The Excitement is REAL! Shopping for Native Wildflowers in Florida 🌼

[@dianaweatherford5005]

I am one of the people you inspired to plant Florida natives. I like butterflies fine, but I grow veggies and I really really like efficient pollinators, especially native bees! All my flowers are geared towards attracting a variety of pollinators.

[@swampsagacity4685]

Thank you SOOOO MUCH for all your videos. You have inspired & motivated me to start gardening again & I am having remarkable success. The fresh air, the sunshine, the moist dirt, and the visiting wildlife have brought me more happiness and restful sleep. And the best part of all is gardening with my 3 year old granddaughter while dancing to The Bee Gees.

[@WildFloridian]

That is the biggest compliment 🥰Sounds like you have heaven in your garden 🌺

[@RevAcres01]

Great shopping trip more natives how fun. I just planted a Tea Bush its beautiful and always in bloom with purple flowers highly recommend this plant.

[@WildFloridian]

Yay! I’m so happy you have native plants! And now you are giving me tips. Ben and I were chatting about you and how it’s full circle ☺️ Thanks for giving me confidence to add it to my garden 🥰

[@kigeliakitten]

My tea bush froze last winter. 😢. I live in Seminole County.

[@HomegrownFloridaZ9a]

I’m addicted to Wilcox now!

[@lindylou3519]

Man, you are so disciplined about not getting those “I want” plants. I’m always afraid if I don’t get them when I see them, they’ll be gone on my next trip back. Lovin the nursery trips…so fun!

[@WildFloridian]

You are not alone in that feeling! I feel the same. Especially since native plants are hard to come by and then some plants are only carried at certain times.

[@USA1492]

Tea Bush is amazing! It has the most bees on it and after the first year I haven’t had to water it! ❤

[@WildFloridian]

OoOo 🤩 I can’t wait to add it. But that project has to wait for me to finish the front… But then tea bush!!!

[@sandysalzman8585]

Fun shopping trip. I planted my first salt and pepper (aka snow squarestem) three years ago. Perfect example of the three year " sleep, creep, leap" theory. I am at a point where I am pulling them out and looking to rehome them. Be prepared:)

[@kigeliakitten]

I have a Rosa palustris in my yard. I have had it for 20 years; it has stayed below 5’.

[@WildFloridian]

Oh! Thank you! ☺️

[@morgantello]

Thank you so much for this content! We moved into our home 2 years ago and the transformation is slow but our little garden makes me so happy! Plans to double the vegetable garden this year and to start adding in the perennial natives! Thanks for all the info! Love you Jacqueline❤

[@WildFloridian]

Belated welcome to Florida 🥰🦩 I'm so happy I have been able to help you in your journey and I'm so excited for you to add natives. It makes a world of difference. Best wishes on all your upcoming garden work!

[@alexfinucane8796]

So I'm definitely going to wilcox to get the Rose and Azelia 😂

[@jo-annjewett198]

My frog fruit is spreading like crazy!! I had never heard of it before watching you.

[@mikimayagain]

I have a swamp rose and just so you're aware, it spreads with runners. And, OMG, the thorns! But it's lovely!

[@WildFloridian]

Good to know! Maybe an area surrounded by cement. I have a few of those… I told Ben, “How can we have an English Cottage Garden with no roses?” He laughed. He knows I just want to play with more plants.

[@kigeliakitten]

Mine hasn’t spread.

[@muriellockhoff9560]

Good morning Jacqueline fun day for gardening at plant centers enjoy your videos ❤

[@WildFloridian]

Good morning Muriel! ☀️ 🥰

[@RobinL4715]

I have one milkweed and you’re right- one caterpillar has taken up residence and my plant is now a stick! Time to get more! Love watching this video- I’m learning and now want to head out to a local nursery to get some new additions!

[@WildFloridian]

LOL! I just checked the 6 I bought and each has at least two medium (3rd instar) caterpillars per plant. I give it a few days and they’ll all be sticks for mine too. 😂 Can’t wait to hear what else you add to your garden!

[@delphine88313]

I have so many lizards and I think they are eating my sleeping butterflies .😓

[@oreopaksun2512]

I love how you are this interesting juxtaposition of task-orientation (planning, diagrams and check, check, check) and WILD. Thanks for the constant inspiration. Yeah, those native nurseries should put you on commission! (One free plant for you for every 20 additional plants sold after a WF video).

[@WildFloridian]

You make me feel so appreciated 🥰

[@exvaxmama]

Jacqueline you've gotta try prairie nursery they've got some of that swamp rose too and i think it's a lot cheaper lol they have lots of other native plants too 😉

[@mwnemo]

After watching this video Little Red Wagon will start purchasing larger red wagons to accommodate more spending 😁

[@WildFloridian]

LOL! Facts! Ben agrees with you but also is ok with the wagon limiting my purchases 😂

[@renebrown995]

Good morning Jacqueline! Happy gardening 🌱😁

[@WildFloridian]

Good morning Rene! ☀️ Happy Gardening to you! 🦩 🌺

[@fritzfaulhaber5313]

Hi- Long time fan- my husband and I live in Lakewood estates so your advise is super useful. I was wondering: have you been to Sweetbay nursery in Parish? They’re a big native plant place. You might really like them. Thanks for your wonderful videos!

[@WildFloridian]

Not yet! I have plans to go when I go to work on my backyard project. 😄

[@dianaweatherford5005]

I 2nd this! Sweetbay has a great inventory of natives.

[@BackyardFlorida]

I love Wilcox Nursery! Unfortunately, it's a bit of a jaunt, but Little Red Wagon is less than two blocks from my house!

[@WildFloridian]

That's awesome! I would buy WAAAAAY more plants if they were two blocks away. Good thing they are each a bit of trek for me.

