Featured Books
Native Bromeliads of Florida, Harry E. Luther & David H Benzing
Hardcover, 126 pages, Pineapple Press (2009), ISDN 978-1561644483
Review by Chuck McCartney
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Forgotten Grasslands of the South, Dr. Reed Noss
Kindle, 336 pages, Island Press (2013) ISBN-13: 978-1597264891
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A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants, Rufino Osorio
Softcover, 346 pages. Univeristy Press of Florida (2001), ISBN 0-8130-1852-8
This essential gardener's book has most cultivated native plants you will encounter with the basic cultivation information you will need to grow them successfully. Start here, if you want to know what and where to plant. Cultivation information (light, water, soil) is basic, not detailed, but enough to point you in the right direction. The "Comments" for each plant are interesting and informative.
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Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes, Craig N. Huegel
Softcover, 328 pages. University Press of Florida (2012), $29.95 ISBN No 978-0-8130-3980-0
"If you’re interested in growing native plants other than trees, you’ll want to purchase Craig Huegel’s excellent new book titled Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes. It is a treasure trove of practical information on what plants to grow (and how to grow them) beneath those trees or in the wide-open spaces of your native landscape." From a review by Chuck McCartney in Tillandsia Web, Sep 2012
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Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants, Gil Nelson
Softcover, 412 pages. University Press of Florida (2003), ISBN 0-8130-2644-X
Another gardener's essential that contains a bit more detailed cultivation informaton than A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants by Rufino Osorio (above), but for fewer species. Each has a large botanical drawing and includes notes about companion plants, best features, and disadvantages as a landscape plant. It is organized alphabetically by Genus without a common name index, but you can find the scientific names online in any of several databases.
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Rare Plants of South Florida: Their History, Conservation, and Restoration, George D. Gann, et al (2002)
This is the most valuable and least publicized book we know. If it is available in print or as a complete ebook, we will let you know. In the meatime, all 631 pages are available online in parts at the link below. For anyone who wants an authoritative source for our South Florida native plants, this is it. Information is somewhat old (2002) but no comprehensive study has yet been done to update it. We hope future funding will allow us to see the changes that have occured since 2002, as this is important conservation information.
http://regionalconservation.org/ircs/RSFNPH/RSFNPHdefault.asp
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Everglades Wildflowers, Roger L. Hammer
Softcover, 243 pages. The Globe Pequot Press (2002), ISBN 0-7627-1089-6
Covers most wildflowers of the south Florida counties in the Everglades region, not just within the national park boundary including plants not in the gardener and landscape books. Because it is organized as a guide by flower color with good flower photos, it is a great help in identifying wildflowers. Roger Hammer is one of the foremost south Florida native wildflower experts.
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The Ferns of Florida, Gil Nelson
Softcover, 208 pages. Pineapple Press ((2000), ISBN 1-56164-197-9
One of several specialized Florida native plant books, this one for people who love ferns. The focus is on fern identification with an index that includes both common and scientific names. Color photos are on plates at the center of the book with black and white photos and drawings throughout.
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Companions in Wonder: Children and Adults Exploring Nature Together (an anthology), Edited by Julie Dunlap and Stephen R. Kellert
This isn't a book about South Florida plants. It is about nature in many places shared with the next generation. We believe this work, really this pleasure, fundamentally underlies our conservation and education mission. You will enjoy it. This book is only available in print. Published by The MIT Press.
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Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms, Donald J. Borror (1960, 1988)
Having trouble remembering the scientific name of plants? This dictionary makes it easy to look up word parts and see the (usually Greek or Latin) meaning. The name sometimes draws your attention to a plant's distinguishing feature. And if you enjoy words, this key to derivatives will be a pleasure.
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Additional Books
How to Identify Plants
By H.D. Harrington
Swallow Press Books, Athens OH 1985
Floras with Identification:
Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida
By Richard P. Wunderlin
University Press of Florida, Gainesville 1998
A Flora of Tropical Florida (1971)
By Robert W. Long and Olga Lakela
University of Miami Press, Coral Gables, Fla.
