Weed of the Week:  Perilla Mint

Weed of the Week: Perilla Mint

Perilla Mint is a toxic ornamental that has escaped from landscapes in the Southern U.S. and is now an established pasture weed. As a summer annual it grows in shaded areas up to a height of 2 feet tall. It is often identified by its purple shading on the undersides...
Thinning the Pawpaw Patch in Your Pastures

Thinning the Pawpaw Patch in Your Pastures

Pawpaws (Asimina spp.) are members of the custard family, and 10 species are known to occur in the state.  Of these 10, fourpetal pawpaw (Asimina tetramera) is on the endangered species list, but this species is found primarily in coastal pine scrub habitats in Martin...
Grass Carp – A Biological Control to Manage Pond Weeds

Grass Carp – A Biological Control to Manage Pond Weeds

Florida has hundreds of aquatic plant species, and they are an often-overlooked feature of Florida’s landscape.  Overlooked that is, until the growth of non-native (even some native) species interferes with use of our waters.  Some aquatic plant species can become...
Dry Weather has not deterred the Dragons among Us

Dry Weather has not deterred the Dragons among Us

During a pond visit to the dry northern part of Escambia County, something caught my eye floating along the margins of the pond. There, on the shore, perched on a blade of grass, was an empty dragonfly exoskeleton and a newly emerged adult dragonfly (see image...