palmetto
uses of the Tree of Life in addressing conservation and new plant uses, and Dr. Jaret Daniels will discuss how native plants connect people and insects to conservation. We have a variety of concurrent sessions to choose from–these are just a few of the planned sessions: l Hanna Rosner-Katz on plant rescue and conservation seed banking l Rachel Mallinger on fire timing for pollinator nesting and floral availability l Gage LaPierre on Florida meadows l A Florida Wildflower Foundation panel discussion on native seed availability l FNPS Director Adam Arendell on how to use bioblitzes to engage the public l Claire Lewis on homeowner associations (HOAs) and native landscaping There will also be a lineup of research presentations and a poster session where you can learn about the latest findings in plant science. Networking and Social Events We’ll have numerous opportunities for you to meet with leaders in the Society, discover the people working within our committees, and connect with fellow Floridians concerned with the future of our ecosystems. Lunch is included during session days and is a great way to get to know some of the amazing people that participate in our organization. You can also join a team for the Plant ID Contest and mix your skills with your teammates! There will be four nights of social events, starting with a new offering on Wednesday. Many of us arrive early to enjoy a good night’s sleep before heading out on a Thursday field trip, and there
2025 Conference artwork by Melissa DeSa.
will be an option to enjoy some local sites before the conference gets in full swing. Wednesday you can enjoy a walk from the conference hotel to the nearby Field and Fork Farm for a tour of this campus wildflower meadow and garden where more than forty crops are grown for good causes. Then, as the sun sets, you’ll watch the bats next door take flight from the largest occupied bat houses in the world. On Thursday we have a fun social event at a local brewery, with food trucks and games in a casual atmosphere. Friday we will enjoy a leisurely banquet dinner at the Hilton, and on Saturday we’ll enjoy refreshments, some chapter successes, and local history at the Matheson History Museum. Field Trip Highlights The field trip roster is filled to the brim with thirty-one trips to choose from, spanning a wide selection of plant communities. Locations range from private holdings to county parks and national forests, and activities include tram rides overland and paddle trips down crystal-clear waterways. We are very fortunate to have several of our speakers also lead field trips to places they love. There will be opportunities to visit historic sites as well as areas used for research and for training future conservationists, such as the UF Natural Area Teaching Lab trip led by Gage LaPierre. Since Gainesville is located in the heart of sandhill country, there are several trips to premier longleaf sites that feature rare plants, field research locations, and areas normally closed to the public. Two of the sites have an all-terrain wheelchair Volume 41:1 ● 2025
Above, from top: Two of the events held at the 2019 FNPS Conference in Crystal River. Similar networking opportunities, social events, and a silent auction will make up some of the activities at the 2025 FNPS Conference in Gainesville.
Above, from top: Adam Arendell at one of the conference field trip locations, Deep Creek. Adam will speak at the conference on using bioblitzes to engage the public. The Deep Creek trip will feature a water walk to view a rare southern population of Atlantic white cedar.
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available on request. You can also choose a tour of a working silviculture operation in the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) wildlife corridor that manages for wildlife and includes groundcover restoration in the powerline easement. Dr. Marc Minno will lead a trip through San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park to seek butterflies and their host plants. There are two home tour trips to demonstrate native landscape styles ranging from the neighborhood yard to large-scale neighborhood restoration. Or you may like to explore the orchids and carnivorous plants of Goethe State Forest and visit the Goethe Giant, a cypress tree that is over 900 years old. A lucky few will get to kayak the renowned Ichetucknee River with one of our expert speakers, Dr. Ken Sulak. And if a water walk is more your speed, you can wade in the tannic water of the pristine Deep Creek to see a rare southern population of Atlantic white cedar. There are two behind-the-scenes tours, one CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
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Article by F.E. “Jack” Putz
