Commissioner Fried proclaims October "Florida Native Plant Month"

Florida Native Plant Society

Press Release

www.fnps.org

October 25, 2019

Florida Cabinet passes resolution recognizing October 2019

as Florida Native Plant Month

 In a ceremony held in Tallahassee at Native Nurseries, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried proclaimed October to be Florida Native Plant Month. The proclamation was presented to the Florida Native Plant Society to highlight the role of native plants in conserving and protecting Florida’s natural environment.

“This is a significant step in our efforts to publicize the benefits of native Florida plants, trees and wildflowers,” said Florida Native Plant Society President Susan Carr. “We thank Commissioner Fried for this recognition, and we are delighted to work with the nursery and agricultural communities to grow and conserve native Florida plants that host pollinator species necessary for our farms and gardens to thrive.”

In Florida, sales of native plants accounted for $170 million of nursery sales in 2015 (15.5 percent of total nursery sales) and generated an expanded economic impact of $1.2 billion based on University of Florida survey data.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has designated more than 550 species of native plants as Endangered, Threatened, or Commercially Exploited, nearly 20 percent of all native plant species in Florida.

“Together, we can make a difference in conserving natural Florida by using native plants at home and in our public landscapes,” said Florida Native Plant Society Executive Director Juliet Rynear.

Florida’s State Forests and State Parks are ablaze with color in October. Many of these native plants can be purchased at local nurseries. Native plant nurseries can be located on the website of the Florida Association of Native Nurseries.

The Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida. The Society has more than 4400 members and 35 Chapters statewide.