BROWARD CHAPTER of the
Florida Native Plant Society

Saturday, April 2nd, 2022
9:00am - approx. 1:00pm or when plants are sold out!

Secret Woods Nature Center
2701 W State Road 84, Dania Beach, FL 33312
 

Friend's of Secret Woods Native Plant Sale
 

Wednesday, April 13th, 2022
7:00pm - 8:30pm

Secret Woods Nature Center
2701 W State Road 84, Dania Beach, FL 33312
 

Planning Your Next Botanical Adventure: Tips and Resources to Explore Public Lands Near You
 

Saturday, April 23rd, 2022
9:00am - 12:00pm

Walk on the Fire Side at Cypress Creek Natural Area
10035 W Indiantown Road
Jupiter, FL 33478

Please join us for a walk at Cypress Creek Natural Area on the north side of Indiantown Road. We will be walking out to a unit of the natural area that received prescribed fire back in February. Attendees should anticipate walking 0.5 miles to the area that was burned. After exploring that area, we will continue on to complete a loop (+/- 2.0 miles in total). 

Please meet at the parking area. There are no public restroom facilities at this natural area. Public restrooms can be found at the nearby Riverbend Park.

Please RSVP by emailing BrowardChapterFNPS@gmail.com so that we can have a head count of anticipated attendees.

     Firebush Finca is a single-family home that was built in 1975 and is in the Deer Run subdivision of the city of Coral Springs. The lack of curb appeal and vegetation were the major reasons for implementing the Florida Friendly Landscape (FFL) principles. Lack of shade, privacy, water run-off due to impervious surfaces, urban heat island effect, and pollution were present. The existing total footprint of the house including impervious area was 4,070 SQ.FT. The total area of the lot is 12,009 SQ. FT or 1/4 of acre. The existing landscape area was mostly made of St. Augustine grass an area of 7,939 SQ. FT. Three mature trees were present on the property, an invasive Bishop Wood, a Black Olive, and a Ficus Benjamina. Sixteen years ago, 5 Rubber trees were planted along the canal for privacy and erosion prevention. 5 native Spanish Bayonets and 16 Christmas palms and 5 existing fruit trees, including one invasive were also planted at that time. (strawberry guava, dwarf mango, avocado, and 2-papayas trees). Two existing pigmy date palms were also present.

     During, 2015 we started the FFL project as homeowners and without the assistant from a professional. We wanted to bring the feeling of a “Finca” or country house as we refer to it in Colombia, Medellin to the urban Coral Springs environment and named the project with the name of one of the most versatile and great pollinator Florida native plant “Firebush”.

     The primary challenge associated with implementing the garden project was the identification and acquisition of native plants as well as ensuring they would thrive in the desired areas of the garden following the principle Right Plant, Right Place. Also very important was the identification of invasive, exotics and Florida-friendly plants. An invasive strawberry guava fruit tree was removed on the west side of the property and a Bismark Palm along with native muhly grass. A native Gimbo Limbo tree was planted to provide shade from the afternoon sun. The existing Christmas palms on this side were preserved and Florida friendly purple fountain grasses were added at the base of the palms. All new and existing trees and palms have plants around their root plate and recycled wood mulch to keep mowers and weed eaters away from their trunk and provide moisture retention during dry spells. A pollinator garden was created utilizing existing trees, including a dwarf Mango and a Jatropa tp provide privacy and  erosion control between a neighboring property. Native larva plant hosts like Passionflower corky stem, coontie palms, bushy asters with companion native plants including Marlberry, Beautyberry, Fakahatchee grasses and a slash pine tree were also used to provide a natural ecosystem absorbing excess rainwater, reducing storm water runoff.

     The concept of diversity was implemented for the plant selection according to the map of USDA growing zones for Florida. Sun orientation, water and soil requirements were followed to purchase 71 native species of plants. Attracting pollinators specially our native wild bees, birds, reptiles, and small mammals was our goal. Grouping flowering plants and trees to maximize bees’ resources was imperative. A selection of white, yellow, blue, and purple colors to attract bumble bees, carpenter bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees to mention some of them with species like Jacaranda tree, native blue potterweed, Golden rods, Sunshine mimosa, Golden dewdrop/duranta and walter’s Viburnum amount others were selected for this purpose. Also red, orange, and yellow flowers, and larval host 3 plants were integrated to attract butterflies like Atala, Monarch, Zebra longwing, Gulf Fritilliary, Cloudless sulphur, Giant and Black swallowtail, Skippers, Viceroy and Julias.  

     The perimeter was planted with an organic flow that provides different places to eat and find shelter for wildlife. A mix of trees, palms big and small, shrubs, vines, grasses, wildflowers, groundcovers, and epiphytes plants were used, imitating a natural area in a more formal setting. Logs and tree branches are recycled and placed along the plants to provide places to hide for small animals.

     A bat house was also added near the canal as pest deterrent. A bird bath fountain powered by a solar pump was positioned along wildflowers to provide a cool spot for birds and butterflies. With the creation of this garden erosion along the backyard caused by the overflow of the canal was no longer a problem. The plants were absorbing water, providing shade, and holding the soil. No pesticides are applied to the plants. Herbicides were and are never used. An integrated pest management control is used, relying on plant diversity to attract prey and predators. A compost area was created, recycling vegetable, fruit, eggshells, tea, coffee bags and yard waste behind the existing Ficus Benjamina tree, reducing the need of soil amendments and fertilizers for the plants specially for the fruit trees like red banana, pineapples, and lime.

     The removal of the massive invasive Bishop Wood tree at the front of the house was the last step to have an entire garden made of Florida natives and Florida friendly plants and to be able to have our property awarded a Florida Friendly Landscape at the Gold level. The tree was replaced with a native Live Oak. Native orchids were purchased from the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society and attached to existing Spanish Bayonets, and green buttonwood tree accompanied of Florida friendly moth orchids attached to the trunk of Christmas palms. Spanish moss was hanged to Gumbo-limbo, live oak, wild tamarind, Magnolia and Jacaranda Trees for a truly southern look and natural pest control for the trees. We completed the FFL project this year on May 2021, and we obtained the FFL recognition gold level on July 29, 2021, it took 6 years to transform a sterile, monoculture and invasive landscaped into a truly Florida friendly landscape that supports and enhance our native ecosystem and wildlife. Currently there are 75 different varieties of Florida native plants planted on the property.

Visit broward.fnpschapters.org for a wealth of information about local plants.