Root Farming Pocket Gophers Other than in Saturday morning cartoon carrot-pulling contests with denim overall-clad farmers and a more nefarious portrayal in the movie Caddyshack, few people ever catch a glimpse of a Southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis). Also appropriately known as ‘sandy mounders,’ gophers are fossorial root-eating rodents that individually excavate, maintain, and defend tunnel systems that can be up to three-hundred feet long. By turning over so much soil, they clearly qualify as ecosystem engineers, but it was previously not known why they work so hard to maintain such long tunnels. It is less clear what effects their tunneling, sand mounding, and root eating have on vegetation. Judging from the presence of sandy mounds on turf grass lawns it appears that this native herbivore is averse to exotics, but their species preferences remain to be determined. While I am fascinated with gophers and happily recall the
few times I witnessed them at work, the arsenal of available gopher eradication devices and techniques indicates that this appreciation is not widely shared. Perhaps gophers would garner more respect if people realized that the sand in those mounds was pushed and carried up from tunnels excavated two feet or so below the surface. Their tunnels are deep enough to not collapse even under horse hooves but are also far below the reach of the roots on which gophers depend for sustenance. This gopher story starts when Veronica Selden, then an undergraduate at University of Florida, and I were in a field near my house sitting and sweating on the edge of a massive hole we’d excavated to expose a gopher tunnel. Although she’d taken two botany classes with me, she stubbornly persisted in being more interested in animals, which is why we were armed with long-handled spades in the quest for a pocket gopher-related
Abundant and prominent pocket gopher mounds after a fire at Goldhead Branch State Park. Photo by Reed Noss. 12 ● Palmetto
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research project. Various experts advised us that gopher tunnels were easily located by inserting a metal rod into the soil, but perhaps because the tunnels are so deep, we both failed to master that technique, hence all the digging. Once our breaths were caught, our core temperatures had descended below the danger zone, and our higher brain activities somewhat recovered we both, seemingly simultaneously, experienced ‘eureka’ moments. I don’t recall exactly how either of us initially expressed our shared revelation, but the idea cooked down to the following hypothesis: Southeastern pocket gophers farm roots in their tunnels. I’m not sure of the source of Veronica’s inspiration but mine was clearly related to the not-so-pleasant task of having to deal with a root-clogged sewer: like sewers, gopher tunnel interiors are dark, moist, and nutrient-rich for the same reason (note that unlike some other species of gopher, ours scatters its feces rather than depositing them in dedicated fecal chambers). Testing the root-farming gopher hypothesis required that we exclude root-munching gophers from tunnel segments for a few weeks, re-open the tunnels, and measure in-growing roots, if any. Gophers were plentiful where we conducted this experiment in abandoned pastures being restored to longleaf pine savanna on the common lands of Flamingo Hammock Land Trust near Gainesville, Florida. Stipulating that gophers could be inconvenienced but not injured, my neighbors were happy to host our research. Our initial exclusionary efforts failed because the inconvenienced gophers dug around our barriers and refilled the previously blocked sections of tunnel. I must report that my neighbors and even family members seemed delighted that their resident scientists were outsmarted by a rodent. In our defense I pointed out that the outsmarter was a fossorial rodent not some common surface-dwelling alley rat. After several energetically expensive failures we combined our intellectual strengths and came up with a way to outsmart and outmaneuver the gophers; as a gopher exclusion device (GED) we employed a fifty-five-gallon drum with its ends cut off. We also streamlined our excavatory efforts by upgrading from broad-bucketed analogue geotomes (which definitely sounds more scientific than ‘spades’ or ‘shovels’) to narrow-bladed trenching tools. Our refined experimental procedure consisted of digging a straight slit trench until we intercepted a gopher tunnel. After determining the tunnel’s direction, we dug a circular slit trench that matched the GED’s perimeter and penetrated well below the tunnel. Before sliding the barrel over the exposed monolith of undisturbed soil, Veronica used her fiber-optic-equipped cellphone to search for roots in the tunnel while I collected volumetric soil samples adjacent to the exposed tunnel to assess root availability; I also enumerated all plant species present within the GED. After that, we gently slid the GED down over the collapse-prone cylindrical soil monolith to block both ends of the tunnel, backfilled the trench, and waited seventeen to forty-four days before doing the opposite. If this all sounds easy, go ahead and try it yourself! I’m proud to report that this research collaboration between a young student and a very senior professor was a model Volume 41:1 ● 2025
An installed gopher exclusion device. Photo by Jack Putz.
