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Frond ForumFlorida Native Plant Society

Cuplet Fern Chapter :: Seminole County

2014–15 BoardPresident:Beth JacksonVice President:VacancySecretary:Christine BrownTreasurer:Susan Blount-AngermeierChapter Representative:Neta Villalobos-BellMembership:Neta Villalobos-BellPlant Propagation:Barbara Whittier

2014–15 CommitteesWeb Maintenance:Ken BellFacebook:Shari KingNewsletter:Kathleen Poole Meetup:Deborah GreenPlant Propagation Coordinator:Jane Miller

Cuplet Fern ChapterFlorida Native Plant SocietyPO Box 150021Altamonte Springs, FL 32715

Meeting Location:200 Fairmont DriveSanford, FL 32773

Volume 6, Number 3 :: July – September 2016

Florida Milkweed Project Team prepares for Phase 2FANN growers and staff traveled to the University of Florida IFAS Mid-Florida Research Center in Apopka Friday, June 10, 2016, to meet with the Florida Wildflower Foundation, Florida Museum of Natural History, and US Fish & Wildlife Services staff.

The Florida Milkweed Project Team is getting ready to enter Phase 2 of our program to expand availability and use of Florida native ecotype milkweed plants for landscape and restoration. Phase 1 has collected seed for four species (A. humistrata, incarnata, perennis and tuberosa) from 16 Florida counties throughout the peninsula and into NW Florida. Phase 2 will begin seed collection for more of Florida’s 21 native ecotype milkweeds and research into pest and fungus control issues that plague our growers. Seed and growing tips are available from Marc Godts, Green Isle Gardens Nursery in Groveland. Marc is FANN’s point person for milkweed production issues. FANN is happy to see that Marc has successfully coaxed AgriStarts into growing more native milkweeds. AgriStarts is an important supplier of liners to the industry and we

L-R standing: Bill Bissett, The Natives; Ty Strode, AgriStarts; Marc Godts, Green Isle Gardens Nursery; Cammie Donaldson, FANN; Roger Triplett, Green Seasons Nursery, Lisa Roberts, Florida Wildflower Foundation. Seated, L-R: Sharon Dolan, Maple Street Natives Nursery; Stacey Matrazzo, Florida Wildflower Foundation, Nancy Bissett, The Natives; Scott Davis, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and Jaret Daniels, UF/Florida Museum of Natural History.

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Frond Forum Florida Native Plant Society :: Cuplet Fern Chapter :: Seminole County Volume 6, Number 3 :: July – September 2016

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hope to see many of their milkweed starts shipping all over the state and through the southeastern U.S. FANN growers supplying wholesale milkweed for landscape and restoration.

Butterfly Milkweed (A. tuberosa)White Milkweed (A. perennis)Pink Milkweed (A. incarnata)

Sources for home gardeners can be found at PlantRealFlorida.org.

More on the Florida Milkweed Project

Project Goals: •Collectanddistributenativeecotypeseedfor

use by growers and gardeners. •Providegardenersandindustryprofessionals

with information on seed collection, storage and propagation.

•Providebestpracticesinformationrelatedtogrowing healthy, safe and sustainable crops of native milkweed in a production nursery environment.

•Educategardenersandlandscapeprofessionalson the selection, use, cultivation and maintenance of native ecotype milkweed plants.

Project Team •FloridaWildflowerFoundation •FloridaMuseumofNaturalHistory •FloridaAssociationofNativeNurseries

Florida Wildflower Foundation and Florida Museum of Natural History provided funding and outreach support. FANN has provided project coordination, seed collection, plant propagation and dissemination of production information via their network of growers.

Partners who have contributed information and seed during Phase 1 (June 2015–June 2016) include the Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association, Chris Parisi of Restless Natives, Pawpaw Chapter Florida Native Plant Society, Claudia Larsen of Micanopy Wildflowers, and Scott Davis of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (based at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, where Scott oversees the refuge’s Monarch-Milkweed Initiative producing a great variety of native milkweed plants for habitat restoration in the region).

Phase 2 (July 2016-July 2017)

Plans include collection of seed for additional species, including Asclepias humistrata, production of additional promotional tools (e.g., brochures, tags) and the initiation of organized research on use of butterfly-safe pest and fungus controls.

Posted on June 14, 2016 by FANN

http://www.floridanativenurseries.org/info/News/florida-milkweed-project-team-prepares-for-phase-2/


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EarthDayhasbecomeanimportant,well-promotedannualAprilEvent.And,becausetherearesomanyevents, some on the same days, on weekends, and even during the weekdays, the requests for event participation start arriving well before April. Due to limited volunteer resources, we must be selective.

This year’s City of Altamonte Springs Lake Lotus ParkEventdrewabout3,000peopleandwasaunique experience for our chapter. Not only did we have our usual display table of handouts and Richard Poole’s handmade bird nest boxes for sale, but we were asked to provide guidance for event attendees in order to properly plant Florida Native Plants in a new butterfly garden area. Trees, shrubs and perennials were donated by Biosphere, Inc. in Winter Garden. It was an amazing day. When we first saw what must have been 100 plants, we were skeptical they would all get in the ground. But, they did! With the help of dads digging holes through dense tree roots, the kids were the most enthusiastic and excited I have ever worked

Cuplet Fern Participates in Earth Day Eventswith. The kids came by sporadically, sometimes in groups, different ages, genders and ethnicities. After listening attentively to proper planting directions and putting their plant in, they asked to plant more. Visit the new garden at the back end of the loop drive located near the bathrooms under the large oaks trees along the road.

