SJBGNP January 2025 Happenings

The Garden is now entering its second year of public existence, and so many things are happening in our young Garden that it is hard to keep up with everything! We truly have come so far but are working steadily for today, and the future!

The Garden has been buzzing with activity and excitement! New statues continue to be added to different areas of the Garden, including the twin mushrooms near the South Entrance. Donations of beautiful new trees and flowering plants continue to arrive, and the “Green Thumbs” have been folding them into the Garden like excited tots receiving presents on Christmas morning! Many of these new plants have been donated by Ken Pomar, a new neighbor of the Garden!

 

New plant identification signs
New “Fun Facts” signs now appearing around the SJBGNP

New “FUN FACT” signs have started to be placed around the Garden. These white and blue signs share interesting details about some of the plants in the Garden, making them more than just ID labels!

Speaking of signs, the brand-new ID signs have also been appearing around the Garden, thanks in large part to the efforts of Sue Wilson, our fantastic Store Manager! They are beautiful and long-lasting signs with our logo on each one, and include the common name and origin of the plant, as well as the scientific name. Such signage is ongoing and crucial for Education and visitor engagement, thereby supporting our Conservation goals, as well!

Additionally, the large Entrance Sign to the Garden was renewed by the hard work of Ephraim Badea (with a little help from his longtime friend, Dr. Rossi!) The old letters and decorations were removed; the sign was repainted, and then new letters and decorations were added. It looks great!

 

Plant of the Month – Aloe arborescens, the Torch Aloe

Aloe arborescens, the Torch Aloe
Plant of the Month, Aloe arborescens, the Torch Aloe

There are some amazing aloes out there and we have many of them in the Garden. The one pictured here is what I believe to be Aloe arborescens, the Torch Aloe. If I am wrong, please forgive me as there are many different types and there are only slight differences among them, but, I had to feature it because it is so beautiful right now! The good news is that their needs are all the same. In a perfect environment they have the potential to reach 6 to 10 feet tall, but that is only likely to occur in their native habitat in South Africa. They are easily grown in sandy, well drained soil, with full sun or light shade. They are also very drought and salt tolerant. And this particular species has some cold tolerance as well. Hence, they are excellent in rock gardens or hilly landscapes. The birds and bees will flock to them. Furthermore, they are virtually disease free, but watch for scale and mealy bugs.

Aloes provide a great pop of color in the winter while many other plants are dormant.
Group with other succulents and cacti as they are great companions. Look for this one on Silver
Hill near Caribbean Cove, between some African palms that they may grow near in the wild.
Hope to see you there!

Contributed by Libby Luedeke

Southern Fox Squirrel Sighting

A Fox Squirrel, Sciurus niger, has been spotted in the Nature Preserve! The fox squirrel is North America’s largest tree squirrel species. It is known for its very bushy tail, orangish wash on gray fur, and of course, its large size. Their color is extremely variable however, ranging from gray to nearly all black, and many may have only a black head with a white nose and ears! Most do retain orange washed tails and bellies though. Interestingly, some may have white tail tips, like red foxes, while others may have black tail tips, like gray foxes! They may weigh up to three pounds and their body length may be as long as two feet! Add a tail almost a foot long, and you have a very large squirrel. Because of their large size, and sometimes appearing to have a black mask, one standing straight up in the forest is often mistaken for a monkey by many Floridians! They are extremely secretive and rarely seen by people in many areas. There are ten subspecies ranging throughout much of North America, even though absent in wide swaths of land. In Florida, there are four subspecies, all of which are protected because their numbers are dwindling due to development and habitat loss. The one seen in the Garden’s Nature Preserve appears to be the Sherman’s or Southern Fox Squirrel, which is definitely listed as a species of special concern by the state of Florida.

Their preferred habitat is open forested areas, often riverine in nature and those dominated by hardwoods like oaks, hickory, and walnuts. But they are often found in swampy habitats dominated by cypress and pines. Hence, our Nature Preserve provides an excellent habitat for these impressive rodents since it has both hardwoods as well as cypress and pine trees. Fox Squirrels are omnivorous, eating a wide variety of naturally occurring nuts, fruit, insects, bird eggs and other varied items. They are not particularly social, and individuals are often found alone. As a trained Field Biologist, and a former professor of Vertebrate Biology, I was particularly excited to find these beautiful animals here in our Garden! We are still finding new species in our Preserve! You never know what you will see. Come help us discover new species at the Garden. –Dr. John Rossi

Plant of the Month – Bridal Veils Clerodendrum

Let’s look at the Bridal Veils Clerodendrum, as it is blooming right now. The garden is looking especially beautiful now after all the storms have finally gotten past us and the temps are getting cooler.

Head on down to get a look at this beauty. It’s located very near the main entrance and to the right. It’s a tall shrub that likes to be in well-draining soil but with lots of organic matter still, not sand. Enjoys dappled sunlight and a little fertilizer each month. It’s not a bib fan of cold weather though. Would need a cover up if it gets in the 20’s, but don’t fret if it gets burned . Give a trim and it will come back pretty as ever.

Come see us real soon!


Article and pictures by Libby Luedeke.

Latest Happenings At The Garden

Leopard frogs abound in the garden right now, making a racket every night in the Blue Lagoon.
Leopard frogs abound in the garden
right now, making a racket every night
in the Blue Lagoon.

Two hurricanes pounded the garden in October! They resulted in a tremendous amount of damage to our oak canopy and the closure of the garden for almost a solid week. We lost several large oaks both in the nature preserve, and in the garden proper. Also, many of the intermediate sized queen palms were leaning badly, and the ground was covered with branches and leaves. Fortunately, we only lost one rare palm to a falling branch, a gorgeous Gaussia Gomez-pompae, a Mexican Bottle Palm that had been here for many years! The mess and the loss of income cost the garden a great deal of time, money, and effort to repair. A new, much younger Bottle Palm was found in a small nursery in South Florida to replace the one on display. Many of the queen palms and some of the fishtail palms were staked up straight and hundreds of thousands of leaves were picked up! We wish to thank all of our volunteers for their heroic efforts in cleaning up the mess and bringing the garden back to its beautiful condition!

Because of the hurricanes, and the monsoon rains prior to the hurricanes, the creek was flooded very badly, and the nature preserve was essentially closed for several weeks. Access was allowed so visitors could observe the roaring water and see the force of nature in changing the landscape of a riverine habitat. Fortunately, the water has now receded, and the path through the forest is completely open again, but one can easily see the remnants of the storm! The Nature Preserve would be a great place for an ecology class to visit as it is a prime lesson in changing habitats and the succession of plants as the forest recovers from damage. It is still a beautiful place to visit and listen to the babbling of the creek as it meanders through the woods.