in terms of shared duties. I supplied the geotomes, did a lot of digging, and convinced my neighbor Ken to provide the GEDs; I would also have covered any monetary expenses but there weren’t any. I also wandered around looking for the fresh gopher mounds that indicated the presence of potential (if unwitting) project participants. Perhaps my most important contribution was that throughout the research process, from hypothesis formulation through successful publication in a top-tier international peer-reviewed journal, I provided supervisory services as well as copious amounts of sage advice on a wide variety of topics not exclusively related to gopher biology. For her part, Veronica assumed the easier tasks of reading everything ever published about pocket gophers, studying mammalian energetics, curating and analyzing the data, creating the graphs, illustrating the story, and drafting the manuscript. My painstaking efforts to document the plant species represented within the perimeters of the GEDs revealed few insights about gopher feeding preferences. Instead, the composition of the vegetation reflected what was found in the fields. Present were common natives, like elephant’s foot (Elephantopus elatus), yellow woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata), and romerillo (Bidens alba), with too much cover by bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), a persistent exotic species that seems to be thwarting our pine savanna restoration efforts. Veronica searched the freshly opened tunnels for roots but never found any. What she did find in a single tunnel was evidence of some surface feeding and food caching in the form of bahiagrass stolons and some fragments of other species that I couldn’t identify. In contrast, re-opening of gopher-excluded tunnels revealed profuse proliferations of roots. Fresh white roots dangled from tunnel ceilings like stalactites and papered Palmetto ● 13
tunnel walls and floors (for a short video taken with Veronica’s fiber optics see: https://vimeo.com/786373819). Importantly, root masses in tunnel-adjacent soil samples were so low that a gopher who tried to feed itself by digging tunnels would soon starve. This conclusion derives from digging being 360-3,400 times more energetically costly than walking, a fact obvious to all shovel wielders. Fortunately, roots growing into their tunnels supply gophers with an extra 0.42 kJ of food energy per meter. That estimate is based on a fine root energy content of 18.39 kJ/g, fifty-six percent digestibility, and fifty-four percent assimilation efficiency (if a reader wants further explanation of these or any other numbers and calculations in this article, I could help but for purely pedagogical purposes would instead put you in contact with Veronica). Over the length of a one hundred forty-five-foot-long tunnel, in-growing roots supply your average gopher, one with a basal metabolic rate of 0.852 cm3O2/hour, with an average of twenty-one percent but up to sixty-two percent of its daily energetic needs. We suspect that even sixty-two percent of daily energetic needs underestimates the contributions of farmed roots to gopher diets. One reason for this conclusion is that although we didn’t purposefully leave the GEDs in place for different lengths of time, we found that rates of root in-growth decreased with exclusion duration. It appears that constant cropping stimulates root growth to levels beyond what we measured. Another factor to consider is that despite not being able to detect roots through more than half an inch of soil, gophers are certainly smart enough to concentrate tunnel-making in root-rich areas. Furthermore, the succulent young roots that grow into tunnels are probably more digestible than the generic literature value of fifty-six percent. Even if gophers satisfy half their energetic needs with farmed roots and derive an additional fraction during tunnel excavation, it remains a mystery where they obtain the rest of their food. Perhaps they pull entire plants down into their tunnels, as shown in the cartoons but also captured live by our colleague Norm Douglas: https://vimeo.com/786372221. We don’t even know whether they have preferences among the species that extend roots into 14 ● Palmetto
A previously blocked gopher tunnel with in-growing roots. Photo by Veronica Selden taken with a fiber optic lens.
A Southeastern pocket gopher enjoying its farmed roots. Illustration by Veronica Selden.