Jackson Heights Middle School in Oviedo hosted theirfirstEarthDaySchoolEventthisyear.Inaddition to students’ project displays, outside exhibitors were invited to participate. We chose the theme “Florida Native Wildlife Need Florida Native Plants”. As 7th grade classes passed by throughout the day, they filled out information forms about what they learned from each exhibitor. Some examples from our display showed the connection between Florida’s flora and fauna—three Florida native bats using Spanish moss as nest habitat; hummingbirds using lichens to camouflage their tiny nests; Gopher tortoises eating native prickly pear cactus.

We received thank-you letters that were very rewarding. We made a difference.

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Help Support Kids in Nature with Seminole County Natural Lands ECO-CampStarting in 2012, Cuplet Fern Chapter has provided full financial scholarships to twenty-two (22) SeminoleCountyECO-Campyouthattendees.

And, we are willing to give more. Our scholarship applications are announced on the County website, Cuplet Fern website and newsletters, but we need more promotion of its availability. So, we ask our members to help spread the word through any other possible venues. The application form is available on the Cuplet Fern Chapter website homepage.

http://cupletfern.fnpschapters.org

Funding for scholarships comes from donations collected for native plants at events and at our monthly chapter meetings. We invite you to attend the monthly programs and see what plants are available for donation. Meetings are held the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM, 200 Fairmont Drive, Sanford. If you have any additional questions call 407-302-7616.

Another Year, Another FNPS Annual Conference—May 2016 in Daytona BeachI always find conferences exhausting, having to narrow down from the many choices of seminars and field trips to attend, plus keynote speakers, annual member meeting, silent auction, native plant sale, and socials. But, what better way to spend time learning more about the environment and our native plants than among like-minded people sharing experiences and ideas. It’s fun to meet people who come from all over the state and meet the state Board members who volunteer to protect, conserve, and preserve natives at the state level.

A few samples of sessions offered: “Reconnecting Sandhill Fragments…”, “Conservation on Private Land”, “How Fire and Flower Density Affect Pollinators and Reproduction of Asimina Reticulate (Pawpaw)”,“EndemicWildflowersofFlorida”.

Please join us at the August 8 meeting when Phyllis Gray will showcase highlights from past conferences.


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Seminole County is implementing a new Adopt-a-Park program to encourage community involvement with improvement projects at its properties. With 8,000 acres of parks and natural lands and miles of trails, there are many opportunities for volunteers.

The Cuplet Fern Chapter has submitted an application for adoption of the native plant gardenattheEdYarboroughNatureCenter.TheEdYarboroughNatureCenterislocatedattheGeneva Wilderness Area in Seminole County and is part of Seminole County’s Natural Lands. The center houses a variety of wildlife displays and a wetlands habitat room. Some of the displays include bird watching stations, large terrariums, and nature study stations. This facility is used bothforenvironmentaleducationthroughEcoCamp programs, for which Cuplet Fern Chapter provides scholarships, and wildlife and plant hikes throughout the year.

Barbara Whittier, who is a Cuplet Fern Board member, has already been volunteering at the

center, maintaining the native plant garden there. This would be a great volunteer opportunity for anyone who would like to assist in maintaining the garden. Barbara has extensive knowledge of native plants and is an avid gardener, so this can be a great learning opportunity for anyone who would like to participate with her.

There is not a set schedule for visits to the nature center, as weather conditions and availability of volunteers will be a factor. The plan is to notify interested parties a few days ahead, so that visits may be coordinated. Please email [email protected] if interested. Any assistance, whether a few hours or a few days, will be greatly appreciated!

Adopt-a-Park Program (Trails, Trailheads, and Natural Lands)


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Healthy ForestJuly 11, 2016, 7PM 407-302-7616Healthy forests include a balance of features from soil fertility to fire frequency in order to support the successful interrelationships of plants and animals. Dana Sussman, Senior Forester of Florida Forest Service, will explain what can disrupt this balance and how the forest service uses certain strategies to maintain a healthy forest. Through recognition of ecological interrelationships they can best manage natural resources for the public good.

Landscapes, Leaders, and Light Moments at FNPS ConferencesAugust 8, 2016, 7PM 407-302-7616Phyllis Gray is an active friend of the board and long term Tarflower Chapter member. A former Orlando Sentinel associate food editor, she also edited the Chapter newsletter The Tarpaper for 10 years shortly after joining the chapter. She is an excellent photographer and records many field trips as well as the annual FNPS conferences. She will share highlights from those conferences enticing and encouraging everyone to attend. Come join us for a recap of conferences past, wishing you were there. Her enthusiasm should light a fire.

Upcoming Meetings—All meetings are free and open to the public

Upcoming Field Trips and ActivitiesNo trips for July or August.

A few letter comments follow.

“All the artails (sic) and visual representations have gotten the idea in my head and makes me want to help save the native plants & animals living within them. Once again thank you sooooooooo much!”

Cuplet Fern Participates in Earth Day Events—continued from page 3

“I learned a lot about native plants. Your station was my favorite.”

“I learned about what Florida native plants actullay (sic) mean. (And I found that very interesting).”

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