Volume 40: Number 3 > 2024
The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
Mead Botanical Garden ● Dicerandra ● Florida Mints ● Symphyotrichum Asters: Part 2
Article by Ann Dang and Spencer Bennett Photos by Ann Dang
Rooted in Heritage: Restoring Spaces With Native Flora Home of the Tarflower Chapter, Mead Botanical Garden is a 48-acre urban oasis situated in Winter Park, Florida. The Garden was established in 1940 in honor of Theodore Luqueer Mead, a renowned American naturalist, entomologist and horticulturalist. Mead dedicated much of his work to the research of orchids and other plants and upon his passing, one of Mead’s inheritors worked with Rollins College to acquire property to safely house Mead’s prized collection, and dedicate a place in his memory.
Overlooking the sea of grasses in the sandhill.
Mead Garden hosts various botanical collections such as the Legacy, Butterfly, and Native Plant Demonstration Gardens. The Tarflower Chapter was granted stewardship of land to establish the demonstration gardens, which serve a greater purpose aimed at restoring the native plant communities to their original state, while also functioning as a venue for education and a model for residential gardens. The demonstration gardens take inspiration from other natural landscapes located in Central Florida such as Wekiwa Springs State Park, which is the reference community for plant selection. Although best known for its emerald-clear springs, Wekiwa has a diverse group of native plant communities which serve as a paradigm for much of the work conducted in the Mead Garden upland restoration areas. Of such communities, the sandhill habitat sits at the crown of Mead Garden and is situated at the highest elevation within the property. The sandhill is teeming with life every day and is a true experience full of color, blooms, smells, and sounds. One hundred-year old longleaf pines (Pinus palustris) serve as the towering foundation dotting this landscape among billowing, lofty grasses such as multiple species of bluestem grasses 2 ● Palmetto
A bike path goes around the restoration area, and plant identification signs are available for onlookers.
(Andropogon spp.), lopsided indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum) and pineywoods dropseed (Sporobolus junceus), interspersed between the wildflowers and shrubs. Small wispy grasses are also found here; wiregrass (Aristida stricta), which is often the most prevalent grass in natural sandhill communities, nestles between a buffet of Florida greeneyes (Berlandiera subacaulis), and gopher apple (Geobalanus oblongifolius), which is served on a sand-lined silver platter for the resident gopher tortoises who call these restoration areas their home. The tortoise population in this “Sandhill City” is on a consistent rise, and these well-mannered residents are frequently found constructing new abodes, and observed making top-speed sprints to their beckoning neighbors. Around the periphery, a paved bike path sits at the boundary of the sandhill, granting an opportunity for passersby to gaze at the many sights or perhaps find out why the spiny, striking Hercules-club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) was given its name. A few hundred feet to the east of the sandhill, the xeric hammock and scrubby flatwoods are located nearby. The xeric hammock is a great place to be when tormented by the hot Florida sun. This habitat is bisected by a path shaded by large sand live oaks (Quercus geminata) and split into various planting regions. Longleaf pines and sand live oaks fill the canopy and subcanopy of this area, harboring those who thrive under their shade. Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum) will form a frothy white understory when mature, the rouge plants (Rivina humilis) showcase their bright red fruits contrasting against the white CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
A snapshot of the shady xeric hammock.
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Staff Executive Director.................Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes Director of Communications and Programming.................Valerie Anderson Director of North Florida Programs...................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 ............................................................................David Bruce ............................................................................Shirley Denton ............................................................................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......................................Shirley Denton Conservation..............................................John Benton Council of Chapters................................Melanie Simon Education......................................................Wendy Poag Land Management Partners.............Grace Howell 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. 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. To become a member: Contact your local chapter, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at https://fnps.org
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 2024, 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. 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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2025 FNPS Annual Conference
Call for Research Track Papers and Poster Presentations The Florida Native Plant Society 2025 Annual Conference will be held in Gainesville, Florida April 2 to April 6, 2025. The Research Track of the Conference will include presented papers and a poster session on April 4-5. Researchers are invited to submit abstracts on research related to native plants and plant communities of Florida including preservation, conservation, and restoration. Presented papers are planned for 20 minutes in length (15 minutes for the presentation and 5 minutes for questions). Abstracts of not more than 200 words should be submitted as a MS Word file by email to Paul A. Schmalzer, PhD at schmalzp@digital.net by December 15, 2024. Include title, affiliation, and address. Indicate whether you will be presenting a paper or poster.
Features 2
Rooted in Heritage: Restoring Spaces With Native Flora Article by Anne Dang and Spencer Bennett
4 Dicerandra: A Very Special Genus Article by Roger L. Hammer 7
Florida Mints Radiated as Peninsula Sank and Resurfaced During Ice Ages Article by Jerald Pinson
10 Symphyotrichum Asters for the Home Landscape: Part 2 Article by Craig Huegel ON THE COVER: Longspur balm (Dicerandra cornutissima) is a federal- and state-listed endangered species endemic to sandhills and white sand scrub in Marion and Sumter Counties. See article on page 4. Photo by Roger L. Hammer.
