Butterflies Love Brickellia

Some of Brickellia cordifolia’s (pron. brick ELL ee ah core deh FOHL ee ah) common names are Brickellia, brickelbush and Flyr’s Nemesis. It prefers full to part sun and is usually found growing in sandy soil. However, Eleanor Dietrich, Florida Wildflower Foundation Liaison to DOT, has a great patch growing in her slightly shady back garden in rich, moist woodland soil. According to Lilly here at the nursery, it is doing REALLY well there. Brickellia blooms in late summer to fall. Lilly (who’s had it in her yard for going on two years) says deadheading increases the blooming period. This native, perennial wildflower can grow up to 5 feet in height, but 3 to 4 feet is more common. Unlike most members of the aster family, it does not have ray flowers, only disc. It produces a great many of them in small clusters at the end of each stem. They have extremely long styles, giving each flower head a wispy, spidery appearance. They range in color from almost white to pinkish purple and are very attractive to butterflies.

Brickellia cordifolia along Hwy 98 in Wakulla County, FL

Despite the fact that Brickellia is easy to grow and propagate (by seed, division or cutting), there is very little of it around. There are some small, surviving populations in Wakulla, Jefferson and Alachua Counties in Florida and a little in Alabama and Georgia. It is on the state endangered list here in Florida and listed globally as a G2/G3 species (imperiled globally because of rarity or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).

The following is from the Facebook Page of Scott Davis, St. Marks Ranger:

“One of the more amazing floristic encounters of my life occurred today! I was privileged to walk along an astounding roadside, literally blanketed with Brickellia cordifolia, the Flyr’s Nemesis. This endangered species maintains a stronghold for itself here in Wakulla county in (literally) just a handful of roadside localities. Without the cooperation of FDOT and private property owners, long-term conservation for this species would not be possible. To see such rare beauty in such large numbers is not something that happens very often.”

After learning of the rarity of this plant from Scott, the property owner, another Scott (Arnold), and the Magnolia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) successfully petitioned DOT for decreased mowing.

The following is a Facebook comment by Gail Fishman (Ranger US Fish and Wildlife Service and president of the Magnolia Chapter (FNPS) :

“The common name for this beautiful plant, Flyr’s Nemesis, causes many to believe that Dr. Lowell David Flyr committed suicide over this plant. That is not true. Dr. Flyr was a Texas botanist who worked on Brickellia species in Texas and Mexico. As far as I can ascertain he never described this species. It is true that he died by his own hand because he was probably manic depressive for most of his life according to personal communication with David’s brother, Lewis Flyr. David was a fine botanist who died much too soon.”

Most sources I found simply said the origin for the name was a mystery. The story according to the Alabama Plant Atlas (although it’s described more as a rumor) is that Flyr was a graduate student working on the Brickellia genus out west. Before his committee would let him graduate, they insisted that he personally visit populations of this rare eastern member of the genus. While searching for the plant in southwest Georgia, he was killed in an automobile accident.

Either way it’s a sad story that adds one more layer of interest to the story of this beautiful plant. I admit that till now I’ve paid little attention to Brickellia. We’ve stocked it in our wildflower section for a while, and I had noticed its very pretty and unusual flower. Beyond that however there just isn’t time to study every plant we sell as extensively as we’d sometimes like to (unless you’re one of the plant buyers and I’m not). Having taken that time now for this blog—well, all of a sudden I just have to have a Brickellia for my yard. In fact I just came inside from planting it, and I can’t wait to see what it’ll do.

At Native Nurseries, we typically stock Brickellia in 1-gallon and 4" pots. Currently we have both. As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2609

http://hawthornhillwildflowers.blogspot.com/2010/08/flyrs-nemesis-brickellia-cordifolia.html

The Alabama Plant Atlas Facebook page

Horsemint

Monarda punctata, Horsemint

Horesemint, Monarda punctata (pron. moe NAR duh punk TAH tuh) has a fragrant, very beautiful and unusual lavender and yellow flower with pink bracts. It makes a great, long lasting cut flower—one that always attracts attention. A few of Monarda puntata’s common names are dotted horsemint, spotted bee balm and Monarda, but we usually just call it horsemint. This Florida native is an herbaceous, perennial wildflower that grows to three feet in height and blooms in the summer. It is moderately drought tolerant. Plant horsemint in full to part sun and (preferably) well-drained, sandy soil with some moisture retentive capability; although it is tolerant of a wide range of soil types (including the clay loam that so many of us have here in Tallahassee). It will attract many pollinating insects to your garden but is not usually affected by pests. Horsemint can be propagated by seed, division or cuttings.

Horsemint tea is used in herbal medicine for numerous digestive problems and more. Too much can be fatal however, so educate yourself before trying it or limit the amount you ingest and stick to a nice, weak brew. Native Americans used it to make a ‘sweating tea’ to treat colds. Horsemint has the highest thymol content of all the mints. Thymol has strong antiseptic properties. It is also found in thyme and provides that herb’s distinctive, strong flavor.

Photo by Eleanor Dietrich

So plant horsemint for medicinal purposes if you’re interested in herbal remedies . . . or like me . . . plant it just because its flower is so darn beautiful. Either way I'm sure you'll be glad you did.

At Native Nurseries, we stock horsemint in 1-gallon pots. As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp413

https://www.eattheweeds.com/monarda-punctata-bergamots-bud-2/

http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/Horemint.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymol

Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris (pronunciation – mew len BER jee uh kap pill LAIR riss), common name muhly grass, is an herbaceous, ornamental grass with a clumping form that grows 3 to 4 feet tall and approximately as wide. This tough Florida native is very tolerant of drought and flooding, moderately salt tolerant and thrives in a wide range of soil types (although sandy or rocky soil is best) making it a great choice for many landscapes. Unlike most grasses, it has a stiff, upright growth habit. In the fall, its wispy flowers emerge well above the foliage in a dramatically beautiful pinkish-purple display. But even after they’ve lost their color, muhly grass adds interest to the landscape due to its unusual form. For this reason, it is best to wait until late winter or very early spring to cut the clumps back to 6 inches. This will clear the way for new foliage and increase air circulation. Leaving the clumps unpruned over the winter also creates habitat for wildlife.

Plant muhly grass three feet apart in full to part sun (full sun is best) for a beautiful mass planting. You can plant them further apart of course, or use just one or a few to add interesting texture to a perennial garden. Muhly grass is a hardy perennial in zones 7 through 11; and other than a yearly pruning, it is virtually maintenance free. It’s great for cut flowers and even basket making. Slaves in the south (especially Charleston, SC) used to harvest the long, wiry grass blades and use them, along with other native plant materials, to weave sweetgrass baskets (one of the oldest art forms of African origin in the United States).

At Native Nurseries, we stock muhly grass most of the year in 1-gallon pots (and sometimes 3-gallon). Currently they are available in 1-gal. pots only. As always, give us a call to check availability before making a special trip (although we’re always happy to see you). Sorry . . . we do not ship plants.

Some information for this blog post came from the following sources –

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp415

http://msucares.com/news/print/sgnews/sg13/sg20131028.html