Protect our ecosystems from invasion!

by Grayce Garthoeffner (Naples High School Student)

Florida is infamous for two things: travelers and the heat. With more than 35 international ports of entry, as well as a subtropical climate, it’s no surprise that we hold the record for the highest amount of invasives, clocking in at 2,032 species, and among these, 79 are plants.  If you yourself are a gardener, you can agree the scene here is very different than other places in the US. I’m sure you are no stranger to failed planting attempts, bothersome pests, and of course, the invasives. Although we may easily identify the looming Australian pines that line the beaches, or kudzu that smothers native plants, there are several invasives that grow in our very own gardens. In this blog, you will discover some of these trouble plants to leave room for the ones that belong.

Starting off is a plant whose brown bulbs make them look non-threatening, almost if I may say, cute! It’s the air potato, which is native to Africa, Asia, and Northern Australia. It produces heart shaped leaves, and fruit that looks like small potatoes, giving them their name. They thrive even in poor soil, and grow rapidly, up to 5 inches in one day.  Their leaves create a thick blanket over other foliage, which leads to the natives dying due to lack of sunlight. To get rid of them in gardens, simply remove the tubers, making sure to pull them all off, or else they will sprout again.

https://www.visitstaugustine.com/event/8th-annual-air-potato-round ^

Next up is a plant which not only is uncomfortable to humans but also to native vegetation. Torpedo grass has a stiff body with pointy leaves sprouting from the sides, which Floridians know is a bit painful to walk through. It is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, and was widely distributed in the early 1900s for cattle pasturage. Since then, it has destroyed Florida shorelines, citrus groves, golf courses, and backyards. The marshlands of Lake Okeechobee have lost over 7,000 acres to this nuisance. Like the air potato, it thrives in lots of different soils, and easily spreads. Their roots are interconnected which makes it hard to remove, allowing it to dominate landscapes and crowd out native plants. The key to removing this grass involves pure labor, using tools or gloved hands to uproot it. It is important to fully destroy the roots, making them less likely to return. 

https://thelawncarenut.com/blogs/news/how-to-get-rid-of-torpedo-grass-in-your-lawn ^

Following this is a plant that is very popular for homes in Florida but may pose a threat to natives. It is the Sprenger's asparagus fern, a vibrant green plant with spread out stems that make it look like on-land coral. It is native to South Africa and produces small white flowers that grow into bright red berries, which is an attractive factor to homeowners. But one shouldn’t be deceived by this, as its extensive root system and ability to easily grow allows it to displace native plants, preventing them from reestablishing.  Just like the torpedo, the way to remove these pests is by digging up their root system completely, or if it’s potted, throw it in a bag and trash it. 

http://charlottecountyextension.blogspot.com/2015/05/ornamental-asparagus-not-fern.html ^

Finally, is the yellow iris, which blooms pretty flowers, making it a popular plant for garden ponds. It also thrives in other bodies of water, like the Everglades, where its fast-growing nature makes it outcompete native plants, which may be ones that wetland creatures survive on. Plus, it may also take over breeding grounds for fish or birds. This characteristic of yellow irises is the same as cattails, which are another invasive to watch out for. This iris is native to Europe, Great Britain, North Africa and the Mediterranean region, proving just how flexible it is. It can withstand temperatures down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, droughts, and high soil acidity.  It is also important to note that the yellow iris is poisonous; It can cause skin irritation for humans and will sicken or kill most animals that digest it. To safely remove, the best method is to use gloves to try pulling them out close to the stem or digging them out, making sure to also clear away the root system. 

https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/iris-pseudacorus/ ^

Resources:

Air potato

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/five-facts-air-potatoes-in-florida/#:~:text=2%3A%20They're%20from%20Asia,plants%20and%20damage%20local%20ecosystems

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/natural-resources/sustainability-air-potatoes/ 

Torpedo grass

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP615

https://www.absolutelawnpros.com/how-to-get-rid-of-torpedo-grass-on-your-lawn/#:~:text=The%20most%20effective%20way%20to,just%20grow%20back%20again%20later.

