The life cycle of the Atala Butterfly (Eumaeus atala), also known as the Coontie Hairstreak. This butterfly is native to southeastern Florida and the Caribbean Islands. In the state of Florida it is still considered endangered due to loss of … Continue reading
Category Archives: Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardening
Mimosa strigillosa (Powderpuff or Sensitive Plant) is a wonderful groundcover which is relatively drought tolerant. It is native to Miami-Dade County and most of the counties north of Lake Okeechobee. The name ‘powderpuff’ is derived from the shape of its … Continue reading
Today’s topic brings me to 3 native Lantana species. Lantana is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the Verbenaceae family (Verbena Family). The first native lantana is Lantana depressa var. depressa (Pineland Lantana). This plant grows in the Pine … Continue reading
South Florida has a very diverse population of butterflies, and one of the most interesting is the Giant Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio cresphontes). It is the largest species of butterfly found in North America. It has a wing span of 4-6.25 … Continue reading
This week’s featured plant is Hamelia cuprea (Bahama Firebush). Despite its common name of Bahama Firebush, this shrub is native to Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Cayman Islands, but NOT the Bahamas. A close relative to Hamelia patans, our native … Continue reading