2009 Plant Native Day Review

On February 28, 2009 the Mangrove Chapter in cooperation with the Charlotte County Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources and the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, held our annual public outreach program "Plant Native" Day at Cedar Point Environmental Park. The theme of this year's program was Plant Native for Butterflies.

The Mangrove Chapter and the Peace River Butterfly Society both had displays. Kay Thorpe Bannon was there selling and signing her book How Gimble Gopher Tortoise Found a New Home. Laurel Schiller, co-owner of Florida Native Plants, Inc., spoke on the Selection of Native Plants to Attract Butterflies. She also emphasized the replacement of grass with native plants both to decrease water usage and to provide habitat for animals and pollinators. Laurel then sold and signed copies of the book Natural Florida Landscaping, which she co-authored with Dan Walton. Jane Wallace presented the Development of the Mangrove Chapter Garden at Cedar Point. She explained how the garden was developed both as a butterfly garden and a showcase for Florida native and endangered plants.

After her presentation, Jane and Bill and Margaret Dunson led a group tour of the garden. Besides the plants, participants also got to see a Cloudless Sulphur butterfly that appeared to be laying eggs on the flowering Bahama Cassia, Senna mexicana var. chapmanii. Following the garden tour, Denny Girard led the group into Cedar Point Park to see the Yellow Jessamine, Gelsemium sempervirens. Laurel Schiller had mentioned this plant in her talk and many people requested the opportunity to see the plant blooming in its natural environment.

Approximately 120 people attended the event. The first 25 people attending the program received pots of Leavenworth's tickseed, Coreopsis leavenworthii. We made $92.00 from the member plant sale, an additional $38.75 from the sale of books and jellies, and $34.70 from commission for selling plants Laura Schiller brought.

Thank you to everyone who helped with and/or attended this event. It was a beautiful day!

Check out the pictures from Plant Native Day at http://englewoodbay.com/plant-native-09.html.