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
Monday, April 1, 2024, 7:00 - 8:00 PM
South Brooksville Community Center
601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601
Monthly Meeting and Public Program:
Drought Tolerant Natives for Your Florida Yard
by Colby Pitts, Florida Friendly Landscapes Coordinator, Hernando County Utility Dept.
Much of Hernando County is comprised of sandy uplands, and conditions are especially challenging for plants during our dry months. The good news is that many native plants have adapted to drought and can thrive in your landscape without irrigation once established.
We will hear expert advice from Colby Pitts who serves as the county's Florida Friendly Landscape Coordinator. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) Program was designed to help residents and business owners create and maintain beautiful yards using research-based, environmentally-sustainable landscaping practices.
About our Speaker - Colby Pitts is a lifelong Florida resident from Sumter County. He attended UCF and majored in Biology, with a focus on Ecology, Conservation, and Evolution. Prior to being the Florida Friendly Landscapes (FFL) Coordinator in Hernando County, Colby worked in the Invasive Plant Management section at the Southwest Florida Water Management District for several years while getting his degree. He took a job with HCUD and has overseen FFL in the county since. He is passionate about the unique ecology that makes Florida special, and hopes to impart some of that passion to the community.
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Logistics – Our regular monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of most months. They are notorious for intriguing topics and a great light supper. Arrive 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.
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2024 Calendar of Monthly Meetings and Public Programs
We are busy gearing up for 2024. 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 New Year's Day and September due to Labor Day.
January 8
February 5
March 4
April 1
May 6
June 3
July 1
August 5
September 9 (moved back due to Labor Day)
October 7
November 4
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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Get to know us,
get to know your county
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.
Friday, March 15, 2024 – 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Tidal Brewing Company, 14311 Spring Hill Dr. Spring Hill FL
Tide for a Cause: Go Native!
To help bring in spring cheer, we will gather on Friday evening, March 15 October 7, 2024, at Tidal Brewery Company for a Tide for a Cause Release Launch Party: Go Native! A limited-edition brew will be served in honor of Hernando County's native plant species. Members of the Hernando Chapter, FNPS will be on hand to share information about our county's fabulous native flora with the public. All are invited!
About Tide for a Cause. In 2020, A Tide for a Cause was born. Tidal Brewery and Roots Creative Co. collaborated with Hernando County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands (ESL) to help educate the community on preserves, parks, and natural resources. Limited-edition beers were created for the taproom representing each of the main preserves here in Hernando County. Each beer was accompanied by a special event and beer release.
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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 this fall and winter while the weather is delightful. 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.
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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.