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Article and photos by Roger L. Hammer
Dicerandra: A Very Special Genus The genus Dicerandra was described in 1830 by English private lands, powerline corridors, and roadsides in Marion botanist George Bentham (1800–1884) for the 2 hornlike and Sumter Counties. The attractive flowers are pinkish-coral spurs on the anthers that characterize the genus. But what’s or rose-purple in color with darker dots and white anthers. so special is that there are currently 10 members of this genus Florida balm (Dicerandra densiflora) is an annual that in Florida and 8 of them are known from Florida and nowhere is endemic to sandhills and sandy woodlands of Hamilton, else on Earth. Of those 8 Florida endemics, 6 are restricted Columbia, Suwannee, Lafayette, Taylor, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, to single counties each, and 1 Duval, Putnam, and Volusia other species is only known from Counties, making it the most 2 adjacent counties, with the final widespread endemic species in species being endemic to 8 Florida. It was first described in Florida counties. One other 1848 and, as its species name Dicerandra species is spread implies, the flowers are in dense across 11 northern Florida counwhorls around the stems. The ties into southern Georgia while flowers are pink with darker another species ranges across 5 spots and the anthers are white. counties in the Florida Panhandle Scrub balm (Dicerandra frutescens) is a federal- and into southern Alabama. Two annual species found state-listed endangered speoutside of Florida are Dicerandra cies that was first described in radfordiana, a rare, endangered 1962, and is only known from species endemic to Georgia with only yellow sand scrub and sandhills 2 small populations known to exist, on the southern portion of the and Dicerandra odoratissima, Lake Wales Ridge in Highlands endemic to eastern Georgia and County. The flowers of this South Carolina. perennial species are white with The genus is in the wellsmall, red dots and purple anknown mint family, Lamiaceae, thers. Much of its historic range and the leaves do, indeed, smell in Highlands County has been delightfully minty when crushed. eradicated by citrus groves and They are small, shrubby plants of urban sprawl. dry, sandy habitats such as scrub, Smoky balm (Dicerandra fumella) is an annual and was sandhills, and coastal swales. Lake Wales balm (Dicerandra described in 2010, making it Lake Wales balm (Dicerandra christmanii). christmanii) is a perennial the newest member of the species endemic to yellow sand genus. Its range extends across scrub of Polk County and was named to honor Florida botanist sandhills and pinelands in the western Panhandle, to include Steven P. Christman, who was the first to recognize it as an Washington, Holmes, Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and undescribed species, and was described as such in 1989. The Escambia Counties, with small populations extending into flowers are white, speckled with red dots, and have yellow lower Alabama. anthers. It is a federal- and state-listed endangered species. Lakela’s balm (Dicerandra immaculata var. immaculata) Longspur balm (Dicerandra cornutissima) is a federalis a federal- and state-listed endangered perennial restricted and state-listed endangered species first described in 1981. to scrub habitat in Indian River and St. Lucie Counties and It is a perennial species endemic to sandhills and white sand is characterized by uniformly pinkish-purple flowers with scrub in Marion and Sumter Counties. Most of the protected purple anthers. It was first described in 1963 from plants population is found along the Harris Carr Cross Florida collected in Indian River County in 1962 by botanist Olga Greenway between Interstate 75 and State Road 200 in Lakela (1890–1980), who emigrated from Finland to the Marion County but there are small, scattered populations on United States in 1906. Lakela received her doctorate in botany 4 ● Palmetto
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Top row, left to right: Longspur balm (Dicerandra cornutissima), Florida balm (Dicerandra densiflora), and scrub balm (Dicerandra frutescens). Bottom row, left to right: Smoky balm (Dicerandra fumella), Lakela’s balm (Dicerandra immaculata var. immaculata), and blushing scrub balm (Dicerandra modesta).
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Titusville balm (Dicerandra thinicola).
from the University of Minnesota in 1932, then later became the curator of the University of South Florida’s herbarium in 1960, where she remained until retiring in 1973. Many old timers (like me!) who have been involved in the flora of Florida for decades remember her as a coauthor of the monumental book, A Flora of Tropical Florida, published in 1971. Savanna balm (Dicerandra immaculata var. savannarum) is a federal- and state-listed endangered perennial that was historically known from coastal dunes and interdunal swales of St. Lucie County until much of its habitat was ravaged by developers. In 1995, botanists Keith Bradley and George Gann found plants of savanna balm along a railway and on private property in St. Lucie County, so some of those plants were rescued and relocated to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales where they were propagated for reintroduction projects. Cheryl Peterson of Bok Tower’s Rare Plant Conservation Program reports that through their reintroduction efforts there are now several thousand plants in 4 populations within Savannas Preserve State Park in St. Lucie County. It bears flowers similar to Lakela’s balm but with brownish anthers. Coastalplain balm (Dicerandra linearifolia var. robustior) is an annual found in sandhills from Jackson, Calhoun,
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Liberty, and Franklin Counties west to Hamilton and Lafayette Counties, with outlying populations in Duval, Alachua, and Citrus Counties into southern Georgia. It has pink flowers adorned with dark pink dots and reddish-brown anthers. It was first described in 1987 by University of Florida botanist Robin Huck. Blushing scrub balm (Dicerandra modesta) is a perennial species endemic to scrub habitat in Polk County and was first discovered by Nancy Bissett and Steve Riefler while searching for a rare Rhododendron. Botanist Kris DeLaney of Avon Park later found additional populations nearby. It was described as a new species for Florida in 2008 by University of Florida botanist Robin Huck but, surprisingly, is not yet listed by any agency as threatened or endangered. The white flowers bear red dots and the anthers are white to reddish-brown. Titusville balm (Dicerandra thinicola) is a state-listed endangered species found exclusively in what is called Paola and Astatula fine sands that formed on marine ridges in Brevard County, where it was first discovered in 1987 and then described in 1993 by botanist Harvey Alfred Miller (1928–2020). There are only a few known populations in small preserves and on private lands. The flowers of this perennial are pink and white with dark pink lines and dots, and bearing white or purple anthers. While habitat loss due to agriculture and development are the principal causes of plant extinctions, other factors that can contribute to the loss of our rare, endemic Dicerandra species in Florida are fire suppression, habitat mismanagement, invasive exotic pest plants, and sea level rise caused by global warming. The Florida Native Plant Society is actively monitoring populations of Dicerandra cornutissima and D. modesta, and is assisting land managers with habitat restoration efforts in Marion and Sumter Counties as well as restoring the area damaged by a pipeline and transmission line in Polk County. With rampant, unfettered development proceeding at a record pace throughout Florida, the protection and preservation of Florida’s critically imperiled endemic plants has taken on new urgency. References Hammer, Roger L. Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers. 2018. Rowman & Littlefield FalconGuides, Helena, MT Huck, Robin B. Dicerandra fumella (Lamiaceae), A New Species in the Florida Panhandle and Adjacent Alabama, with comments on the D. linearifolia complex. 2010. Rhodora, Vol. 112, No. 951, pp. 215–237. University of South Florida Atlas of Florida Plants, Institute for Systematic Botany; https:// floridaplantatlas.usf.edu Wunderlin, Richard P. and Bruce F. Hansen. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. 2011. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL
About the Author Roger L. Hammer is an award-winning professional naturalist, author, botanist and photographer. His most recent books are Paddling Everglades and Biscayne National Parks and Foraging Florida – Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods in Florida. Find him online at www.rogerlhammer.com.
