Plant Natives in Red, White, and Blue

In honor of the American flag, choose to garden with red, white, and blue flowering plants this month! Take it one step further and show your Florida roots by selecting Florida native plants. While plenty of Florida natives display red, white, or blue flowers, it is the native sages (or Salvia species) that cover all the bases.

Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) is a popular choice for native pollinator gardens. Most often recognized by its bright red flowers, tropical sage may also be found with white flowers (or even pink flowers). The largest petal acts like a landing pad for flying pollinators, like bees or butterflies, dropping in for a drink of nectar.

Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata) may be less well-known, but its sky-blue flowers can make an attractive complement to the red and white floral “fireworks” provided by tropical sage. Both of these native wildflowers reseed easily, meaning young plants that germinate from fallen seeds will naturally replace the original sage plants in your garden.

Visit a native plant nursery to browse their current selections (Tip: call ahead for holiday hours). Some native nurseries that often carry wildflowers for retail customers in southwest Florida include All Native Garden Center (Fort Myers), Cutting Horse Eco-Center (Bonita Springs), and Good Roots Nursery (Estero). Check out PlantRealFlorida.org for more nurseries near you.

Please Save the Date:  The Naples Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society will be offering a native plant sale in Naples on Saturday, July 31, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The plant sale will be located off Goodlette-Frank Road in the large parking lot south of the Naples Zoo. Contact the Naples Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society at Naplesnativeplants@fnps.org. Learn more about Florida native plants at FNPSNaples.org.