Cuplet Fern Florida Native Plant Society

06/15/2026

Please join us this evening, June 15th, for an insightful presentation by Alice Bard as part of our Protecting Paradise summer program series! 🌿 Alice will be discussing the "Restoration and Management of Biodiversity in Florida State Parks," drawing on her extensive thirty-six-year career with the Florida Park Service.

As a District Biologist for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Alice provides vital oversight for thirty-three parks across sixteen counties. Her deep field experience includes managing and documenting rare species, such as the endangered Clasping Warea (Warea amplexifolia). Alice has been a dedicated fellow member of Cuplet Fern, and her work continues to bridge the gap between state-level environmental management and community stewardship. 😊

Event Details:

- Time: Networking begins at 6:30 PM; Featured presentation starts at 7:20 PM.
- Location: Seminole IFAS Auditorium, Sanford.

We look forward to seeing you there as we learn more about the vital work being done to preserve our state's unique botanical heritage. 🌸

05/14/2026

Exciting news! 📢 Join us for the kickoff of our "Protecting Paradise" summer program series, featuring Graham Williams! 🌿

Graham, a Land Manager for the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and a past Cuplet Fern board member, brings extensive experience in managing Florida's diverse habitats and is a vital advocate for native plant and wildlife conservation. His expertise includes monitoring sensitive species and managing bird nesting programs for imperiled species.

Don't miss his presentation on the remarkable 25-year history of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) conservation at the Hal Scott Regional Park and Preserve. Graham will share insights on the crucial role of land management and prescribed fire in helping this endangered species thrive. 🔥🐦

📅 Before the talk, we will be hosting a community potluck! 🍽️ To ensure everyone can enjoy safely, please remember to clearly label your dishes, noting any common allergens or dietary restrictions. We also politely ask that you make sure your culinary creations are presented beautifully! ✨ We can't wait to see you there!

05/02/2026

Join us tomorrow, May 3rd, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the beautiful Lyonia Environmental Center in Deltona for the final iteration of our 2026 Cuplet Fern Spring Book Club series!

We look forward to discuss "Nature's Action Guide: How to Support Biodiversity and Your Local Ecosystem" by Sarah Jayne. This book is a special resource, featuring a forward by the renowned Doug Tallamy. What makes this guide unique is its focus on transforming ecological anxiety into tangible local impact; it moves beyond theory to provide a roadmap for restoring the complex web of life right in our own backyards. It is an empowering call to action for anyone looking to make a measurable difference for our Florida pollinators and wildlife.

We are honored to have local author and fellow Cuplet Fern member, Fred Wascura, lead this session. Fred’s friendly facilitation and teaching style are first-rate, and we expect a cozy, small-group atmosphere perfect for meaningful conversation.

Whether you are just starting your native plant journey or have specific questions about Central Florida’s unique ecosystems, we invite you to stop by and participate. This event is free and open to the public.

Cuplet Fern looks forward to seeing you there!

04/28/2026

🦉 Explore the Wild After Dark at Lake Harney Wilderness Area! 🌿

Join Cuplet Fern and Seminole County Natural Lands for a special evening of "after-hours" citizen science! We are gathering this Friday, May 1st, to document the unique crepuscular and nocturnal species that call this property home.

Whether you're a seasoned naturalist or just getting started, come help us observe the transition from twilight to night as part of the Lake Harney 2026 Spring Bioblitz!

📍 Location: Lake Harney Wilderness Area
⏰ Cuplet Fern Meet-up: 6:30 PM (to catch that magic twilight hour!)
🔦Official Event: 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM

✨What to Bring & Wear:
- App: Have iNaturalist downloaded and ready to go on your smartphone.
- Gear: Bring a flashlight or headlamp for when it gets dark.
- Clothing: Wear closed-toe shoes and long pants for trekking.
- Safety: Flashlight and Insect repellent is highly recommended! 🦟 🔦

The official event is a casual, self-guided opportunity for serious bioblitzers to get some unique night observations. We can’t wait to see what "nocturnal critters" we find!

04/23/2026

Cuplet Fern is excited to invite you to our upcoming native plants BioBlitz supporting our partners at Seminole County's Natural Lands staff. The event is free and open to the public.

What is a BioBlitz?
A BioBlitz is a communal effort to record as many species as possible within a designated location and time period. It’s a fantastic way to document local biodiversity while learning more about the flora and fauna that call Florida home. 🌿🦋

Event Details:

- Date: Saturday, April 25th
- Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Location: Lake Harney Wilderness Area, 2395 Osceola Fish Camp Road, Geneva, FL
- Meeting Point: Please meet us at the parking lot to sign a waiver before we begin.

Important Requirements:
This activity is strictly an iNaturalist project. All attendees are encouraged to use the iNaturalist app to record their observations. Don't worry if you're new to the app—we will provide a short demonstration on how to record observations before we head out! Depending on turnout, we may split into smaller groups for more in-depth discussions and observations.

What to Wear & Bring:
For this field trip, we recommend wearing long pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes, a hat, insect repellant and sunscreen. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water and ensure your smartphone is fully charged for recording observations!