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Article by Jerald Pinson. Photos by Floyd Griffith.
Florida Mints Radiated as Peninsula Sank and Resurfaced During Ice Ages
Above left: Conradina canescens. Scrub mints most often grow in sandy upland habitats maintained by periodic fires, habitats that are becoming increasingly rare in Florida. Above right: Conradina glabra survives in just 10 known locations in the Florida Panhandle.
During the ice ages of the Pleistocene, the Florida peninsula regularly expanded to twice its current size as glaciers grew near the planet’s poles, only to be reduced to a series of islands as melting ice returned to the sea during warm periods. All told, glaciers advanced and retreated 17 times, and according to a new study (link: https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14541), the resulting environmental instability may have contributed to the incredible plant diversity found in Florida today. Researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History came to this conclusion while studying scrub mints, a unique group of plants endemic to the southeastern U.S. that radiated during the ice ages. Cyclically marooned on isolated islands as seas rose and fell, mint populations became genetically isolated and diverged over time, generating multiple new species. Despite their long winning streak, scrub mints have recently been hit head on with the threat of extinction due to human-mediated habitat destruction and impending climate change. Of the 13 species endemic to Florida, 8 are listed as
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either state or federally endangered. “The most remarkable thing about this group is how rare they are,” said lead author Andre Naranjo, who completed the study while working as a doctoral student in the University of Florida’s department of biology. “One species, Conradina etonia, only grows within a 30-square mile area, and if you were to pave over that, that’d be it. The species would be gone.” Other scrub mints share a similar pattern. Lakela’s mint (Dicerandra immaculata var. immaculata) has been reduced to just a single population, most of which is located on privately owned lands. Scrub balm (Dicerandra frutescens) is restricted to Highlands County, Florida where it grows along an elevated ridge increasingly checkered by development. Further west, the Apalachicola rosemary (Conradina glabra) has been reduced to just 10 known locations in a single region of the Florida Panhandle. The current plight of scrub mints and other groups like them offers only a partial explanation of why they have been
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Dicerandra fumella. Scrub mints are an important source of nectar for native pollinators, especially bees.
pushed so far to the sidelines. To get the full picture, says Naranjo, you have to take a much longer view of how species have fared over time, one that covers several million years of their natural history. Naranjo wanted to know where scrub mints came from, when they originated and how they ended up with their current distributions. Building on his previous work, Naranjo used a new method for reconstructing historical environments developed by co-author Ryan Folk, a former postdoctoral associate at the Florida Museum of Natural History who joined the faculty at Mississippi State University in 2019. By inputting information about the plants’ current habitats, such as temperature, precipitation and soil type, Naranjo could then trace their geographic history. The result was a detailed map that pinpointed the most suitable environments for each of the 22 species, half of which are endemic to Florida. Nearly 4 million years ago, a scrub mint species growing in the Apalachicola River Basin of Florida shed a fine layer of seeds on the sandy soil below. Each no larger than a coarse grain of sand, the seeds don’t often travel far, which researchers suspect is a major cause of their rarity. But they’re also equipped with an opportunistic deployment mechanism that occasionally enables long-distance transport. Scrub mint seed coats are perforated with glands that exude small amounts of viscous oil, Naranjo said. “When it rains really hard, the water forms little streams that drain the sand away from the scrub habitats. If the seeds land in these streams, their mucilaginous coating reduces friction, which helps carry them a few meters away from the parent plant.” 8 ● Palmetto
Whether all at once or in stages, a seed or seeds from the original population in Apalachicola somehow traveled potentially hundreds of miles east, ultimately leading to the establishment of mints in the Altamaha region of Georgia. Seeds from these newly established populations may have floated down rivers and streams into peninsular Florida, where they washed ashore on the ancient Lake Wales and Atlantic Coastal Ridges. Throughout the ice ages, the population that remained in the west radiated into the false rosemaries (genus Conradina), while those in the east gave rise to the genus Dicerandra. The groups occasionally crisscrossed in a complex migration pattern that resulted in distant relatives sharing the same environment, a family reunion on a millennial timescale. Scrub mints are merely one example of unique Florida plants that originated in the peninsula that are now imperiled due to habitat destruction, fire suppression, and competition with invasive species. The Lake Wales Ridge, where many scrub mints evolved and which functioned as an ark for plants and animals retreating from rising seas, has lost more than 85% of its natural habitat to urbanization and agriculture. Florida is also part of the North American Coastal Plain, which was listed in 2015 as one of Earth’s 36 biodiversity hotspots, defined as a region harboring at least 1,500 endemic species and which has lost 70% or more of its original vegetation. “We need to start thinking about conservation in a broader context than just individual species,” Naranjo said, emphasizing the focus instead should be shifted toward
Dicerandra fumella. Scrub mints have unique horned anthers (yellow) that ensure pollen isn’t eaten by marauding insects but can still be deposited on visitors in search of nectar.
