What is AFNN?
How is it different from the Florida Native Plant Society?
What is a Florida native plant?
What is meant by “provenance” and “ecotype”?
Why do AFNN members specialize in native plants?
How do I know which plants are native?
What are exotic plants and how are they different?
Why are invasive pest plants still being sold?
Why are native plants so hard to find?
Why are native plants so expensive?
Should I plant non-native plants?
How can I learn more about native plants?
How can I get on your mailing list?
How do I join AFNN?

Q: What is AFNN?
A: A trade association promoting the interests of its business members engaged in the marketing, selling, planting, and servicing of native plants and native plant landscapes. Please visit our About Us” page for more info.

Q: How is it different from the Florida Native Plant Society?
A: The Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of native plants and native plant communities. AFNN fully supports the FNPS mission and activities, and considers FNPS a strong partner in environmental protection. FNPS is a great source of information about native plants and the organization’s membership provides a ready supply of experienced native plant users. Many AFNN members are also members of FNPS. But the two organizations, their leadership, and activities are clearly separate and distinct. For more info on FNPS, please visit their excellent website (fnps.org)

Q: What is a Florida native plant?
A: AFNN adopts the Florida Native Plant Society definition, which is compatible with definitions used by state agencies:

“For most purposes, the phrase Florida native plant refers to those species occurring within the state boundaries prior to European contact, according to the best available scientific and historical documentation. More specifically, it includes those species understood as indigenous, occurring in natural associations in habitats that existed prior to significant human impacts and alterations of the landscape.”

For preservation and restoration, it’s important to understand natural communities and what plants occur in those communities. Scientists classify natural communities according to what naturally lives there (native plants, animals, insects, fungi and even microorganisms) and how the community functions ecologically. In Florida, one commonly used classification system (Florida Natural Areas Inventory) identifies 82 different natural communities. And these communities can vary across the state — a pineland in Miami-Dade County can include different (native) plant species than a pineland in Orange County, for example.

Q: What is meant by “provenance” and “ecotype”?
A: “Provenance” refers to the specific origin of a plant, often to where the seed originated. This information can be especially important to conservationists and ecologists concerned with restoration. For example, plants for a restoration project might be restricted to those grown from seed collected from natural areas occurring within a 60-mile radius of the restoration site, with the idea being that they will be better adapted to local conditions. Provenance can be important for horticultural concerns also. Red maple occurs naturally from Florida north to Maine, but plants originating from native Florida seed may perform better (e.g., color, size, water usage) than those grown from Maine seed. This gets at the concept of “ecotypes,” which refer to genetically specialized local populations that are adapted to a particular set of environmental circumstances (e.g., local soil, hydrology, climate).

Q: Why do AFNN members specialize in native plants?
A: Native plants present property owners with a variety of benefits, whether your interest is beautification, water conservation, reduction of harmful chemicals in the landscape, wildlife habitat, or the preservation of our natural heritage. Our members and their customers have experienced firsthand the benefits of using Florida native plants. We want every citizen in the state to have the same great experience. And so do public policy leaders, who increasingly urge the use of native plants for sustainable landscaping.

Florida’s native plants are naturally adapted to our climate, soil, and weather patterns. For thousands of years, native plants have survived on available rainfall and nutrients naturally found in Florida’s sand, clay, and muck soils. Native plants are widely recognized for their ability to adapt to tough conditions and thrive with the resources provided by nature. Special care, including plenty of water, is always needed to establish any plant in an artificial setting (especially those filled with asphalt and concrete). But once established, properly selected and planted native plants can flourish on available rainfall with minimum supplemental feeding or pest control.

Finally, we live in Florida. We love our state, want to sustain its natural character, and we take pride in our unique, rich botanical heritage. Planting natives makes a Real Florida landscape in a way that nothing else can. There are more than 2800 species of Florida native plants and nearly 10% of those are endemic — found naturally only here, and nowhere else in the world. But only a few hundred species have been introduced to the trade. We believe there is significant opportunity for discovering more useful plants appropriate for our state, in our state.

Q: How do I know which plants are native?
A: AFNN relies on Wunderlin & Hansen’s Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida, 2nd edition, University of Florida Press, 2003, as the standard for identifying native plants. This reference is widely accepted across the state, and is based on vouchered plant specimens maintained by qualified botanists and ecologists. A great online source is Wunderlin’s companion website: http://www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/

Because Wunderlin often does not recognize naturally occurring varieties that our nurseries have observed and cultivated, we will make exceptions based on carefully evaluated information provided by our members. All such exceptions are documented in our Native Plant & Service Directory, in a section entitled “About our Plant Listings.” One example is the South Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa), which in Wunderlin’s book is “lumped” within Pinus elliottii, but which most growers recognize as having unique qualities that make it an exceptional choice for South Florida pineland landscaping.

