Brooksville Plant Materials Center

Updated 08/13/2008

News Feature

"Native Plants for Coastal Dune Restoration: What, When, and How for Florida"

“Native Plants for Coastal Dune Restoration: What, When, and How for Florida” is now available online at the Brooksville PMC website. Mimi Williams, Florida Plant Materials Specialist (PMS), said, “This publication is a revision and expansion of the old USDA, SCS publication “Plants for Coastal Dunes of the Gulf and South Atlantic Coasts and Puerto Rico” by R. M. Craig, which was last published in 1991. Much of the information in that publication was out-of-date. For example, it listed Australian pine as a useful species for coastal plantings. The new publication still mentions Australian pine, but as an exotic invasive that should not be used. The plants listed in this new publication are all Florida native species.”

The new publication was developed to help people on Florida’s coasts select and use plants for coastal stabilization and habitat restoration. The information presented in the publication is the result of the active selection and evaluation program of the Brooksville Plant Materials Center (PMC) as well as information from various state and federal sources.

In addition to information on the grasses, forbs, and woodies listed in the publication, generalized information on coastal ecology and revegetation planning is provided. This information is intended for planners, landscapers, nursery operators, developers, and homeowners in Florida.

The 33 plant species identified in this publication were selected based on their favorable characteristics for erosion control, frequency of occurrence, and dominance in their ecosystems. The publication describes each plant, its area of occurrence, commercial availability, and special propagation or planting needs. One page is devoted to each species and is illustrated with one or more photographs and a map showing the counties where the plant can be found. Mimi said, “I am particularly grateful to the photographers that allowed us to use their work to illustrate this publication.”

To access the publication, go to http://www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/pmc/flplantmaterials.html.

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