Dedicated to preservation, conservation and restoration of Florida's native plants and their communities.

Home in Hernando

The sandhills of Hernando County are showy in fall in the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus) help paint the scene.

It's natural to love Hernando County

The Hernando Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society shares information with citizens who are interested in learning about Florida's native plants, their ecosystems, and all aspects of biological diversity.

Together, we learn how landscaping with native plants has a minimal affect on the environment. By using native plants, chemicals are eliminated, maintenance is reduced, water is conserved, and habitat is provided for wildlife.

Plant enthusiasts become acquainted with plant species that make their home in Hernando, and the types of conditions they prefer. Whether you best appreciate these plants in the natural landscape or the home landscape, we know you'll enjoy the Society.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 5, 2026, 6:30 PM
Monthly Meeting and Public Program
Florida's Native Orchids

by Craig Huegel, Author and Gardener

Florida is full of orchids, tall and small, high and low. According to the Florida Plant Atlas, Hernando County is home to over 30 native species. They are a passion for many. How fortunate we are that Craig Huegel, one of Florida's favorite native plant advocates, has taken a liking to these unique species. For example, he has studied the use of butterfly orchid to measure the health of the wetlands. On Oct 5 we'll get together to learn what we may have in our own backyard.

About our Speaker:

Craig Huegel currently serves as Director of the University of South Florida's Botanical Garden. He is a speaker of choice, no matter what the topic, and he is the master of many, including orchids. His expertise is always shared with a large helping of humor. Craig makes our natural world more accessible.

Craig’s specialty area is the plant-animal interaction and he is well known as a state expert in the design of wildlife-attracting landscapes. Craig maintains an active, in-depth online blog on native Florida wildflowers and native dominant landscapes. Craig is the author of multiple popular books on native plant landscaping for wildlife, gardening with wildflowers and landscaping with native plants in the shade.

Craig was a faculty member of the University of Florida/IFAS where he co-founded the Cooperative Urban Wildlife Extension Program and established the Florida Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program. He established the Pinellas County Environmental Lands Division and served as Division Administrator for 12 years.

Craighead's Noddingcaps (Triphora craigheadii) is a Florida endangered endemic orchid voachered near Brooksville. Photo by Roger Hammer.

Meeting Logistics – Arrive at the South Brooksville Community Center at 6:30 pm for snacks and socializing; the formal meeting and program starts at 7:00 pm. The South Brooksville Community Center is located at 601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601. Contact us at hcfnps@gmail.com

About our Programs

The Mission of the Florida Native Plant Society is to champion the preservation, conservation and restoration of Florida's native plants and the habitats where they live. Each month the Hernando Chapter FNPS recruits expert speakers to explore our areas of interest. Talks range from native bees to beautyberries, hydrology to horticulture. Programs are free and open to the public.

About our venue. Join us at the South Brooksville Community Center, 601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601. This facility is on the East side of Brooksville proper at the apex of Jefferson (US 98) and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

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2026 Calendar of Monthly Meetings and Public Programs

Can you believe that 2026 is almost gone?. Our schedule follows – please mark your calendar! We look forward to the good times and good learning in the coming year. These are the first Mondays of the month, except for September due to Labor Day.

January 5
February 2
March 2
April 6
May 4
June 1
July 6
August 3
September 14 (moved back due to Labor Day)
October 5
November 2

Get to know us,
get to know your county

Our meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. At each meeting we discuss native plants and native plant ecosystems. Subjects range from hummingbird gardening to black bear habitat.

Each meeting has delicious snacks, and friendly company, native plants on display, and an information table. Please join us for a meeting.

Help preserve Florida's native plants.
Join up at fnps.org

Thanks and Welcome to the Hernando Chapter's
Newest Business Member, A Wild Home

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Mark Your Calendar!
October is Florida Native Plant Month!

Hope to see you at one of the many events during this best of all months in Hernando County. Let's get outdoors together and enjoy.

October 10 – Field Trip with Hernando Audubon at Perry Oldenburg Preserve. Attendees meet to carpool at Chinsegut Conservation Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road on Oct 10 at 7:45 AM.

October 16 – Tide for a Cause at Tidal Brewing Company. Come sample the Liatris Lager!

October 17th, 2026, from 9:00 am-1:00 pm – Spooky Spectacular Gnarly Nature Fall Festival at Chinsegut Conservation Center. Wildlife related crafts and activities for the family.

Visit the Garden
Nature Coast Botanical Garden,

Florida Native Plant Demonstration Garden
1489 Parker Ave, Spring Hill, FL 34606

We encourage you to visit the Florida Native Plant Demonstration Garden during all seasons. There are many opportunities to study Florida's native flora.

For example:

The buzz on pollinators. The populations of many pollinators have declined due to loss of habitat and the plants that they depend on for food. The garden highlights native wildflowers you can plant in your yard to attract and support butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

Attracting wildlife. Wildlife requires cover, food and water, and depends on native grasses, shrubs and trees to help provide. You can plan to attract and protect the birds and bunnies through creating natural areas for biodiversity to thrive and achieve its natural balance. The garden provides examples.

The right plant for the right place. Several areas of the Native Plant Garden feature plant species that are found growing in the sandhill and hammock ecosystems of Hernando County. See how you can bring the natural beauty of the Nature Coast into your home landscape and learn about native species that may work best for the conditions on your site.

Join us in the field

We also offer guided field trips to help celebration the natural beauty that is Hernando County. We hope you'll decide to join in!

Embrace the Mission

Preserve

Hernando County is home to a wide variety of natural areas from coastal scrub to the sandhills of the Brooksville Ridge to the cypress swamps of the Withlacoochee. Our fieldtrips explore the diversity of our landscapes and their habitats.

Conserve

Through research and advocacy the Society seeks to ensure that natural landscapes are set aside to protect native plants and their habitats. Join us as we speak out for native plants and the wildlife that depends on them.

Restore

Returning Florida's native plants to the human landscape is a critical action for increasing biodiversity and protecting pollinators and other wildlife. Our planting projects help point the way.

Join the Society

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