Manual of the Southeastern Flora
By John Kunkel Small
Science Press Printing Co., Lancaster, Pa. 1933
Flora of the Bahama Archipelago
By Donovan S. Correll and Helen B. Correll
J. Cramer, Vaduz, Liechtenstein 1982
Flowering Plants of Florida; A Guide to Common Families
By Wendy B. Zomlefer
Biological Illustrations Inc., Gainesville FL
Guide to the Vascular Plants of Central Florida (plant key only, no pictures)
By Richard P. Wunderlin
University Press of Florida, Gainesville 1998
Wildflowers:
The Guide to Florida Wildflowers (1992)
By Walter Kingsley Taylor
Taylor Publishing Co., Dallas, Texas
Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida (2000)
By Linda G. Chafin
Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee
Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants (1982)
By C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor
Laurel Hill Press, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Everglades Wildflowers (2003)
By Roger L. Hammer
The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford CT
Guide to Florida Wildflowers
By Robert Anderson
Winner Enterprises, 1989
Wildflowers, South Florida Natives
By Arlene Adams Schuyler
FACTS, Boca Raton, 1982
Flowers of the South; Native and Exotic
By Wilhelmina F. Greene and Hugo L. Blomquist
University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill NC, 1953
Out of print; check with your library for a copy
Wildflowers of the Southeastern United States
By Wilbur H. Duncan, and Leonard E. Foote
Plants and Flowers in Their Ecosystems:
Ecosystems of Florida (1990)
Edited by Ronald L. Myers and John J. Ewel
University of Central Florida Press, Orlando
Florida Wildflowers in Their Natural Communities (1998)
By Walter Kingsley Taylor
University Press of Florida, Gainesville
Southern Florida; As Seen by a Botanist (Pictorial)
By In-Cho Chung
TipTop Inc., Daytona Beach FL 1992
Pine Rockland Plant Guide (no publication date listed, ca. 1998)
By Daniel F. Austin
Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management, Miami
Coastal Dune Plants (1991)
By Daniel Austin, Steve Bass, and Penelope N. Honeychurch
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center of South Palm Beach County, Inc.
Coastal Park Plant Guide (circa 1992)
By Daniel Austin, Steve Bass, and Penelope N. Honeychurch
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center of South Palm Beach County, Inc.
Scrub Plant Guide (1993)
By Daniel Austin, Steve Bass, and Penelope N. Honeychurch
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center of South Palm Beach County, Inc.
Flatwoods Plant Guide (2003)
By Daniel Austin, Steve Bass, and Penelope N. Honeychurch
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center of South Palm Beach County, Inc.
Seashore Plants of South Florida and the Caribbean
By David W. Nellis
Pineapple Press Inc., Sarasota FL 1994
Marine Plants of the Caribbean
By Littler, Littler, Bucher, Norris, 1989
A Focus on Wetlands:
Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States
Two volumes: Monocotyledons (1979), Dicotyledons (1981)
By Robert K. Godfrey and Jean W. Wooten
University of Georgia Press, Athens
Florida Wetland Plants: An Identification Manual (1998)
A Compilation by 15 Authors, Coordinated by John D. Tobe Ph.D. for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
University of Florida, Gainesville FL
Florida Freshwater Plants; A Handbook of Common Aquatic Plants in Florida Lakes
By University of Florida/IFAS 1998
Field Guide to Coastal Wetland Plants of the Southeastern United States
By Ralph W. Tiner
University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst 1993
A Guide to Selected Florida Wetland Plants and Communities
By U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1988
Identification Manual for Wetland Plant Species of Florida
By Dressler, Hall, Perkins, and Williams
University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville FL 1987
The Florida Wetlands Delineation Manual
By Gilbert, Tobe, Cantrell, Sweeley, and Cooper
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Trees:
The Trees of Florida
By Gil Nelson
Pineapple Press, Sarasota, Fla. (1994)
Native Trees and Shrubs of the Florida Keys
By J. Paul Scurlock
Laurel Press, Bethel Park, Pa. (1987)
Trees of Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys
By George B. Stevenson, Publisher
Distributed by: FL National Parks & Monuments Association, Inc., Homestead FL(1969, 1992)
Guide to Southern Trees
By Ellwood S. & J. George Harrar
Dover Publications, New York
Native Trees and Shrubs of the Florida Keys
By J. Paul Scurlock
The Biology of Trees Native to Florida
By P. B. Tomlinson
Shrubs & Vines:
The Shrubs and Woody Vines of Florida
By Gil Nelson
Pineapple Press, Sarasota, Fla., 1996
Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast
By Foote and Jones, 1989
Your Florida Guide to Shrubs; Selection, Establishment and Maintenance
By Edward F. Gilman and Robert J. Black
University of Florida/IFAS, 1999
Ferns:
The Ferns of Florida
By Gil Nelson
Pineapple Press, Sarasota, Fla., 2000
Ferns of Florida (1976)
By Olga Lakela and Robert W. Long Banyan Books, Miami
The Southern Fern Guide
Dr. Edgar T. Wherry
How to Know the Ferns and Fern Allies
By John Mickel, 1979
Enclyclopedia of Ferns
By David L. Jones, 1987
Orchids:
Wild Orchids of Florida
By Paul Martin Brown
University Press of Florida, Gainesville (2002)
The Native Orchids of Florida (1972)
By Carlyle A. Luer
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y.
Native Orchids of North America (1950)
By Donovan Stewart Correll
Chronica Botanica Co., Waltham, Mass.
