By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley
Palm Beach County and the city of West Palm Beach and have proclaimed the third week in May as Native Plant Week. To celebrate, the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society has helped organize a full schedule of events that fulfills its mission to educate the public about the importance of using these plants for landscaping.
These events also celebrate the revised landscape ordinance recently passed in West Palm Beach that encourages the use of native plants when landscaping private and public lands.
Birds need caterpillars to feed their young; insects have evolved with specific native plants for their life cycle. If there’s no native plants, there will be no insects and no birds, explains Susan Lerner, president of the local FNPS chapter.
And that’s why when you visit communities where the landscape is predominantly showy exotics, you don’t hear birds singing in the trees or see butterflies flitting about on diaphanous wings. There’s nothing to attract or support them.
“And that’s too bad because these plants are the gateway to sustainability,” Lerner says. “They not only support wildlife, but also require less water and fertilizer than most of the plants imported from elsewhere.”
The theme for the week is “Renewal.” And it will culminate in the 38th annual FNPS conference at the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center in Miami.
The celebratory events begin May 14 with “Renewal: Going Native,” an exhibition and sale of native plant photography at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre. Eighteen photographers from all over Florida are participating. These include Rufino Osorio, a longtime Palm Beach County resident, and Homestead resident Roger Hammer, who specializes in Florida wildflower photography, says Lerner.
As the week progresses, the local chapter of the FNPS will hold its 13th annual Rare and Unique Native Plant Auction on May 15, at the Mounts Botanical Garden. Involving both a live and silent auction, the evening is also about learning.
It will include presenter Craig Huegel, author of a blog celebrating native wildflowers (hawthornhillwildflowers.blogspot.com), and auctioneer Andrew Burr.
“Andrew is fun, energetic and appropriately cajoling,” says Lerner. “He knows this is one of our main fundraisers and he makes sure everyone has a good time.”
On May 16, renowned entomologist and author Doug Tallamy from the University of Delaware will present “Bringing Nature Home: Renewing Our World With Native Plants” at the Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton campus.
His message is that as Florida has been developed, it has less and less habitat for birds, bees and other critters. He urges everyone to landscape with native plants to help our native fauna survive.
Lerner invites the public to attend any or all of these Native Plant Week events.
“We’ve planned them for anyone who wants to help bring our native wildlife back into Florida,” she says.
Native Plant Week events
Renewal: Going Native
What: Exhibition and sale of native plant photography by 18 Florida artists
When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 14-Aug. 4 Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Where: Palm Beach Photographic Centre, 415 Clematis St., West Palm Beach
Cost: Free
Information: 253-2600 or 247-3677
Renewal: Going Native, the Birds, the Bees, the Flowers and the Trees
What: The 13th annual Rare and Unique Native Plant Auction, a silent and live auction. Proceeds benefit the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society.
When: May 15. Doors open 7 p.m.; live auction begins about 7:30.
Where: Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach
Cost: Free admission; no charge to bid
Information: 247-3677
Bringing Nature Home: Renewing Our World With Native Plants
What: Seminar by entomologist Doug Tallamy
When: 7 p.m. May 16
Where: Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium, FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton
Cost: $5 in advance, purchase tickets at bringing-nature-home.eventbrite.com; $10 at the door
Information: 352-7835
Renewal
What: 38th annual FNPS conference
When: May 17-20
Where: Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center, 500 SW 177th Ave., Miami
Information and registration: fnps.org/conference/2018
To contact the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, call 247-3677.
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