What is a native plant?What are"exotic" plants and "exotic invasive" species? IRC uses the phrase “native plant” to indicate a plant that occurs or occurred naturally within a specific geographical area in specific habitats or plant communities. Some native species have rather broad ranges while other species ranges are very restricted. For instance live oak (Quercus virginiana) grows nearly throughout South Florida north to the state of Virginia , while Florida Keys wedge sandmat (Chamaesyce deltoidea subsp. serpyllum) is confined to Big Pine Key in the lower Florida Keys . Similarly, live oak is found in a large number of plant communities, from rockland hammock to mesic hammock to maritime hammock, while Florida Keys wedge sandmat is confined solely to pine rockland . The phrase “native plant” is not without controversy. For an interesting review of definitions see Toward a Working Definition of “Florida Native Plant" on the Florida Native Plant Society website.
What is an “exotic plant”? And what are “exotic invasive” species?
These species are important to know about because they may pop up in your yard or project site, or may already have naturalized into your yard, unbeknownst to you. However, the most problematic exotic species are easy to identify and learn about. Exotic species are species that are not considered native to South Florida, and have arrived here through human intervention. Furthermore, “invasive exotic” refers to certain plants that often naturalize (meaning they reproduce and can colonize areas, and are able to sustain themselves outside of cultivation) in various areas, and are a threat to native plant communities because they are known to disrupt the ecology of native ecosystems. Often, these plants take over such communities and wipe out the native plants and can significantly harm wildlife habitat. Because these “invasive exotic” plants are not native to South Florida, they usually have no natural predators to limit their populations and thus may easily invade and destroy natural areas. Our government has many programs designed to eradicate invasive plants from protected areas, and it is a good idea to eradicate them when possible from your yard or project site as well. Some of the most common invasive exotics in South Florida are Brazilian Pepper or Florida Holly (which is not native to Florida at all, really), Schinus terebinthifolius; Australian Pine, Casuarina equisetifolia; and Melaleuca, Melaleuca quinquinerva. These are all easily identifiable, please see the links below for more info.
Why plant native plants and use them in landscaping? What difference does it make if I plant a native tree?
There are many benefits of planting with natives, especially those that are native to your neighborhood specifically. Native plant species have already adapted to South Florida’s climate and soils, so oftentimes they do not require much/any fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation, or other time-consuming and expensive maintenance that most non-native landscaping plants usually require: leaving more time for you to simply enjoy them! Furthermore, engaging in native plant landscaping and gardening is a great way to contribute to the preservation and restoration of our natural heritage, while also reaping many benefits yourself:
Enjoy viewing the wildlife, especially birds and butterflies, that will visit your native garden
Save time and money by reducing fertilizer, pesticide, and water usage, and other maintenance needs
Reduce your energy costs by creating a landscape to help cool your home
Obtain a deeper understanding of South Florida’s natural heritage while restoring our backyards, offices, and schoolyards as natural places
In addition, your native landscape can benefit our South Florida environment in many ways by:
Providing food and shelter for birds, butterflies, and other native wildlife
Providing stop-over habitat for migrating wildlife
Reducing consumption of energy and toxic chemicals
Reducing landscape maintenance needs and water consumption
Creating larger, more connected plant populations, helping to ensure the future of native plant species by increasing their ability to migrate in response to changes in climate and sea-level
How do I use this website for my native planting project?
This website is designed to give you the most appropriate list of native plants for the area that your project will be located in. The information is divided into general information by county, and specific information by zip code. Usually, the most beneficial lists are the zip code lists as they typically include more species, but the county lists are also useful if more general and large-scale plantings are intended. Please check below to see which list may be helpful to you:
The county lists are useful for:
Street, highway, and other roadside plantings
Parking lot plantings
General native plant projects requiring only common native species
Large-scale countywide plantings
The zip code plant lists are useful for:
Home, school, & office plantings
Native plant community restoration and habitat restoration
Mitigation
Planting projects in and near conservation areas and parks
Once you have chosen which list to use, access it by either entering your zip code or county name on the Natives For Your Neighborhood home page. You can then click on plant names to learn more horticultural information on the plant, as well as see photos of them. On the zip code page (enter a zip code at left), you can also learn about the native habitats in your neighborhood, and obtain a plant list that will help you to try restoring a backyard habitat - large or small. The site is updated often, with new habitat photos coming soon- so check back regularly for the latest additions!
Where can I get native plants?
Many nurseries cultivate native plants, and many more are beginning to grow these great plants. Unfortunately, however, native plants are still more difficult to find than exotic species, which are the most commonly sold plants in nurseries and garden centers. Yet there are many nurseries that specialize in native plants, and many other nurseries grow some of the more common native species; you just need to know where to look! When the Natives For Your Neighborhood site is finally launched, we will have a listing of nurseries that carry natives.
In addition, the Florida Native Plant Society is a great resource for finding native plants and learning about them. There are chapters throughout South Florida, and many of these have monthly meetings, newsletters, and even plant raffles which are another way of obtaining native plants.
