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Dedicated to preservation, conservation and restoration of Florida's native plants and their communities.
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
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 8, 2025 – 6:30 PM (Second Monday due to Labor Day Holiday)
South Brooksville Community Center, 601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601
Monthly Meeting and Public Program
Why Plant Native Landscapes?
by Jason LaRoche
As fall approaches with the promise of cooler weather, we look forward to making improvements to our yards. The Hernando Chapter's fall native plant sale is coming up, so the timing couldn't be better! Our September program will make the case for employing Florida's native plants as the foundation for residential landscaping.
Some plants just go together by their nature. Group plants with similar needs in a mixture of textures and colors.
Native plant enthusiast Jason LaRoche will walk us through the key advantages of incorporating native plants for our wildlife, our health, our aesthetic, and our pocketbooks. He will share effective alternatives to turfgrass lawns and big box store seasonal plantings. We'll also discuss strategies for helping plants work well together to look great, provide privacy and support the birds, bees and butterflies. Finally, we will review some species specific to our area that will thrive where the conditions are right. This persuasive review will inspire you to get out there and plant native!
About our Speaker
Jason has served as a board member of the Hernando Chapter for over 20 years now. He lives in the Shady Hills area of Spring Hill with his wife and a diverse pack of beloved rescue and foster dogs. Their property is a sanctuary and habitat restoration project of 20 years now, re-wilding a tiny sandhill habitat with prescribed fire and a lot of hard work. Jason is a Florida native (like his plants), with a deep connection with the Florida Native Plant Society because its mission lines up perfectly with his values for natural Florida.
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 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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2025 Calendar of Monthly Meetings and Public Programs
We are busy gearing up for 2025. 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 6
February 3
March 3
April 7
May 5
June 2
July 7
August 4
September 8 (moved back due to Labor Day)
October 6
November 3
Get to know us,
get to know your county
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.
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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 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.
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Join us in the field
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
Embrace the Mission
Preserve
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
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
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.
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