April is National Native Plant Month! | |
From Florida’s Panhandle down to the Everglades, it’s a great time to get out and experience our incredible wealth of wildflowers. It’s also the perfect time to support local pollinators and other wildlife by bringing native plants into your home landscape. Find beautifully blooming natural areas and learn how to get your native garden going right on our website.
National Native Plant Month is an initiative led by The Garden Club of America and recognized by a bipartisan US Senate resolution. We are proud to be one of Florida’s three supporting organizations alongside Audubon Florida and the Florida Native Plant Society.
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For 25 years, our educational efforts have helped people discover, understand and care for Florida’s native wildflowers. From in-depth guides and plant profiles to hands-on field trips and community learning opportunities, these resources meet people wherever they are — turning curiosity into confidence and interest into lasting connection. Learn more here.
If this work has meant something to you, we invite you to support the next chapter through our $25 for 25 campaign and help carry this impact forward for the next 25 years and beyond.
| | A New and Improved Wild About Wildflowers! | | |
We’re excited to share a newly updated and expanded version of our popular Wild About Wildflowers! activity guide. This free, standards-aligned resource now spans nine units — covering topics like flower anatomy, pollination, seed dispersal, wildflower adaptations, food webs, plant ID and more.
Each unit features hands-on activities, vocabulary and curated resources designed to help students build understanding and connect with Florida’s native plants and ecosystems. Aligned with grades 3–4 standards and adaptable for other ages and settings, it's a practical tool for classroom teachers, environmental educators and nature center staff.
Access the guide and other classroom resources here.
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The deadline to apply for our Seedlings for Schools grant is coming up on April 30!
Bring Florida’s native wildflowers to life in your classroom with an assortment of native wildflower seedlings, engaging educational resources and expert guidance — sparking curiosity, hands-on discovery and a deeper connection to Florida’s natural world.
Apply today!
Photo courtesy of Lake Orienta Elementary
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2026 Seeds of Knowledge Grant Recipients Announced
We’re thrilled to announce the libraries selected to receive this year’s Seeds of Knowledge Library Demonstration Garden grant. This program supports Florida libraries in creating native wildflower gardens that serve as living classrooms — giving communities hands-on opportunities to learn about native plants.
Learn more here.
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Next week, April 19–25, is National Volunteer Week — and we’re shining a light on some of the amazing people who help make our programs possible.
Kristy Butgereit volunteers with our Wildflower Watchers program, monitoring Geddie Road in Leon County alongside her homeschooled teenager. Each season, she collects and reports data on bloom timing, species presence, and site conditions — valuable information that supports the protection and management of Florida’s native wildflower corridors.
Elora Pfriender is a graduate student in writing and communication. In addition to representing the Foundation at tabling events, she helps build our online educational resources by writing pollinator profiles.
Paula Waterman is a dedicated volunteer with Bee City Gainesville, consistently showing up for meetings, community plantings and outreach events. Whether helping install pollinator gardens or engaging with the public, she plays an important role in promoting pollinator conservation and connecting the community to the importance of native plants.
Stay tuned as we feature these remarkable women on our social media throughout next week!
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Plant Profile Feature: Sabal Palm
Friday, April 24, is National Arbor Day — the perfect occasion to celebrate Florida’s state tree, the Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto)! This evergreen fan palm occurs nearly throughout Florida, from pinelands and hammocks to coastal dunes, swamps and floodplain forests. Its ecological value is remarkable: it supports pollinators, birds and other wildlife, and even provides habitat for the ferns and epiphytes that grow on it. The Sabal palm also holds deep cultural significance, with a long history of use for food, shelter and tool making.
Learn more about this fabulous Florida tree here.
| | Florida Native Seed Partnership News | | |
The future of Florida's native seed supply is growing! Our partners at the UF/IFAS Native Plant Nursery have been working to establish foundation seed plots that will help strengthen Florida’s native seed supply. The Partnership continues to build momentum, with active work underway in market development, training and research. Resources for landowners and producers are in development and expected later this year.
Want to stay informed and get involved? Contact Ali Rieman at ARieman@FlaWildflowers.org to join the email list.
Photo by Gage LaPierre, UF Native Plant Nursery Manager
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There is still space available for our Wildflower Farm Field Day on Sunday, April 26!
Join Terry Zinn on his farm in Alachua to learn about wildflower cultivation and tour the beautiful spring blooms.
Registration today!
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Saturday, May 3, 10am - 1pm
Join us on Saturday, May 3, at the historic Dunbar Hotel for a Pollinator Pot Workshop with Bee City Gainesville. For just $10, you can create your own mini pollinator haven with locally grown native wildflowers.
Full details and registration here.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2-3pm
Florida's Native Bees
Presented by Dr. Rachel Mallinger, University of Florida
This webinar will feature the best ways to support bees in your landscape, including their favorite native wildflowers, as well as an overview of Florida’s common bee groups and ID tips.
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Saturday, May 23, 9am - 12pm
Black Creek Ravines Conservation Area
Clay County
This floristically rich site supports a remarkable diversity of native wildflowers. Along the trail, we’ll be on the lookout for endemic Indian plantain, endangered Bartram’s ixia and the striking Tuberous grasspink orchid.
Florida Wildflower Foundation members can register for this field trip starting Friday, April 24. General registration opens Friday, May 1. Become a Florida Wildflower Foundation member today for early access!
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Check out our calendar for a full listing of upcoming events across the state!
| | Members make a difference! | | Thank you to all the members who joined or renewed in March. Your support helps create habitat in schools and urban areas, spread wildflowers on roadsides, and educate people of all ages about the importance of native plants and the pollinators that depend on them. | | |
New Members
Marjorie Abbas, Alaqua Animal Refuge, Ashley Barcos, Jim Bransdorf, Kimberly Bremner, Lindsey Copeland, Lorry Davies, Caryn Desinor, Lesabre Faison, Jacqueline Falasca, Lucky Fraley, Matthew Garner, Erica Garris, Lois Gollmer, A Ira Harkness, Cecilia Johnson, Nancy Kolakowski, Deborah Morgan, Shannon Overholt, Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources, Alan Ramseur, Linette Santiago, Anna Siatkowski, Jennifer Smith, Gail Storms, Nery Tavarez, Rayna Wallbrunn
Renewing Members
Fred Ackermann, Kathie Adams, Pamela Adams, Lydia Barbour, Pamela Bartlett, Connie Bonbrest, Mara Bonino Murphy, Dorothy Caldwell, Marilee Catalano, Barbara Chapman, Marie Coleman, Caroline Connolly, Mike Conrod, Laura Covel, Lane Epps, Florida Native Plant Society Pawpaw and Mangrove chapter, Jolie Friedrich, Em Gerety, Mary Heasley, Sharon Helton, Tina and Dennis Henize, Suzanne and Richard Hill, Sharon Hodges, Alice Hofstra, Mary Anne Johnston, Alicia and Chris Kardell, Sheila Kassel, Rosalyn Layton,Judith LeVault, Janet Mackey, Linda Manley, Cherryl Marlan, Irma McLaughlin, Sally Meyers, Miami Nature Playschool, Nelly Oliveri, Fran Robinson, Liza Ryan, Sandy Stevens, Pam Tabb, Rita Taylor, Neta Villalobos-Bell, Karen Walter, Jenny Welch
Want to see your name on the list? Join Team Wildflower today!
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Florida Wildflower Foundation | Website | | | | | |