Sprenger’s asparagus fern

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/asparagus-fern-asparagus-densiflorus/#:~:text=Asparagus%20fern%20is%20a%20sprawling%20shrub%20native%20to%20coastal%20southeastern%20South%20Africa.

https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/asparagus-aethiopicus/ 

Cattails and Yellow flag iris

https://plants-archive.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/iris-pseudacorus/#:~:text=Problems%2FEffects,%2Dtails%20(Typha)%20do.

https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/iris-pseudacorus/

 

Fun Facts - Butterfly Counts - June 2023

 

It really does take a Village

Thank you to the Brisco Family Trust for your generous donation of more than 50 pollinator, Florida Friendly and Native plants for the Conner Park Butterfly Garden and ecosystem.

March 28, 2023 Planting Day - Brisco Family Trust's Donation of more than 50 plants.

After Hurricane Ian, coastal Collier County was reeling from the damage of more than 5' feet of storm surge, in homes, swallowing vehicles, carrying personal and household items blocks from where they were secured prior to the storm.  Our volunteers were among the many who lost homes, cars, or had significant damages to their dwellings and businesses, but they persevered.  

Conner Park is a passive walking park, adjacent the Parking Lot that serves Bluebill Beach Access located at the corner of Bluebill Ave and Vanderbilt Drive.  In 2021 the Volunteer Garden Program worked with Collier County Parks and Recreation's maintenance staff to replant the Conner Park garden as a pollinator garden, making it CCPR's third pollinator garden (at the time.)   

Since then, our volunteer gardeners have been moving caterpillars to other Park gardens to accommodate 

Fun Facts - Butterfly Counts - Collier County Parks

 

Save the Date 
Next Butterfly Count
June 24, 2023

Conner - On it's way to recovery

 

Conner Butterfly Garden is coming back

December 3, 2022

THEN

February 15, 2023

NOW

Although I have been watching this garden since the hurricane and have visited about every other week, I was still surprised by the resiliency of nature and the abundance of volunteer seedlings.

Some of the native plants that were originally in the garden are in overdrive coming back up. We are seeing Scorpion Tail, Blanket Flower, Salvia, Yellow Top, Porterweed and Beach Sundune flower. We even have enough now to share with some of the other Collier County Butterfly Gardens.

We still have some major plants that are still missing and likely will not reseed on their own. The team is working to get replacement plants order and in the ground in the next few weeks.

We have a couple of garden friends who have scatter in some Zinna, Cosmos and other annual seeds and they have joined the party, although they might find it tough during our summer heat, we will leave them in place. 

12 Health Benefits of Volunteering

 This article was posted by our Volunteer Management Software Company through their Blog.    Click here to read the entire article on their site. 

Clam Pass Trail Blazers 2023

 Clam Pass 465 Seagate Drive, Naples, FL

The Clam Pass Trail Blazers are a team of naturalist and environmentally conscious citizens.  They work hard to keep Clam Pass Beautiful, keep the trails maintained, remove exotic plants, place signage for the community to identify plants, trees and shrubs of Clam Pass.   They support the natural habitats of Clam Pass Beach, the ecosystems of the natural areas, and the wildlife that calls Clam Pass home. 

Since Hurricane Ian, the Clam Pass Trail Blazers have done some major heavy lifting,  removing horticultural debris from the parking lot, mangroves, trails and nature areas around and under the board walk.  They have cleared out a significant amount of storm debris from the mangroves and are currently working to clear the nature trails for visitors to explore and enjoy, post hurricane.

This team meets every Wednesday morning for about 2 hours.  If you are looking to make a major environmental impact, grow your social circle with like minded people, and enjoy working in nature, and want to make an important and measurable difference, you can join this amazing team.   

The Clam Pass Trail Team is looking to add new members.  

If you are interested call 239-252-4033 for more information.