News

By Shelby Theisen, Development Coordinator

We’re excited to share some updates on the native foliage we recently planted at our Longwood office! The goal of this project is to remain committed to being fertilizer-free for manatees and inspire others to take the pledge. Over the last few months, the plants have adapted remarkably well in such a short time frame, transforming spaces that were once bare into a mini wildlife haven. Some of the plants pictured above include sunshine mimosa, muhly grass, firebush, and tropical sage, all wonderful additions to a Central Florida lawn. The sunshine mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) has quickly become a vibrant and whimsical ground cover, adding a lovely pop of color. Other plants like the tropical sage have nearly doubled in size, and the firebush (Hamelia patens) has been blooming non-stop. By carefully selecting native plants that are suitable to our climate, we’ve successfully eliminated the need for fertilizer while visually enhancing the outdoor space.

We look forward to continuing our efforts and hope to share more updates soon. Thank you to everyone involved in making this project a success; your support has been invaluable. If you are looking to learn more about going Fertilizer-Free for Manatees please visit fertilizerfree.org