Please remember that this program is geared to help you recreate native habitats for your specific area. If you are interested in a specific plant, it is best to use the search box at the bottom of the plant page on the Natives For Your Neighborhood site, in order to find out if that plant is found in your area. Or, you may enter your zip code, and therein gain a list of all the plants that are/were native to your zip code so that you will have many plants to choose from! If the plant you are interested in is not listed there, it is probable that the plant was not historically found in your area and it is then suggested that you plant something that IS native to your area! (For more information on why it is important to plant natives according to your specific area, check out About Natives For Your Neighborhood.)
*It is illegal to obtain plants from parks or any natural areas!! Poaching of plants (illegal collecting, taking, or picking of plants) is a leading cause in the degradation of native landscapes and has caused many plants to become rare or extirpated in South Florida. The entire purpose behind this website is to conserve and restore native plants and habitats, so it is asked that no one ever take any plant materials from any park, or other natural area: this is clearly an illegal activity as well as being an ecologically harmful one!!
Where can I find information on how to install and care for a native plant landscape in my home, school, or office?
Here! You are in the right place.
First, it is important to be aware that there is a plethora of information - including books, websites, and free materials available from various organizations - on native plantings and native plant landscapes in general. All of these resources are great ways to learn more about native plants. However, what makes Natives For Your Neighborhood different is that it provides you a much more specific level of information on exactly what native species are appropriate for YOUR area. For example, one could look in a book to learn that Sea Grape, Coccoloba uvifera, is native to Florida. However, what it may not tell you is that this beautiful native tree is found primarily in association with coastal or near-coastal areas (its native habitat). Through Natives For Your Neighborhood, IRC has taken the guesswork out of deciding which plants are best suited to your area by providing you with appropriate plant lists specifically designed for each zip code and county in South Florida.. so picking the right plants to put in your neighborhood is just a click away! Furthermore, Natives For Your Neighborhood provides plant lists for native habitats in your area (again, according to zip codes) which makes it possible for you to try your hand at native habitat recreation and restoration.
How can I recreate or restore a native habitat in my backyard?
Natives For Your Neighborhood is designed to help you do just this. First and most importantly, it is critical to become familiar with the general background information on native plants and native habitats that is available on this website and other resources. Then, you should have a good idea of the location of your native habitat project: what sun and water levels it will receive, and what structures it should not disturb (powerlines, roofs, septic tanks, lines, etc).
Once you know where the project will be located, you can enter the zip code of the project area into the Natives For Your Neighborhood website home page, and this will take you to a page specifically designed for your project area. (IRC has based their recommendations for each zip code on thorough scientific research that has been conducted through the Floristic Inventory of South Florida (FISF) project. ) On this zip code page, you can scroll down and read the Native Habitats section, which will contain only habitats that are recommended by IRC for your area. Then, you can click on a habitat to learn more about it, and decide whether this is a good choice for you according to your own needs, goals, and ideas about the habitat you’d like to recreate or restore.
Once you have chosen a habitat to restore, click on that habitat’s plant list (from your zip code’s page), and you may want to print up the list of plants. You can click on specific plants to learn more about them, view pictures of them, and more: it may be useful to take notes or otherwise check off the plants you intend to use from your list. **Next, you can click on the “How to restore this habitat” to view a pdf file (a free downloadable Adobe Acrobat file), if available, that will guide you step-by-step through the process of habitat restoration - for beginners! This document contains detailed information on how to create your own native landscape, from the installation of plants to the maintenance of them, and many other useful tips.
*It should be noted that habitat restoration is a fun but serious endeavor. Furthermore, ecological restoration is viewed by many as a critical component of the global conservation movement, and also as an important way of reconnecting humans with nature. There is a broad literature on ecological restoration in various journals. Also, lots of useful information about these topics is available online that may be of interest to you, and would be likely be helpful to you in planning your own backyard habitat.
What are some challenges that I might encounter with my native planting project?
Perhaps the most challenging part of any planting project involves working outside in South Florida’s hot sun! Fortunately, however, planting native plants will ensure that your plants will be able to survive and thrive in South Florida’s climate and soils. Installing a native landscape, when done properly, is actually much easier to maintain and less costly than traditional manicured lawns or non-native plantings. Not only that, but you will undoubtedly conserve water and energy resources, and have the added benefit of encouraging birds and butterflies to visit your yard! (See here to learn more about the benefits of landscaping with natives.)
It is, however, important to be aware of some of the challenges you may face with your native planting project:
Eradicating your existing lawn or other exotic plants to make room for your natives project area may be a challenge, but there are tried and true ways of doing so.
Finding native plants at nurseries can sometimes be challenging, but the Florida Native Plant Society is a great resource for finding native plants and learning about them. There are chapters throughout South Florida, and many of these have monthly meetings, newsletters, and even plant raffles which are another way of obtaining native plants.
How can I become more involved with native plants and environmental conservation?
For starters, plant natives!
Please visit our Major Sponsors and Resources Links setions for info on other local organizations, sources of information, and more leads on getting involved..
You may also want to consider joining The Friends of The Institute for Regional Conservation, in order to help support IRC's restoration and conservation activities. IRC is a grass-roots organization that relies upon your support!
Gann, G.D., M.E. Abdo, J.W. Gann, G.D. Gann, Sr., S.W.
Woodmansee, K.A. Bradley, E. Verdon and K.N. Hines. 2005-2008. Natives For Your Neighborhood. http://www.regionalconservation.org.
The Institute for Regional Conservation, Miami.