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preserving entire regions and environments. “Our hope is that this research can be used as a rubric to study other endemic plants and further refine a comprehensive conservation approach for those areas most at risk of being developed.” The authors published their study in the Journal of Biogeography. Ryan Folk of Mississippi State University and Matthew Gitzendanner, Douglas Soltis, and Pamela Soltis of the Florida Museum of Natural History are also co-authors on the study. Funding for the study was provided in part by the National Science Foundation (grants DGE-1315138 and DGE-1842473), iDigBio (grants EF-1115210, DBI-1547229 and DBI-2027654), the Florida Native Plant Society, the Botanical Society of America, and the American Society of Plant Taxonomists.
References Naranjo, A. A., Melton, A. E., Soltis, D. E., & Soltis, P. S. (2022). Endemism, projected climate change, and identifying species of critical concern in the Scrub Mint clade (Lamiaceae). Conservation Science and Practice, 4(3), e621. Naranjo, A. A., Folk, R. A., Gitzendanner, M. A., Soltis, D. E., & Soltis, P. S. (2022) Ancestral area analyses reveal Pleistocene-influenced evolution in a clade of coastal plain endemic plants. Journal of Biogeography. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14541 Fazenbaker, S. (2017, September 19). Florida false rosemary. Rare, Beautiful & Fascinating. Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100years/florida-false-rosemary/
About the Author Jerald Pinson has a PhD in Biology from the University of Florida and is a science writer at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
This article was originally published on December 8, 2022 in the Research News section of the Florida Museum of Natural History website (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/ florida-mints-radiated-as-peninsula-sank-and-resurfaced-during-ice-ages/) and is reprinted with permission.
Announcing the 2024 FNPS Landscape Awards Winners Article by Natalia Manrique
The Florida Native Plant Society proudly announces the winners of the 2024 Landscape Awards, celebrating exemplary projects that showcase the beauty and importance of Florida’s native plants. The Excellence in Commercial and Institutional Landscaping award was presented to the Martin County Board of County Commissioners for “Ripple… as a drop of water becomes a river.” This project transformed 4 parcels in Old Palm City, a low-lying older neighborhood on the St. Lucie River in Martin County into a Stormwater Treatment Area, featuring over 11,000 native plants, walking trails, and educational elements. Peggy Sias Lantz received the Excellence in Habitat Restoration and Conservation award for restoring a 5-acre area in Orange County to its original longleaf pine/sandhill habitat. This project has encouraged the return of native species like gopher tortoises and Lupinus aridorum. Heather Blake and the Garden Club of the Tri-Counties were honored with the Excellence in Pollinator and Wildlife Gardens award for their work at Fanning Springs State Park. The project, located by the ranger station, provides essential habitat for pollinators and birds, conserves water, and educates the community on the Volume 40:3 ● 2024
Eagle-eye view of the Stormwater Treatment Area “Ripple...as a drop of water becomes a river.” Photo: Martin County Board of County Commissioners.
distinction between weeds and wildflowers. The Excellence in Residential Landscaping award went to the “Coconut Grove Historic Homestead” project. The awardee transformed the landscape surrounding a neglected 1914 cottage into a native tropical hardwood hammock, restoring the natural environment of the Miami Rock Ridge. Additionally, 8 projects received the Garden of Honor award for their outstanding contributions to ecological landscaping, including Upper Garden at Pinecrest Gardens (LandscapeDE), Coastal Oasis (Benjamin Burle), Camp
Mahachee Hammock Restoration (The Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida), Mary Ola Reynolds Miller Palm Preserve Pollinator and Wildlife Garden (Sweetbay Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society), Kostenbauder Residence (Molly Kostenbauder), Powell Property (Johanna Powell), Residential Florida Native Landscape (Craig Pethe), and Arnie and Gabis Garden (Arnold Rutkis). FNPS extends its gratitude to the expert jurors and congratulates all the winners for their inspiring efforts to preserve Florida’s native plants for future generations. Palmetto ● 9
Article and photos by Craig Huegel, PhD
Symphyotrichum Asters for the Home Landscape Part 2: The Less Aggressive Asters In the previous article (Palmetto 402), I wrote about Symphyotrichum asters in general and covered the species that are most aggressive in my Pasco County landscape. The asters in this article are less aggressive, but all asters spread when grown in the proper conditions. They spread by seed, but more commonly by underground stems known as rhizomes. Given time, all asters will produce plantlets off these rhizomes and form colonies. In a small mixed landscape where maximum diversity is desired, these less aggressive asters will require less thinning out to keep them from overwhelming their neighbors. Scaleleaf aster (Symphyotrichum adnatum) Scaleleaf aster is easy to identify. As its common and Latin names imply, it is characterized by tiny scalelike leaves that are appressed along its wiry stems. It is common to most of Florida from the Panhandle south to the Florida Keys although it has not been vouchered in northern peninsular parts of the state and in much of the eastern half of the southern peninsula. Outside of Florida, it occurs in the southern Southeastern Coastal Plain from Georgia west to Louisiana. Throughout its distribution, it grows in open sandy habitats. My first experience with it was in xeric flatwoods, but it also is found in sandhills. Scaleleaf aster is barely noticeable when it emerges in the spring. Its whipcord stems are only partly erect and they tend to get lost in adjacent vegetation. The stems are 2-4 feet long, but rarely more than 2 feet tall unless well supported by the surrounding vegetation. Multiple stems are produced off the main stem and are covered by short, noticeable hairs. The basal leaves are lost early in the growing season, leaving only the yellowish green shiny scalelike leaves from summer to early winter. In my landscape, 10 ● Palmetto
scaleleaf aster is the last to bloom, often waiting until December. The flowers are composed of lavender ray flowers surrounding a yellow disk and are about ½ inch across. Because it blooms so late, it is an important nectar source for the few pollinators that are still active.