As Cuplet Fern continues to serve Seminole County in environmental education, we're proud to support this effort to document our beautiful native ecosystems. We look forward to seeing you there! 🔍🌱

04/22/2026

04/18/2026

Get ready to go native! 🌿✨

We are thrilled to invite you to our native plant sale tomorrow, Saturday, April 18th, at the Sanford Garden Club! We will be there from 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM, and it is first-come, first-served, so be sure to set your alarms early to get the best selection. ⏰🌷

We have a fantastic variety of native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers ready to find a home in your garden. This is our FINAL sale of the season, so we urge all gardeners to stock up now and get your plants in the ground before the summer heat arrives! ☀️🌳

Don't miss this last chance to support local biodiversity and find some beautiful additions for your landscape. We can’t wait to see you there!

🌸🐝🦋🌼🌻

02/20/2026

It’s going to be a fun but busy weekend for Florida native plants! 🎉 Cuplet Fern Florida Native Plant Society is hosting dual plant sales this Saturday, February 21st, in Sanford and Deltona. Whether you are looking for trees, shrubs, or wildflowers, we hope to see you there!

Here are the details for each location:

Seminole IFAS Extension Gardening Expo

- Location: 250 W County Home Road, Sanford, FL 32773
- Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Note: This is a larger sale featuring a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.

Lyonia Wildlife Festival

- Location: 2150 Eustace Ave, Deltona, FL 32725
- Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Note: This event features a great selection of native species perfect for West Volusia gardens.

Why Garden with Natives?
Native plants are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. Because they are adapted to our local climate, they are drought-tolerant and require significantly less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than non-native species. By integrating native flora into your landscape, you provide essential habitat and food sources for local wildlife and pollinators, helping to support regional biodiversity.

Important Information for Saturday:

- Member Discount: Current Cuplet Fern members receive a 10% discount on plant purchases. Not a member yet? You can join or renew on-site to enjoy the discount immediately! Few exclusions apply.
- Optimal Planting Time: Late February is the absolute best time for planting native trees and shrubs in Central Florida. The cooler temperatures allow root systems to establish before the summer heat arrives, enhancing long-term survival.
- Payments: We accept Credit, Check, and Cash. Please note that for cash transactions, we round to the nearest dollar.
- Donation Drive: We are currently soliciting donations to help Cuplet Fern become a lifetime member of the American Fern Society. Your support helps us grow our educational and conservation impact.

Come out, support your local nonprofit, and let’s grow a greener Florida together! 🌿

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02/15/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who spent their Valentine’s Day morning with us demonstrating true environmental stewardship! It was an incredible day of community action at Spring Hammock Preserve.

We would like to extend a special shoutout to our partners who made this event possible: the Old-Growth Forest Network, Seminole State College's Environmental Club students, the Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC), and the Seminole Education, Restoration & Volunteer (SERV) Program .

Our efforts focused on an ecologically sensitive area of the preserve where we targeted the invasive dotted bridal veil, also known as Tahitian bridal veil (Gibasis pellucida). Together, we successfully removed approximately six garbage bags worth of this non-native species. As shown in one of the photos, this invasive plant was found growing directly alongside our eponymous Cuplet Fern (Dennstaedtia bipinnata), demonstrating the immediate threat to the balance of this old-growth forest.

Community-led invasive plant removals are vital for preserving the integrity of natural treasures like Spring Hammock. By removing these problematic plants, we protect local biodiversity, support hydrological health, and ensure that some of the oldest cypress trees in the world continue to thrive!

If you would like to get involved in our mission to conserve, preserve, and restore Florida’s native plants, there are many ways to engage:

- Participate: Join the Cuplet Fern and SERV locally to stay connected to conservation activities.
- Learn: Experience our monthly community gardening days at the Seminole IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscape Demonstration Garden to learn how to garden with natives successfully.
- Attend an Event: Follow us on our socials or visit our website (CupletFern.org) to find upcoming book club meetings, educational presentations, native plant sales, and partnership events such as this one!

Thank you for helping us create a lasting legacy of conservation in Seminole County!

02/13/2026

Will you be our soil-mate? Share some love with the earth this Valentine's Day. Join us for a morning of stewardship at Spring Hammock Preserve—Seminole County's only registered preserve recognized by the Old Growth Forest Network!

Spend a few short hours making a real impact on this unique ecosystem. You’ll learn about our native plants, discover why this old-growth forest is so special, and find out how you can pay it forward to the environment that gives so much to you.

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Event Details:
🙋 Leads: Mark Kateli and Charles Ehrgott
📅 Date: February 14th
⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
📍 Meeting Location: Spring Hammock Preserve Parking Lot (2985 Osprey Trail, Longwood, FL 32750)
🥾🪏 What to Bring/Wear: Closed toed shoes *required* (boots preferred), Long pants, Shovel, Gardening Gloves, and a couple of Trash bags (large paper trash bags such as the ones from Lowe's/Home Depot are preferred).
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Patrons from Seminole Education, Restoration Volunteer (SERV) Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC), Central Florida Cooperative of Invasive Species Management Area (CFL CISMA), W**d Wrangle and Seminole County Natural Lands are very welcomed to participate to make this a truly special community morning for Spring Hammock Preserve.

Whether you're coming solo, with friends, or bringing a "soil-mate," we can’t wait to see you there!

🌼 LIKE and FOLLOW us on social media to remain informed regarding our various events and outreach programs. And love yourself this Valentine's Day!