Q: What are exotic plants and how are they different?
A: Exotic plants are those which are not native to a particular area. We typically think of areas as defined by a commonly understood political boundary, such as a county, state, region (e.g., southeast) or country. A plant that originates in China and does not naturally occur in the U.S. is considered exotic in the U.S. Plants, of course, don’t pay attention to political boundaries. Plants can move courtesy of animals, insects, winds and tides, but generally only people move plants more than a few hundred miles, and almost all truly exotic plants travel to their new homes thanks to people.

Most of the plants sold in mainstream garden centers are exotic, and many come from such diverse places as China, Malaysia, Mexico, Hawaii, Amazonian rainforests etc. Typically they’re brought here because they’re beautiful to look at or have some other quality that’s important to people. Some exotic plants can be good choices for sustainable landscapes. Others, because of their natural adaptation to conditions quite different from Florida’s, require routine applications of soil amendments, fertilizers, supplemental irrigation, and regular pest management to survive. Whether you’re buying exotic or native plants, always consult with people who have hands-on experience using the plants locally. Ask how the plant will perform and what it needs to do well in your landscape.

While many exotic plants are beneficial as edibles or ornamentals, some establish themselves outside of cultivation and disrupt the natural ecology of Florida, displacing native plants and destroying wildlife habitat and essential ecosystem functions. Because these plants have few or no natural controls or limiting factors in Florida, they upset the balance of nature. These plants are typically referred to as invasive exotic pest plants, and you can learn more about them at www.fleppc.org.

Q: Why are invasive pest plants still being sold?
A: Many people are largely uninformed of the damage these plants cause, some people don’t care, and there’s money to be made selling them to unwitting or uncaring customers. Very often the same qualities that make the plants pests — grow fast and spread quickly — make them desirable to growers and gardeners.

Q: Why are native plants so hard to find in garden centers?
A: Native trees have always been available but native shrubs, vines and flowering herbaceous plants didn’t become available until the 1970s, when ecologists doing wetland restoration discovered them. Some biologists recognized the beauty and durability of these plants, and began growing them for use in urban and suburban landscapes. This industry has grown steadily as we all become more informed and concerned about environmental issues and sustainability. But the industry is young and the supply of plants remains limited. Much more research, experience, and education are needed to expand the successful cultivation and use of native plants.

Q: Why are native plants so expensive?
A: Native plants at your local garden center may be more expensive because the garden center has bought them from someone else. They may be more expensive because they involve more labor and time in cultivation. For example, coontie plants are extremely slow growing. Many native plants are slow growing, which can make for very strong sustainable plants, but also makes for a more costly product. Many factors can be involved, but consider organic products, which have been more expensive, but often considered better for environmental and public health concerns. Many of the same cost issues are involved.

Q: Should I plant non-native plants?
A: What you choose to plant is a matter of personal choice. We hope that once you’ve experienced natives, you’ll want to plant more! And we suggest that everyone remove and avoid invasive pest plants as listed by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.

Q: How can I learn more about native plants?
A: Joining the Florida Native Plant Society is a great way to learn more. The society is packed with the most knowledgeable native plant experts in the state. Their annual conference is an unparalleled native plant education experience, with speakers on a variety of topics, field trips, exhibits, plant sale, and vendors selling books and other educational material.

Q: How can I get on your mailing list?
A: Contractors, growers, consultants, and public agencies, we’ll be happy to put you on our list for The Native Plant and Service Directory, mailed annually in the summer.

HOMEOWNERS: we’ll be happy to put you on our list for The Guide for Real Florida Gardeners, mailed annually in the fall. Send us your name, U.S.P.S. mailing address, email address, and phone number.

If you need to distribute our publications to others, let us know. We appreciate your help and we’ll do everything we can to help you help us all.

Contact us.

Q: How do I join AFNN?
A: AFNN membership is open to nurseries and garden centers, individuals and organizations providing related products and services (e.g., ecological consulting, education, environmentally friendly mulch, landscape design and installation, etc.), and nonprofit organizations and institutions. Applications are reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors. We send invitations out once a year, generally in the spring. Call Cammie Donaldson, Just Cause Media, at 321-917-1960 for more info.