Chapman's aster (Symphyotrichum chapmanii).
Scaleleaf aster (Symphyotrichum adnatum) foliage and flower.
Chapman’s aster (Symphyotrichum chapmanii) Chapman’s aster is one of my favorites, but I’ve never had much success with it in my home landscape. It is common to the wet savannas and freshwater marsh edges of the western Panhandle, but has also been reported in Alachua and St. Lucie Counties, well outside its primary range. It also is a near endemic, being vouchered outside Florida only in Georgia. Chapman’s aster can go largely unnoticed when not in bloom. It produces a basal rosette of very thin deep green
linear leaves in spring and then a single flowering stalk that eventually reaches about 3 feet in height. The leaves remain linear but are much reduced in size as they ascend the stem. Flowers are produced singly atop the main stem or on a few side stems in late summer to very early fall, and it is one of the first asters to bloom each year in my landscape. The flowers are comprised of numerous very thin rich lavender ray flowers surrounding a yellow disk. They are very attractive, but far more striking when seen in mass. Chapman’s aster would be a good candidate for a mixed-species planting in a wetland setting. Silver aster (Symphyotrichum concolor) Silver aster produces many willowy stems from a basal clump of linear leaves covered with white felty hairs. As in many asters, the ½ to 1-inch-long basal leaves disappear soon after the main stems are produced. The narrow leaves are much reduced along the stem, becoming no longer than ¼ inch near the top of the flowering stalk. They are tightly clasping but the tips are everted outwards. In my landscape and in natural areas nearby flowers appear in late October and well into November. They differ from Volume 40:3 ● 2024
many in this genus by their color. The elliptical ray flowers are a cornflower blue and they surround a grayish white central disk that turns reddish as it ages. Flowers are produced in a panicle atop the main stem. Silver aster occurs throughout much of Florida in welldrained sandy habitats, and throughout much of eastern North America as far north as New York. This species is infrequently offered commercially in Florida by native plant nurseries and should be more widely propagated.
Silver aster (Symphyotrichum concolor).
Georgia aster (Symphyotrichum georginanum) Georgia aster is a beautiful species that is extremely rare throughout its very limited range. In Florida, it is only reported from Leon County and is scattered in a few localities in Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas. It occurs in well-drained open habitats. Despite its rare natural distribution, Georgia aster is often offered for sale by native plant nurseries. This species produces large elliptical basal leaves with pointed tips. They may be up to 6 inches long and more than 1 inch wide, thick and rough to the touch due to stiff hairs, and with revolute edges. These leaves do not become much smaller as they ascend the single flower stalk. The somewhat woody stalks reach a mature height of 3 feet by late summer. Flowers are produced in open panicles atop the main stem in mid-fall and are quite showy due to their size and color. The thin ray flowers are a unique deep Volume 40:3 ● 2024
Georgia aster (Symphyotrichum georginanum).
Smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve).
cornflower blue and they surround a center of white disk flowers that turn reddish as they age. Georgia aster has been easy for me to propagate from seed, but the mature plants do not persist long in my landscape. I find that it does best when not crowded by other plants.
produced in an open panicle atop these stems. Numerous thin ray flowers are violet to blue in color and surround the central yellow disk flowers. This aster blooms in early September through late fall, but often is finished before other aster species in my landscape. I have grown this species for several years and found it easy to grow, but I have never seen it offered by Florida native nurseries.
Smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) Smooth blue aster is a rare species in Florida, but it is extremely common to our north. Though it is vouchered here only from Jackson County, it occurs in virtually every state and province throughout North America including the Yukon in extreme northwestern Canada. This species is most commonly found in upland openings in a wide variety of habitats. Because of its extensive geographical range, 4 distinct varieties are recognized. Ours is considered var. concinnum and it is found throughout the Southeastern Coastal Plain, north to Pennsylvania. A major characteristic that distinguishes our variety from the others is that the basal leaves wither and are lost prior to blooming. The leaves are smooth, lacking the hairs found on many other asters. They are rich green in color, rather thick, 1-2 inches long, and without teeth along the margins. Flowering stalks are produced by summer and reach a mature height of about 2-3 feet. Many ½ to 1-inch flowers are
Sky-blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense) There is some disagreement among taxonomists as to whether this aster species is native or introduced. It is vouchered from 4 counties in the central Panhandle and these include at least 1 location that I personally know of that is not near a created planting. There is no question regarding its nativity north of
Sky-blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense).
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Sky-blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense).