[@rudekperezacupuncturist]

Here in Orlando we have Green Isle which is also all native and this past weekend I finally went and got my "sample platter" to see what grows and what is their growing habit so that I can purchase more later. Covered my entire from yard with mulch (Chipdrop), no more grass! Milkweed 6? the more you plant the more butterflies, 6 become 12, 12 become 20...but hey, that's why we do it. Off topic but I followed all your videos, my veggie beds are out in open full sun and I feel like is too brutal, I know you have some trees and veggies under, would your recommend planting a tree (I have a Ice Cream Bean/Inga) to create a more filtered light here in FL for the veggies?

[@WildFloridian]

That’s awesome! I’m so excited for you! I find full sun all day is too much. And your observation is correct. The areca palms on the west side start providing shade to the backyard garden in the afternoon. Around 2pm right now. And of course the gronyard gets waaaaay too much shade. I would recommend getting a mulberry and plant it 12 feet away. Or a firebush. Or you can use shade cloth

[@rudekperezacupuncturist]

@@WildFloridian thanks. I was hoping you said yes to my Ice Cream Bean even though is not native, but I have it and don't know where to put it. By the way I did get a Fire Bush, Mulberry, Yaupon, Beautyberry...so I can relate when you have challenges controlling yourself.

[@evaguzman4675]

Oh. Thank you for the info on green isle...been loking for a native pland nursery close by❤😊

[@williammikell2210]

GO BACK and get that azalea. Ohh, and that Teabush too.

[@WildFloridian]

I know 😭 I want to but I’m being disciplined since I haven’t started those projects… yet

[@oakanna44]

omg, my teabush is my favorite native shrub. It's been insanely dry, and I have maybe watered it once every few weeks, and it is STILL blooming! The bees are in love!

[@mwnemo]

Is that dollar weed coming in at the edge of the driveway? You may want to spot treat with herbicide. Once it takes a foothold it will overwhelm the garden.

[@WildFloridian]

No dollarweed at end of the driveway. 😉 Mr. Cliff has some. I think that was leftover railroad vibe leaves

[@nadinesoldivieri1263]

How did you find your local native plant nursery? I am looking to start adding more native plants and don’t know where to find them…I don’t know where to begin.

[@Jacq892]

I bought 7 coreopsis, very small, nothing that big. Two native Firebush for close to my veggies. I have 4 in my front. 1 passion vine. I'm not sure where to put it yet.

[@marilynearl6887]

You may have said before but what do you do for irrigation during the dry season?

[@WildFloridian]

I don’t think I have said in any videos but the answer is twice a week for 20 minutes.

[@ninajacobs6277]

I saw a Florida prince peach tree at my big box store loaded with peaches. Do you think they will grow well in zone 10b? (Boca)

[@rexmonarch2]

I had one here in Port Charlotte 10A and it grew like gangbusters with lots of peaches. Unfortunately, Hurrican Ian ripped it out of the ground and wrecked its roots. I just planted two more two weeks ago and they are growing like gangbusters again.

[@rickvbeck1]

I have noticed that you have not planned too many food plants for your front yard. Any reason why, other than the plants looking kind of ragged from feeding. Thanks

[@Jacq892]

My Milkweed are sticks but growth at the bottom. Should I cut the sticks back?

[@Jericho9696]

My garden needs a haircut #gardengang

[@WildFloridian]

#gardengang!

[@suzannematthews5798]

Oh what about foxglove and such. R they not native. It seems they like this zone???

[@WildFloridian]

Most wildflowers sold at stores are not native to Florida. Generally you have to go to Native Nurseries to get Florida Native Wildflowers

[@WildFloridian]

Also foxgloves are not native… sorry I got off track there and realized I didn’t answer your original question 😅

[@ourtrailmixoflife2085]

I have wild elderberry all over my property. My husband's been cutting it down for years. Thinking about moving some to my flower beds. I would like to have someone walk my 5 acres and help me identify plants before we clear it for pasture.

[@lizjohnson1199]

Where are you located?

[@WildFloridian]

That’s is so cool! I have heard it can be potentially unruly. That’s amazing that you have 5 acres 😍

[@ourtrailmixoflife2085]

@Liz Johnson manatee county

[@sarahbhutta251]

All my caterpillars disappeared. I looked for chrysalis but can’t find any on the milkweed. Do they pupate on other plants? Did they get eaten by the birds? It’s a mystery.

[@WildFloridian]

It is more common that the monarch caterpillars to put their chrysalis on other plants. They can travel 20 to 40 feet from their home plant. In the afternoon you may notice them “taking a walk”. That is their way of scoping out their future site. Or it could be birds or wasps or lizards. I mix my milkweed with other plants to give the caterpillars protection.

[@oakanna44]

They don't normally form their chrysalises on the milkweed. They will climb up high, usually in the eaves of our homes, etc. or even on the handle of a bucket if that's what they can find! It's not likely they were eaten by birds, if it's monarchs you're talking about. They have a nasty taste! (No, I haven't tried myself... yet. LOL) I wouldn't worry too much about them. They do a swell job of finding a good place to form up. Look up and around, you might spot a few, but just keep your eyes out in about 2 weeks, and there should be some beautiful babies sunning themselves, ready to take on the world.

[@delphine88313]

I have lizards so that MAYBE my problem. Darn

[@delphine88313]

​@@WildFloridian Can you recommend some plants.I THINK the lizard are eating my sleeping butterflies.

[@sarahbhutta251]

@@WildFloridian oh good to know! I have several other native plants around the milkweed. I’m hoping that’s what happened. 20 to 40 feet! I did not realize they were that adventurous.

[@mrsmac1974]

I'm learning so much from you and now I can't wait to start my own Florida native wildflower garden. 🌻 PS: Did the Wilcox lizard come home with you? 🤣