Hello March. This is a beautiful time of year in Florida. Spring is around the corner and like most of the year here, it's a great time to be outside. The heat of the summer hasn't gotten here yet which means it's a nice time to work in the yard. If you're considering doing some landscaping, be sure to focus on native or non-invasive plants. Invasive plants can wreak havoc on Florida's ecosystems causing problems for native plants and wildlife. Some are dangeous for family pets as well. For clarification, Native plants are plant species that occur naturally within a geographic region or area. Non-native plants (sometimes called exotics) are species that have been introduced to a geographic region. Not all non-native plants are a problem - more than 73% don't cause any problems at all.
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has a
great online tool so you can research specific plants. Enter the name of a plant if you know it, or scroll through their extensive database of plants to find out which ones are harmful, and which ones are not. For a link to their site,
click here. The photo above is a Japanese honeysuckle. According to UF/IFAS Japanese Honeysuckle is invasive. It is frequently found in Florida landscapes however it is capable of taking over small trees and shrubs, causing them to collapse. There are many alternatives available if you're looking for a vining plant. Coral honeysuckle is a native plant - distinguishable by orange or red flowers instead of white.