Florida, and it is found in most states in the eastern half of the U.S. and in Ontario. Throughout this extensive range, it most often grows in sunny well-drained habitats. The species name comes from the site location in Ohio where it was originally described – the Oolentangy River. Skyblue aster may produce up to 5 stems from its central basal cluster in the spring. These are thin and normally glabrous, but sometimes have sparse short hairs. While the lower leaves are up to 3 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide, they become somewhat smaller as they ascend the stems. The deep-green leaves are oblong in shape and shiny on their upper surface while the lower surfaces are light green and often have noticeable short hairs along the major veins. The leaf margins are entire or with a few shallow teeth. Sky-blue aster blooms in late summer to mid-fall, and the flowers form in loose panicles atop stems 2-3 feet tall. Large numbers of azure blue to lavender flowers are produced. Each bloom is about ½ inch across and consists of up to 2 dozen broadly linear ray flowers surrounding a central yellow disk. This species is easy to grow from seed, but it is not currently available from nurseries in Florida as far as I am aware. Late purple aster (Symphyotrichum patens) Few of our native asters can match the rich flower color of late purple aster, 12 ● Palmetto
and it is a shame that this species is not regularly propagated in Florida. It is vouchered in scattered locations in 6 counties across North Florida, but has a wide distribution outside of our state and occurs in most of the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. It does best in open sunny locations with well-drained to average soils. It also is reported to have some salt tolerance, though I have not grown it under those conditions. It produces multiple thin stems that can reach 2-3 feet at maturity, but often arch over under their own weight and never become that tall. The leaves are rather thick and stiff with undulating margins, and the leaf shape is somewhat spatulate to oval with pointed tips and with stiff hairs. They quickly decrease in size as they proceed up the stems and the 2.5-inch basal leaves are lost early – well before blooming. In my landscape, late purple aster is generally finished blooming by mid-
November and before a few other asters are done. Many ½-inch wide flowers are produced atop the main stalk and numerous side stems. They are comprised of up to 2 dozen rich lavender ray flowers surrounding a central set of disk flowers that vary from yellow to cream in color. Three varieties of late purple aster are recognized; ours being var. patens. This is a species that may sucker extensively, but in my landscape, it has been slow to spread.
Late purple aster (Symphyotrichum patens).
Plumose aster (Symphyotrichum plumosum).
Plumose aster (Symphyotrichum plumosum) Plumose aster is an endemic species with a limited geographic range, known only from a region of 8 counties in the central Panhandle. When I first encountered it, I believed it to be silver aster. Only after I got home and looked closely at photos of the phyllaries below the flowers did I recognize what it was. In certain respects, these 2 species share many characteristics and this species has, at times, been considered a variety of silver aster. Plumose aster is found in sunny open habitats with well-drained soils. I’ve encountered it growing in sandhills, though it has been documented in the moister soils of pine flatwoods. It produces a basal rosette of ½-inch linear leaves in spring and these become much reduced and clasping as they ascend the main stem. All of its leaves are densely covered by silvery silky hairs. Flowering occurs at the tips of the thin wiry stems in fall and on short side
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stems as well. The small blooms consist of less than 2 dozen cornflower/light lavender ray flowers surrounding a center of white disk flowers which turn reddish as the blooms age. The most distinctive difference between plumose aster and silver aster is the shape and structure of the phyllaries at the base of the bud. In silver aster, these are appressed against the bud while in plumose aster, they are recurved and project outward from the bud. I have been growing this species for several years with good effect in my home landscape and it seems to require very little care. Barrens silky aster (Symphyotrichum pratense) At times, barrens silky aster in Florida has been considered a variety of western silver aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum). It is not listed in the online Atlas of Florida Plants, and although many believe it to be a separate species, I will include it under my discussion of western silver aster below. Regardless of its uniqueness taxonomically, its ecology and value in a home landscape are identical. Western silver aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum) Western silver aster is vouchered only from Gadsden County in the central Panhandle along the Georgia border, although it is widely distributed in the central portion of the U.S. and parts of Canada. It is variable throughout this geographic region and the Florida form is considered to be var. microphyllum, so-called for its smaller leaves. It is most likely to be encountered in open sunny sites with welldrained soils. Like silver aster, it produces a basal rosette of lanceolate leaves in spring that are densely covered by silvery silky hairs. These leaves are about ½ inch long and become smaller as they ascend the wiry stems. They do not clasp the stems as tightly as in silver aster. These stems reach a mature height of only about 2 feet. Flowers occur singly or in very small numbers atop the stems in the fall. They are about 1 inch in diameter and composed of up to 2 dozen rich lavender ray flowers surrounding a center of white disk flowers. The phyllaries at the base of the flower buds are similar to the surrounding leaves and are not appressed as they are in silver Volume 40:3 ● 2024
Western silver aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum).
Short's aster (Symphyotrichum shortii).
aster or as outwardly spiky as they are in plumose aster. I have grown this species successfully for several years and it has not suckered extensively, though some reports state that it can. If you grow this species in your landscape, make sure not to crowd it.
Large numbers of flowers are produced at the top of these stems and on numerous side stems in fall. The number of blooms and their size often causes the flower stalks to bend over. Each flower is about 1 inch across and composed of about 15 somewhat wide light lavender ray flowers and a central disk of pale yellow flowers. This is an especially beautiful and pollinator useful species when in full bloom.
Short’s aster (Symphyotrichum shortii) I have grown Short’s aster for several years and admire it greatly. In Florida, it is only reported from Jackson and Gadsden Counties in the central Panhandle near the Georgia border, but it is widely distributed to our north and west; occurring in most states in the eastern half of the U.S. and in Ontario. Throughout this range, it is reported to prefer moist, well-drained soils and partial shade, though the specimens I planted several years ago in part shade fared much poorer than those that received more sun. This is a relatively easy species to identify by foliage as it has distinctly cordate (heart-shaped) leaves that can be 6 inches long and several inches across. The basal leaves may have toothed margins, but these teeth disappear along the stems though they do not decrease much in size. The upper surface of each leaf is a rich green and glabrous, but the lower surface is much lighter in color and sparsely pubescent with hairs along the midvein and a reticulated network of secondary veins. The stout main stem arises from the basal leaf cluster in spring and eventually reaches a mature height of about 3 feet.
