Page 9 - Talk of Tequesta - November '21

The Talk Of Tequesta, Page 9

norThern noTes

Fall And Winter In Florida

By Katie Roundtree, Finance Director, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Many people come to Florida
to enjoy its mild fall and winter
but miss the changing seasons
and seasonal plant changes
that the northern regions offer.
Here in Florida, we have our
own kinds of plants that bloom
during the fall and winter that
give our area a feeling of the
cooler seasons up north. During
October and November, muhly
grass blooms with beautiful
pink, red or purple blooms, creating vistas of color in our Muhly grass in Abacoa dry detention areas. Photos by Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District staff
landscaped areas, dry detention areas and road medians. During
the drier winter months, pusley (also known as “Florida snow”) capillaris, this easy-to-grow ornamental grass produces clumps seeds and is drought tolerant, allowing for proliferation during
blooms with white or light purple flowers that blanket lawns that can reach 2 to 3 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide when Florida’s typically drier winter months. This weed is aggressive
and sides of roads creating the look of “snow.” mature. During the fall, particularly in the month of October, and will take over turf areas which are thin from irrigation,
Muhly grass is a native landscape plant that has found favor it produces fluffy pink and purple flower stalks that can reach bug or fungus problems. Proper mowing and irrigation will
with landscapers for its ease of growth and large clusters of tall, up to 5 feet tall and give the plant a distinctive and attractive help to control its spread.
grass-like appearance. Known scientifically as Muhlenbergia appearance. A large amount of them can be seen in the dry So, enjoy the changing seasons here in Florida, with our
detention areas within Abacoa. When in bloom, a carpet of beautiful plants that love this weather just as much as we
pink unfolds and greets residents and visitors with beautiful do. There are so many reasons to live in Florida, including
colors. Muhly grass looks good in the garden even after the enjoyment of our native plants. Happy holidays to all of you!
flower stalks fade, thanks to its slender, dark green foliage.
(Source: University of Florida IFAS)
Florida pusley (Richardia scabra), on the other hand, is a
native plant that is beloved by some and hated by others. With
funnel-shaped flowers of white, pink or light purple, pusley,
nicknamed Florida snow, can be a burden or beauty depending
on perspective. It’s drought tolerant and attracts butterflies, but
turf purists may rebuke the invading ground cover as a weed.
Some people embrace it and use it to accent their holiday
decorations, even adding light-up snowmen on top to create
Florida pusley (Richardia scabra). Photo by The Palm Beach a winter wonderland scene. However, others striving for the
Post, Kimberly Miller perfect lawn, struggle to remove this plant. It has very small

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