3030 – 18th Street, Vero Beach

We  visited the yard of avid Master Gardener on 7/27/2017, a visit re-scheduled from the usual third Thursday of the month due to thunderstorms.  If the weather allows, we’ll visit again on Thursday, 5/18/2019.

Fran has worked hard to reduce grassed areas with lots of native wildflowers including fast-growing beach dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis) …

… snow squarestem (Melanthera nivea), beloved by pollinators …

… seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) …

… black eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirsuta) …

A special treat was to see atala butterflies …

Coontie (Zamia floridana), the only cycad native to Florida, is the plant on which this tropical butterfly uses as its larval host plant.  The landscape use of coonties has allowed this striking butterfly to extend its range.