Weeds of Wednesday: Bees & Butterflies Love Beggarticks

At the entrance to the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area, now flourishes a big "bush" of beggarticks (Bidens alba). Yes, this plant is weedy and hitchhikes its way around via its 2-toothed seeds that give rise to its species name, Bidens: …

8/19/2017: Happy National Honeybee Day!

European honey bees (Apis mellifera) are important imported pollinators for citrus and many other crops. Commercial beekeepers transport their hives from place to place, including to the Toni Robinson Waterfront Trail, where the sign above cautions folks that these colonial…

Throwback Thursday: “Another” Wild Olive

Lots of plants in the olive family, Oleaceae, are commonly called "wild olives", which can cause confusion. "Regular" wild olive or Florida privet (Forestiera segregata) is a common plant on mosquito control dikes and in sunny spots at the Oslo…

Weeds of Wednesday: Weed or Bird Feed?

The nightshade family, Solanacae, includes many economically important plants, some very invasive exotic pest plants, and some plants that are pretty weedy. American black nightshade (Solanum americanum) is an agricultural weed and likely native to Florida, though there is some…