Orchids and Other Air Plants of the Everglades National Park
By Frank Craighead
University of Miami Press, Coral Gables 1963
Grasses:
Common Grasses of Florida and the Southeast
By Lewis L. Yarlett
FNPS, Spring Hill FL 1996
Wild Plants; Food, Medicine, and Weed Identification:
Wild Plants for Survival in South Florida
By Julie F. Morton
Fairchild Tropical Garden, Miami 1982
Florida’s Incredible Wild Edibles
By Richard J. Deuerling and Peggy S. Lantz
Florida Native Plant Society, Orlando FL 1993
Collection and Cultivation of Medicinal Plants of Florida
By B.V. Christensen
University of Florida Bulleting #14, 1946
Healing Plants; Medicine of the Florida Seminole Indians
By Alice Micco Snow and Susan Enns Stans
University Press of Florida, 2001
Illustrated Plants of Florida and the Coastal Plain
By David W. Hall
Maupin House Publishing, Gainesville 1993
Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses
By authors Murphy, Colvin, Dickens, Everest, Hall, and McCarty
University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville FL 1992, 1996
Florida Weeds, Part II
By Orsenigo with Burgis, Currey, Hall, Scudder, Stelter, Ward
University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville FL 1977
Weeds in Florida
By David W. Hall and Vernon V. Vandiver Jr.
University of FL/IFAS, Gainesville FL 1994
How to Know the Weeds (The Pictured Key Nature Series)
By R.E. Wilkinson and H.E. Jaques
William C. Brown Company Publishers, Dubuque IA
Mushrooms of North America
By Orson Miller
1967
Wild Things. The Return of Native Plants
By Georgia Tasker
Florida Native Plant Society, Winter Park, FL 1984
Caribbean Wild Plants and Their Uses
By Penelope Honeychurch, 1980
The Wonder World of our Wild Plants
By Carol Beck
Field Guide to the Grasses, Sedges and Rushes of the U.S.
By Edward Knobel
Dover Publications
Common Grasses of Florida and the Southeast
By Lewis L. Yarlett
The Native Plant Society, Spring Hill FL
Aquatic Weed Identification and Control Manual
By the Florida Bureau of Aquatic Plant Research and Control
Florida Department of Natural Resources, Tallahassee FL
Broadleaf Weeds
By Dow Chemical Company
Gardening with Native Plants, Bird & Butterfly Gardening:
A Gardener’s Guide to Florida’s Native Plants
By Rufino Osorio
University Press of Florida, Gainesville FL (2001)
Native Florida Plants: Low-Maintenance Landscaping and Gardening
By Robert G. Haehle and Joan Brookwell
Gulf Publishing Company, Houston TX (1999)
Florida Plants for Wildlife
By Craig N. Huegel
Florida Native Plant Society, Orlando FL (1995)
Landscaping for Florida’s Wildlife
By Joe Schaefer and George Tanner
University Press of Florida, 1998
Native Ground Cover for South Florida
Florida Extension Service bulletin # EES 60
By Alan W. Meerow
Native Shrubs for South Florida
Florida Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin # EES 59
By Alan W. Meerow
Florida Butterfly Gardening
By Marc C. Minno and Maria Minno
University Press of Florida, Gainesville FL
Butterfly Gardening with Florida’s Native Plants
By Craig Huegel
Florida Native Plant Society, Orlando FL 1991
Gardening for Florida’s Butterflies
By Pamela F. Traas
Great Outdoors Publishing Co., St. Petersburg FL, 1999
Your Florida Guide to Butterfly Gardening
By Jaret C. Daniels
University Press of Florida, 1999
Plants for Coastal Dunes
By Robert M. Craig
USDA Bulletin #460, 1992
Common Coastal Plants in Florida; A Guide to Planting and Maintenance
Produced by the FL Sea Grant Salt-Tolerant Vegetation Advisory Panel
University Press of Florida, Gainesville FL
Native Trees and Plants for Florida Landscaping
Florida Department of Agriculture.and Consumer Services bulletin # 193
Charles S. Bush, Dr. Julia F. Morton
Native Trees for South Florida
Florida Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin # EES 57
Alan W. Meerow, Henry M. Donselman, and Timothy Broschat
Growing Native
Richard Workman
May be out of print; check your library
Xeriscape Plant Guide II
By South Florida Water Management District, 1991
The Right Plant in the Right Place; Xeriscape Landscaping for Florida’s Environment
From Florida’s Water Management Districts
St. John’s River WMD, Palatka, 2000
Xeric Landscaping with Florida Native Plants
By Jameson and Moyroud, 1991
Association of Florida native Nurseries, 1991
The Right Plants for Dry Places
will soon be available in a second edition. For complete information click to visit our website
By the Suncoast Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
Outdoors Publishing Company, 1997
Gardening in Florida (general):
Your Florida Landscape
By Robert J. Black & Kathleen C. Ruppert
University Press of Florida (UF/IFAS) 1998
Herbs and Spices for Florida Gardens
By Monica Moran Brandies
B. B. Mackey Books, Wayne PA 1996
Betrock’s Florida Plant Guide
By Edward F. Gilman, Ph.D.
Betrock Information Systems, Hollywood FL, 1999
Betrock’s Reference Guide to Florida Landscape Plants
By Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow
Betrock Information Systems, Hollywood FL, 1984
Florida, My Eden
By Frederic B. Stresau
Florida Classics Library, Port Salerno, FL, 1986
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