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A Holiday Message from the Executive Director

As we close another year and look forward to the Foundation’s 25^th anniversary in 2026, I find myself reflecting on the deep roots we’ve cultivated — and excited by how much our efforts continue to grow.

With the support of our members, donors and the State Wildflower license plate, our education, planting, roadsides and research programs have continued to flourished.

This year, we also took a major step forward for wildflower conservation with the launch of the Florida Native Seed Partnership. In collaboration with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, we are bringing together agency, industry and conservation partners to increase the availability of Florida native wildflower seed for restoration across both natural and urban landscapes.

None of this would be possible without you! Together, we are making a lasting difference for Florida’s native plants and the ecosystems that depend on them.

Wishing you the merriest of holidays and a happy new year!

Sincerely,

Stacey Matrazzo

Executive Director

Your Year-End Gift Matters

An end-of-year gift is a meaningful way to sustain the progress we’ve made this year and ensure our work continues into the year ahead. With your support, we can build on that momentum and help Florida’s native wildflowers bloom even brighter!

Learn more about this year’s accomplishments and how your giving makes a difference.



Grant Announcements

Our planting grants provide the resources needed to give native wildflowers a visible, lasting presence in public places. These projects create hands-on experiences for both adults and children, beautify communities and parks, and deepen awareness of Florida’s natural landscapes.

In its first year, our Seeds of Knowledge library demonstration garden grant brought native plants to more than 4,500 square feet of public space and distributed over 600 seed packets to library visitors. Learn more about the program’s impact in the 2024-25 final report. 

We’re excited to bring native plantings to more community landscapes across Florida in 2026. Our first two grant opportunities — Viva Florida and Seeds of Knowledge — will open for applications on January 1. Learn more about them here.

Pictured here: Columbia County Fort White Branch Library

Florida Native Seed Partnership News

The Florida Native Seed Partnership has officially launched, and the inaugural steering committee meeting on November 14 marked an exciting and productive start! This initiative brings together conservation organizations, utilities, research institutions, agricultural producers and land management agencies to strengthen Florida’s native seed supply.

Read more about the Partnership’s budding efforts here. 

Pollinator Profile: Black swallowtail

Meet the Black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)! This vibrant beauty is found throughout Florida. Its caterpillars feed on plants in the Apiaceae (carrot, celery and parsley) family, which includes both food crops and native species. While widespread, the Black swallowtail is sometimes mistaken for other native swallowtails.

Learn more about the Black swallowtail's life cycle and how to identify it.

Plant Profile: Oak mistletoe

As autumn turns to winter and leaves fall from our deciduous oaks, elms and other trees, the evergreen Oak mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) becomes highly visible — just in time for its holiday spotlight. Unfortunately, the attention mistletoe receives this time of year isn't all festive. We're setting the record straight on why this vital but misunderstood native plant deserves to be celebrated:

• It is the sole larval host for the beautiful Great purple hairstreak (Atlides halesus)!
• Its abundant berries provide an important winter food source for birds, especially Eastern bluebirds and Cedar waxwings.
• Oak mistletoe is actually a wildflower. Its tiny, yellow flowers support foraging bees and butterflies.

While it's true that Oak mistletoe is considered parasitic, drawing water and nutrients from its host tree, the two have evolved together. Mistletoe depends on its host for survival and typically does not cause harm. In fact, some research suggests that mistletoe may transfer sugars back to its host, making the relationship closer to symbiotic.

Learn more about this powerhouse plant here!

Wildflower Watcher Trainings

Start the year with a virtual training and learn how to become a Wildflower Watcher. We’re actively recruiting volunteers in Leon, Citrus, Alachua and Suwannee counties for this long-term project focused on surveyed roadsides. Volunteers monitor designated wildflower roads three times a year and play an important role in protecting and promoting Florida’s living roadside ecosystems.

Training Sessions will be held on:

• January 14 at 11 am
• January 20 at 1 pm
• January 21 at 6 pm
• February 16 at 3:30 pm

All sessions cover the same material, so you only need to attend one.

Join us and help support roadside wildflower conservation.

Check out our calendar for a full listing of upcoming events across the state!