Over 10,000 species of plants are growing in the state of Florida. About 3,000 of these are native. About 10 percent of those native species are endemic or widespread to specific habitats. According to the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP), an invasive species is defined as an organism (plant, animal, fungus or bacterium) that is…Read more
The low frequency droning is unmistakable. The casual flight pattern belies the potential agony of an encounter and the real possibility of a painful attack from multiple directions. Wasps in north Florida, and most other regions, are known for their dyspeptic nature and vile retaliation if provoked. They are the grumps of the mini aerial…Read more
Until relatively recently in history, traveling any distance was an arduous and difficult process. The problems compounded if there was a large baggage load. Initially, there were two obvious options. A cart or wagon pulled, hopefully, by a beast of burden was the first choice. A boat or ship was the second option for going…Read more
The recent stormy weather, with all its potential problems, has focused many panhandle Florida residents on alternate tools for a variety of uses to keep civilization at hand. In some cases, gasoline powered engines are necessary to achieve a level of 21st century comfort. Internal combustion engines fueled by gasoline require more attention and present…Read more
The label on most plants found in plant nurseries contains lots of information useful to gardeners. Even experienced gardeners can benefit from reading tags because of the frequent introduction of new cultivars with growing requirements different from others in the same species. A good plant label will give the common name of the plant as…Read more
Being sharp is usually considered a complement. It implies the recipient of the assessment has the intellectual ability and the mental agility to handle the rigors of contemporary life with ease. Sharp individuals anticipate coming events and prepare for them with preemptive actions which lead to a better than typical outcome. This proactive approach leads…Read more
Blue is a color which has connotations and implications, usually negative or depressing. People feeling depressed or out-of-sorts are said to have the blues. Blues singers always have a sad song about love lost or some other gloomy situation beyond the control of the person suffering through the unhappiness and indignities. With no hope for…Read more
One of the most visible signs of our local “Southern Ecology” is Spanish moss. It has been eulogized in poetry, novels and song for centuries. It is closely associated with the mental images of the South. Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is an epiphytic, flowering plant in the Bromeliaceae family. Epiphytes typically grow by attaching to…Read more
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” wrote 19th century philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. What he was saying, in a highbrow and antiquated way, was not to do the same thing repeatedly without thought. Luckily, the local plants do not concern themselves with consistency. Most are currently recovering from a dry…Read more
With the return of consistent, if not excessive, rain after a dry patch during May and the first half of June, lawns are actively growing in Florida’s panhandle. This results in some positive aspects and some negative. The major positive feature is a lush, green lawn. No matter the turf species, there is a unique…Read more
