Citrus Chapter - Florida Native Plant Society

09/03/2026

Blooming natives in my yard. The vine is from the CCFNPS plant swap. The name disappeared from the plant tag.

09/03/2026

Some visitors to the landscape. Excuse my old phone camera. :-) A swallowtail wouldn't stay long enough on the tropical sage for a photo shoot.

09/03/2026

08/16/2026

Good to catchup over ice cream before we start back with the public meetings on Sept 1st. Look forward to seeing everyone then!

08/16/2026

We're all doing it, you can too!

What if helping protect pollinators only took 15 minutes?

On Aug. 21-22, Floridians of all ages can join the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, a citizen science effort led in Florida by UF/IFAS Extension. All you need is a blooming plant, 15 minutes, and a little curiosity.

Choose a flowering plant in your yard, a park, schoolyard, or community garden, then count the bees, butterflies, beetles, and other pollinators that visit. No scientific experience or insect identification skills are required!

In 2025, Floridians submitted more than 5,100 counts across 59 counties and helped create 183 new sustainable pollinator habitats. This year, the goal is to reach all 67 Florida counties and double participation to 10,000 counts.

To learn more, click the link!
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08/13/2026

We were pleased to share some insights on using native plants at home and thank you to the Friends for supporting our natural and wild places.

08/10/2026

Conservation work has no boundaries and it takes many partners to succeed.

Meet Manasota Pawpaw (Asimina manasota), a G1-Critically Imperiled species endemic to Manatee and Sarasota Counties in southern Florida, and a focal species of the Florida Plant Rescue initiative.

Florida ranks third in plant diversity in the United States and is home to over 3,200 native plant species from tropical and temperate origins. Many species are found ONLY in Florida – like the Manasota Pawpaw. In fact, there are 200 plant species in Florida that are considered globally rare, with half not currently secured in conservation collections.

☀️ That's where the Florida Plant Rescue comes in... ☀️

The Florida Plant Rescue (FLPR) is a statewide seed collections initiative that aims to conserve the state’s botanical diversity. It is led by CPC in collaboration with botanical experts within the CPC network as well as database network partners. With their expertise and the capacity to collect, process, and store rare plants safely in ex situ collections, we aim to secure these imperiled plants for future generations.

In 2023, FLPR partners Selby Gardens - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens collected immature shoot tips from Manasota Pawpaw in the wild, which were sent to Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's CREW team who then developed tissue culture and cryopreservation protocols for this species, a topic covered extensively in CPC's Rare Plant Academy.

We invite you to learn more about FLPR, the botanical institutions that form this partnership, and the rare plant species we are safeguarding from extinction!

🔗 Visit: SavePlants.org/florida-plant-rescue

📷 Photo Credit: Bruce Holst
Image Description: Manasota Pawpaw (Asimina manasota). This narrow endemic is documented from 2 Florida counties. This species has been targeted for ex situ conservation as part of the Florida Rare Plants Initiative. It is an exceptional species that will require methods other than traditional seed banking.

07/31/2026

We were pleased to help bring this bird-friendly garden to fruition. Swing by Floral Park and check it out!