10/09/2026
October is Native Plant Month in Florida!
Native plants are well-adapted to the Florida climate, minimizing maintenance while still adding beauty and benefits to your yard. Native plants require less irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides, protecting and preserving water while supporting pollinators and native wildlife!
Some fan favorites here at Grassy Waters are:
🪴Southern River Sage (Salvia misella)
Sometimes called creeping sage, this plant is a wonderful grass alternative that spreads easily. It adds lush green to any area with tiny, but mighty, blue flowers. It has a lovely herbal aroma and supports fulvous hairstreak caterpillars (Electrostrymon angelia).
🪴Yellowtop (Flaveria linearis)
An excellent choice for pollinator support, this yellow-flowered beauty blooms both in the fall and winter. The numerous flowers attract bees and provide nectar for a wide variety of moths and butterflies, including some you might see here like the julia (Dryas iulia), three-spotted skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus), and palatka skipper (Euphyes pilatka).
🪴Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
If you’re looking for something mighty but not so tiny, this shrub-like plant is found throughout the state and can grow up to 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide! It has clusters of pink flowers that turn into purple fruits that are eaten by over 40 species of songbirds!
Did you know? Native Plant Month is nationally recognized in April, but Florida celebrates in October. Due to the subtropical climate, October is a great time to start planting again in Florida. The intense heat from summer has passed, the soil is still warm, and the sunlight is a bit softer, which all allow for better root development and establishment.
At our nature center, we have these three neat native plants (and more!) available for purchase. Support wildlife at all stages and plant native! 🌼