Wavyleaf aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum) I have grown wavyleaf aster for several years and it is one of just a few that reseeds each year well outside of where it was planted. To me, that indicates its resilience in a home landscape setting. In Florida, this species is reported from much of the Panhandle and the northern peninsular counties. It also occurs in
Wavyleaf aster (Symphyotrichum undulatum).
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nearly every state east of the Mississippi River and from Ontario. In this range, it is common to a wide variety of sunny habitats with well-drained soil, though my experience suggests it to be adaptable to soils that are a bit moister. This species is characterized by having narrow willow-like leaves that are glabrous and without teeth on the margins. It produces a single main stem that eventually reaches 3-5 feet tall. The leaves become smaller as they ascend the stem. Wavyleaf aster tends to bloom a bit earlier than most. Numerous buds are formed at the top of the main stem and a few side branches and they open in late summer to mid-fall. Each bloom is about ½ inch across, composed of about a dozen light lavender ray flowers that surround the central yellow disk flowers. White arrowleaf aster (Symphyotrichum urophyllum) I have no personal experience with this aster in the field or in my landscape. White arrowleaf aster is vouchered from 7 contiguous counties in the central Florida Panhandle along the Georgia border. It also occurs in the eastern half of the U.S. and in Ontario. It is reported to occur most frequently in sunny mesic to xeric conditions. The basal leaves are arrow-shaped, about 4½ inches long, have noticeable teeth along the margins and are pointed at the tip. The leaves diminish in size as they rise along the stems. The upper leaf surface is dull green and sparsely covered with short stiff hairs while the lower surface is noticeably hairy – especially along the major veins. Up to 5 stiff stems arise from the basal leaf cluster and reach a mature height of about 4 feet. Flowering occurs in late summer to mid-fall in dense clusters at the tips of the stems and side branches. Together
they form a pattern that looks to be a compound panicle. Each bloom is about ½ inch in diameter and is composed of about a dozen white ray flowers that surround a white-colored central disk. These turn pinkish as the blooms age. Walter’s aster (Symphyotrichum walteri) Walter’s aster is one of the first asters that I began growing when I began to take this genus seriously about 10 years ago. This species is widely scattered throughout north peninsular Florida and in a few counties of the Panhandle, always in sunny and well-drained sites. In the early spring, it emerges to form rosettes of narrow linear leaves, no more than 1 inch long, but these are replaced by short, diamond-shaped leaves that clasp the stems and curl backward just a bit to appear almost like teeth. Mature plants produce an almost ball-like shape with many stiff stems that rarely stand more than 2 feet tall. Flowering occurs in late fall into early winter, and numerous small flowers are produced across the tops of its many stems. Each is no more than ½ inch in diameter and composed of 1-2 dozen narrow light lavender to almost white ray flowers surrounding a yellow central disk. Walter’s aster has been an easy species to maintain in my landscape, but the seed is not reliably fertile here, perhaps owing to the paucity of pollinators at the time of year that my plants bloom. I always have to fight my desire to lie about the origin of its Latin name. Walter’s aster is named in homage to British botanist, Thomas Walter, famed author of Flora Caroliniana, the first North American flora to utilize the Linnean binomial taxonomic system and not for my renowned botanist friend, Walter Taylor.
Walter's aster (Symphyotrichum walteri).
References Atlas of Florida Plants. 2024. https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu Wunderlin, Ricard P., Bruce F. Hansen, and Alan Franck R. Flora of Florida. Volume VII: Dicotyledons, Orobanchaceae through Asteraceae. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2020.
About the Author Craig Huegel has a PhD in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. He is collections curator at the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens, and is the author of several books on native plants and landscaping for wildlife. His latest book is The Nature of Plants: An Introduction to How Plants Work, published by the University Press of Florida.
A Note on Regionally Appropriate Native Plants Florida has about 3,200 native species of vascular plants, and this diversity reflects the diverse habitats of the state. Some native plants occur throughout Florida, but most are not so widespread. Instead, their ranges are limited by climate, soils, hydrology, or history. When deciding what Florida native plants to include in your landscape, consider whether the plant occurs naturally in your region and whether you have the appropriate habitat for a particular plant. For example, a plant from South Florida may not tolerate North Florida winters, or a North Florida plant may require a longer dormant season than is found in the southern
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regions of the state. To find information on the ranges of Florida native plant species, visit the Atlas of Florida Plants at https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu. Another consideration when moving plants out of their native ranges is whether they may hybridize with local species in the same genus (or species if they differ at the variety level). Geographically isolated taxa are not always reproductively isolated. Such hybridization could impact the fitness of local populations. The ecological and economic damage done by invasive species is well known, and we should be cautious in moving Florida native species out of their natural ranges.
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Rooted in Heritage CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 planning, coordination, and landscape design. The restoration area is divided into various regions, with the sandhill broken into 4 separate sections. The scrubby flatwoods is the newest of these regions, being planted in 2022 and funded in part by a grant from the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation. This initiative relies on the generosity of the community to remain operational. All planting and maintenance is conducted solely by dedicated volunteers who are coordinated by Hal Stringer, the Mead Garden Restoration Co-Chair and 2022 FNPS Green Palmetto Award Recipient, (awarded for his volunteer dedication). The project includes purchasing plants and fence materials funded by Backyard Biodiversity Day (BBD), an event hosted by Tarflower at Mead Botanical Garden. BBD occurs annually in October and is centered around a native plant sale. Throughout the day, featuring food and live music, various like-minded exhibitors showcase their booths, guest speakers conduct presentations, and guided hikes of the restoration areas are led by Tarflower. This year, the event will be hosted on Saturday, October 19, 2024. As we look forward to the future, these restoration areas will continue to grow and mature. Whether it is during Backyard Biodiversity Day, stepping out to volunteer in the garden, or any other time, these gardens are for everyone and we hope you can enjoy it with us.
