Sanibel Captiva Road Canal
Ian’s thirteen-foot storm surge clobbered Sanibel Island’s ecosystems. Even the most salt-tolerant residents couldn’t handle the overwhelming salinity, and many stretches of forest along Sanibel Captiva Road remain grey leafless graveyards. Not this verdant spot.
Grus canadensis
This year’s final winter break adventure is a trip to Clewiston, Florida, and a bike ride along the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST). In 1993, the 115-mile path became part of the Florida National Scenic Trail. It’s an incredible destination for birders.
Grus canadensis
Nannopterum auritum
Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST)
Saccharum officinarum
Sabal palmetto Along the Bank of the Orange River
Rhizophora mangle
Quercus virginiana
Sabal palmetto
Manatee Park Canal
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Tillandsia fasciculata
Thalia dealbata
Thalia dealbata
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Alligator Flags
Coccoloba uvifera
Anthocyanins are pigments that make plants look red or purple. Southwest Florida isn’t known for fall color, but watch what happens in winter.
Coccoloba uvifera
Momordica charantia
An inverted alien flower bursts open next to the bike path on Sanibel Captiva Road. The colorful category II invasive vine shows up more and more frequently throughout Southwest Florida.
Momordica charantia
Cocos nucifera and Pelecanus occidentalis
Pachycereus schottii
Opuntia engelmannii
Solidago sempervirens
Solidago sempervirens
Ipomoea purpurea and Cocos nucifera
Strobilanthes maculatus
Strobilanthes dyerianus
Strobilanthes dyerianus
Zingiber spectabile
30,000 Feet Above a California Lake
Western Mountain Set Rolls In
Arid Abuts Ag
Summer Snowcaps
Summer Snowcaps
Sunkissed Altocumulus
Altocumulus Sunset
Mauna Loa Peeks Through an Altocumulus Sheet
Cenchrus setaceus
Fountain grass is an invasive species taking over arid areas throughout Hawaii. It displaces native vegetation and disrupts forest formation. The African native is an aggressive species classified as a noxious weed and one of Hawaii’s most invasive plants by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
Pedagogy of the Plants 