their tunnels. For example, how important to their diets are deep-rooted species with starchy roots such as tread softlies (Cnidoscolus stimulosus)? When they encounter a tuber do our gophers behave like the naked mole rats of Africa (Heterocephalus glaber) and eat only the inside leaving the outer portions to resprout? Species with tubers and other sorts of underground storage organs abound in our pine savannas but their contributions to gopher diets remain to be assessed. Although gophers also forage a bit when they emerge above the surface to mound their tunnel spoils, fear-of-predation minimizes their use of this potential source of sustenance. Their eyesight is apparently not very good, but I also wonder whether they take the opportunity while aboveground to map out future tunnels so as to increase the likelihood of interception with preferred food species. Much remains to be learned about our pocket gophers. Firstly, do they eschew worms? Other herbivores comfortably slip over into carnivory, such as arthropod-snapping hummingbirds and egg-
enjoying cows. I’ve also witnessed ardent vegetarians suffering severe bacon envy. Furthermore, the worms, grubs, and burrowing crickets that undoubtedly wiggle, slither, stumble, and fall into gopher tunnels would add diversity and protein to a gopher’s root diet. Our common moles (Scalopus aquaticus), confirmed carnivores with high metabolic rates and voracious appetites, dig prey but also listen for those that drop into their much more superficial tunnels. I also wonder whether gophers eat the fungal hyphae that undoubtedly proliferate in their dark, moist, temperature controlled, and fertile tunnels. Whatever it is that they eat, someone should determine whether their tunneling activity varies with their reproductive status, food availability, or seasonal temperature changes. Our claim that Southeastern pocket gophers are the first described non-human mammalian farmers stirred up a great deal of controversy. Although species of fungus-growing ants, termites, and beetles are generally accepted as farmers, they all plant their crops whereas gophers don’t. Gophers Volume 41:1 ● 2025
do till and fertilize the soil and their pruning seems to stimulate root growth, but they are not propagators. To my mind their failure to sow should not keep them from the ranks of the world’s farmers, but my definition of agriculture includes forest farming and not just the cultivation of annual grains and other crops. Seed cropping originated multiple times in human societies around the world where seasonal cold or dry periods favored annual plants over perennials. In the tropics and wherever else trees reign, forest farming typically involves land-use practices much more subtle than plowing and planting. Instead, long-lived plants including trees, shrubs, and lianas, are gently tended where they are found; this tending may continue for decades or even centuries. The resulting domesticated forests are enriched in species that provide people with food, fiber, glue, building materials, and medicines. The taxonomically unwary might mistake these anthropogenic forests as untouched by humans, but they would be sorely mistaken.
We hope that our research on Southeastern pocket gophers stimulates others to study these amazing native mammals. Insightful and patient naturalists can learn a great deal about how they influence our ecosystems and our native and not so native plant species. I also hope that researchers elsewhere in the world will determine whether any of the dozens of other fossorial root-eating mammal species around the world farm. Included among the suspected root crop cultivators are the eleven other species of North American Geomys, African naked mole rats, Tibetan zokors (Myospalax fontanierii), and Australian wombats (Vombatus ursinus and Lasiorhinus spp.), although I expect the latter are too lazy to farm. Finally, hopefully by highlighting some aspects of their natural history, respect will be engendered for Southeastern pocket gophers, a much-maligned native species with which we should willingly share our landscapes.
References and Further Reading Selden, Veronica, and Francis E. Putz. 2022. Root cropping by pocket gophers. Current Biology 32:R734-735. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.003. Zhang, Yanming, Zhibin Zhang, and Jike Liu. 2003. Burrowing rodents as ecosystem engineers: the ecology and management of plateau zokors Myospalax fontanierii in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau. Mammal Review 33: 284-294. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.13652907.2003.00020.x. Reichman, O. J., and Eric W. Seabloom. 2002. The role of pocket gophers as subterranean ecosystem engineers. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 17: 44-49. https://doi. org/10.1016/S0169-5347(01)02329-1. Diaz-Torribo, Milton, and Francis E. Putz. 2022. Time to dig: Under-ground storage organs on plants in fire-maintained pine savannas. The Palmetto 23: 10-12.
About the Author F.E. “Jack” Putz is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of Florida and author of several books including Finding Home in the Sandy Lands of the South, Yaupon Wins: An Ethnobotanical Novella, From One Old Dog to Another: Poems, and (as Juan Camilo Moro) Borneo Dammed: A Very Family Affair. He’s also published hundreds of technical articles about plant ecology, savanna restoration, and tropical forestry, but they are much less fun to read.
2025 FNPS Conference Preview CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
of the herbarium, mammalogy, and ornithology collections at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and a tour of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity featuring their work to conserve and rear at-risk butterfly species and create pollinator habitats in Florida. There’s even a tour to the Lubee Bat Conservancy, where you can see the largest fruit bat species up close and learn about their ecologically vital role as pollinators and seed dispersers. This is just a snapshot of the exciting options available for the Thursday and Sunday field trips. Silent Auction A fun part of the conference is finding new things to take home from the silent auction and the vendors. We are currently seeking silent auction donations, so consider donating something you want to share with fellow nature lovers or an item from a business that deserves to be known better. We often have live plants, native gift certificates, yard decor, books, artwork, kayak trips, jewelry, and more. Most items will be available in Gainesville, and some items will be available for bidders who can’t attend in person. The conference plant sale has confirmed the participation of Natural Treasures Farm and Nursery, Farnsworth Farm, Cactus Island Nursery, Rewild Nurseries, and the UF Native Plant Nursery–they will be sure to have some interesting selections. Check our event website for updates and plant lists as they come in. Volume 41:1 ● 2025
Funded in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County.