Above, top to bottom: Volunteers adding plants to the scrubby flatwoods in 2022; Scrubby flatwoods growth in 2024.
curly blooms of the scorpionstail (Heliotropium angiospermum). Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) and American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) form a backdrop. Meanwhile some other uncommon colleagues, survivors from before the Garden was opened in 1940 – such as dwarf pawpaw (Asimina pygmea), Virginia snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria), innocence (Houstonia procumbens), and witchgrass (Dichanthelium spp.) – occur in this protected habitat. The xeric hammock transitions to the scrubby flatwoods, serving as the current easternmost portion of the restoration area. A natural path winds through this community, and occasional saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) are found among the diverse tree palette which includes a few sand pine (these will be watched carefully and may be removed in the future), turkey oak, bluejack oak, myrtle oak, and sand live oak. Two species that are remnant before 1940, scrub hickory (Carya floridana) and Chapman’s oak (Quercus chapmanii), round out the tree assemblage in this area. Myriad shrubs include the fragrant false rosemary (Conradina canescens) and Garberia (Garberia heterophylla). Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) and rusty staggerbush (Lyonia ferruginea) bring unique color to this acidic loving landscape. How does Tarflower do this? These restoration areas were not planted out of convenience or haste. Tarflower’s Mead Botanical Garden Chair, Catherine Bowman, serves as the general of this operation and sits on Mead Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees. Restoration efforts started in 2013 and resulted in diligent Volume 40:3 ● 2024
One of many resident gopher tortoises happily watches the world from their sandy porch.
References Butler, Paul. Orchids and Butterflies: The Life and Times of Theodore Mead. Winter Park, Florida: Little Red Hen Press, 2017. “About.” Mead Botanical Garden. https://www.meadgarden.org/about/.
Further Reading Mead Botanical Garden Restoration Areas. Online at https://tarflower.fnpschapters.org/mead-garden/ Backyard Biodiversity Day. Online at https://tarflower.fnpschapters.org/backyard-biodiversity-day/
About the Authors Ann Dang is an editor of the Tarflower Chapter’s newsletter, The Tarpaper and Spencer Bennett is the vice president of programs for the Tarflower Chapter. Both Ann and Spencer started their FNPS journey by volunteering at Mead Botanical Garden. They are avid hikers, cyclists, and explorers of our many national and Florida state parks, finding joy in viewing natural landscapes.
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Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Jacksonville FL PERMIT NO. 877
The Florida Native Plant Society PO Box 278 Melbourne FL 32902-0278
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 . .......................................................Marcie Clutter................................................ marcieclutter@yahoo.com Coccoloba ..............................................Ben Johnson................................................... bcjohnson0831@gmail.com Conradina ..............................................Martha Steuart............................................. mwsteuart@bellsouth.net Cuplet Fern.............................................Alan Squires................................................... asquires@cupletfern.org Dade ..........................................................Riki Bonnema................................................ rikibonnema@gmail.com Eugenia ...................................................David L. Martin.............................................. cymopterus@icloud.com Heartland ...............................................Gregory L. Thomas..................................... enviroscidad@yahoo.com Hernando ...............................................Heather Sharkey.......................................... chbrady@tampabay.rr.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................................... marionbigscrub@fnps.org Martin County .....................................Dianna Wentink............................................ dw18hpc@gmail.com Naples ......................................................Lisa Forman.................................................... lsfphoto1@me.com Nature Coast ........................................Diane Hayes Caruso.................................. dhayescaruso@hotmail.com Palm Beach County .........................Rebekah Kaufman...................................... info@rebekahkaufman.com Passionflower.......................................Melanie Simon.............................................. msimon@fnps.org Pawpaw . .................................................Karen Walter.................................................. karenlw72@gmail.com Paynes Prairie .....................................Sandi Saurers................................................ sandisaurers@yahoo.com Pine Lily . .................................................Dana Sussmann........................................... dana.sussmann@fdacs.govg Pinellas ....................................................David Perkey.................................................. dperkey@hotmail.com Sarracenia .............................................Lynn Artz........................................................... lynn—artz@hotmail.com Sea Rocket ...........................................Elizabeth Bishop.......................................... izbet@aol.com Serenoa ...................................................Pamela Callender........................................ callenderpamela@gmail.com Suncoast ...............................................Virginia Overstreet..................................... vaoverstreet@gmail.com Sweetbay ..............................................Jody Wood-Putnam.................................... redbudbay@me.com Tarflower . ...............................................Amanda Freed............................................... tarflower@fnps.org The Villages............................................Bob Keyes........................................................ bob.keyes@qcspurchasing.com
Contact the Florida Native Plant Society: PO Box 5007, Gainesville, FL 32627. Phone: (321) 271-6702. Email: info@fnps.org Online: https://fnps.org To join FNPS: Contact your local Chapter Representative, call, write, or e-mail FNPS, or join online at https://www.fnps.org/support/membership To submit materials to PALMETTO, contact the Editor: Marjorie Shropshire, Visual Key Creative, Inc. Email: palmetto@fnps.org Phone: (772) 285-4286