The conference theme, “Seeds For Tomorrow,” acknowledges where we’ve come from, looks to our future, and recognizes how essential plants are to a healthy environment. The conference is an opportunity to stay at the forefront of science-based methods and to build our community. I hope you will join us and spread the word that we are back and raring to go! About the Author and Artist Athena Philips serves as FNPS Vice President of Administration, the Conference Committee chair, and is a member of the Citrus Chapter of FNPS. She spent her early years in the suburbs of Tampa, learning about gardening and playing with lizard eggs. That experience opened her eyes to the diversity and connection between wild plants and animals. It also sparked a passion to cultivate a community in her own landscape and preserve Florida's unique habitats. Athena has a special interest in sandhill ecosystems, ethnobotany, and helping people find their place in their ecological community. Melissa DeSa is a co-founder of Working Food, and her work focuses on regional seed biodiversity. She is an artist, educator, and ecologist, finding great inspiration in the wilds of Florida, as well as the overgrown nooks and crannies of community gardens and rural areas. https:// workingfood.org/team/melissa-desa/
REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE: Use the QR code to link to the conference web page, or find more information, a link to reduced hotel rates, and conference registration at: fnps.org/conference/2025
Palmetto ● 15
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FNPS Chapters and Representatives CHAPTER 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
REPRESENTATIVE
Broward.................................................................Tiffany Duke ...............................................................council.secretary@fnps.org Citrus . .......................................................Vacant................................................................ citrusNPS@gmail.com Coccoloba ..............................................Ben Johnson................................................... bcjohnson0831@gmail.com Conradina ..............................................Martha Steuart............................................. mwsteuart@bellsouth.net Cuplet Fern.............................................Alan Squires................................................... asquires600@gmail.com Dade ..........................................................Riki Bonnema................................................ rikibonnema@gmail.com Eugenia ...................................................David L. Martin.............................................. cymopterus@icloud.com Heartland ...............................................Gregory L. Thomas..................................... enviroscidad@yahoo.com Hernando ...............................................Janet M Grabowski..................................... jggrenada@aol.com Ixia ..............................................................Cate Hurlbut................................................... catehurlbutixia@yahoo.com Lake Beautyberry .............................Grace Mertz.................................................... gmer98@yahoo.com Longleaf Pine.........................................Kimberly Bremner....................................... kimee@mchsi.com Magnolia .................................................Maddie Snuggs............................................. msnuggs1@gmail.com Mangrove ...............................................Laura Soule..................................................... ldsoule@snet.net Marion Big Scrub . .............................Deborah Lynn Curry................................... figure_it_out@earthlink.net Martin County .....................................Dianna Wentink............................................ dw18hpc@gmail.com Nature Coast ........................................Diane Hayes Caruso.................................. dhayescaruso@hotmail.com Naples ......................................................Ben Johnson................................................... bcjohnson0831@gmail.com Palm Beach County .........................Ethan Aparicio............................................... ethan.aparicio@gmail.com Passionflower.......................................Melanie Vass Simon.................................. msimon@fnps.org Pawpaw . .................................................Karen Walter.................................................. karenlw72@gmail.com .......................................................................Sande Habali.................................................. sndhbl49@gmail.com Paynes Prairie .....................................Sandi Saurers................................................ sandisaurers@yahoo.com Pine Lily . .................................................Dana Sussmann........................................... danasussmann@gmail.com Pinellas ....................................................David Perkey.................................................. dnperkey@gmail.com Sarracenia .............................................Lynn Artz........................................................... lynn—artz@hotmail.com Sea Rocket ...........................................Elizabeth Bishop.......................................... izbet@aol.com Serenoa ...................................................Trent Berry....................................................... trentberry123@gmail.com Suncoast ...............................................Mable Patterson........................................... mablepatterson@hotmail.com Sweetbay ..............................................Jody Wood-Putnam.................................... redbudbay@me.com Tarflower . ...............................................Deborah Ferencak...................................... deborahann200@gmail.com The Villages............................................Bob Keyes........................................................ fnpsthevillages@gmail.com
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