Plant of the Month
The Pawpaw Chapter features a different native plant at each meeting where one of our members talks about the plant. Normally the presentation includes photos, a description and/or features of the plant, usually including personal observations and experience with this particular native and often historical or ethnobotanical information as well. While many make this a powerpoint style presentation, that is not required and presentors are encouraged to use their ingenuity and talents in any way the suits them. Plant of the month presentations should be limited to a maximum of 10 minutes. Also suggested is to bring in a potted plant of the featured species to give away at that meeting's drawing.
The Plant of the Month is selected from an annual theme.
2025 Native Shrubs, Trees, Vines, Cacti & Grasses are also Perfect for Pollinators
Jan. - American Beautyberry - Callicarpa americana - presented by Jane Andrews
Feb. - Chickasaw Plum - Prunus angustifolia - presented by Kate Muldoon
Mar. - open
Apr. - Purple Passionflower - Passiflora incarnata presented by Peter SIgmann
May - open
June -
July - Prickly-Pear cactus - Opuntia sp. - presented by Leslie Nixon
Aug. - open
Sept. - open
Oct. - open
Nov. - open
Dec. - NO Plant of the Month - Holiday Native Plant Auction
Contact Paul Rebmann to volunteer to present a plant of the month - NaturePaul @ wildflphoto.com (remove spaces)
Suggested plants for 2025 Plant of the Month
Common Name Binomial Blooms Suggested months Form
Simpson’s Stopper Myrcianthes fragrans all year Jan, Sept-Nov Shrub
Wild Coffee Psychotria nervosa all year Jan, Sept-Nov Shrub
Yellow Jessamine Gelsemium sempervirens Feb-Apr Feb-Apr Vine
Virginia Sweetspire Itea virginica Feb-Apr Feb-Apr Shrub
Swamp Rose Rosa palustris Feb-Apr Feb-Apr Shrub
Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Feb-Apr Feb-Apr Shrub
Walter’s Viburnum Viburnum obovatum Feb-Apr Feb-Apr Shrub
False Indigo Bush Amorpha fruticosa Feb-Aug May-Aug Shrub
Firebush Hamelia patens Feb-Nov May-Nov Shrub
Inkberry Ilex glabra May-Aug May-Aug Shrub
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis May-Aug May-Aug Shrub
Elderberry Sambucus nigra May-Aug May-Aug Tree/shrub
Spanish Bayonet Yucca aloifolia May-Aug May-Aug Shrub
Lopsided Indian Grass Sorghastrum secundum Sep-Nov Sep-Nov Grass
2024 Native Wildflowers are Perfect for Pollinators
Jan. - Wild pennyroyal - Piloblephis rigida presented by Suzie Shaeffer
Feb. - Beach sunflower - Helianthus debilis - presented by Karen Walter
Mar. - Wild Poinsettia - Euphorbia cyathophora - presented by Jane Andrews
Apr. - Anise-scented goldenrod Solidago odora ssp. odora presented by Kate Muldoon
May - Blue Toadflax - Nuttallanthus canadensis (Linaria canadensis) - presented by Susan McNamee
June - Snow Squarestem - Melanthera nivea - presented by Sande Habali
July - Who's Eating Who - a variety of pollinator and host plants - presented by Inia Burginger
Aug. - Dotted Horsemint, Spotted Beebalm - Monarda punctata - presented by Dee Hackett
Sept. - Frostweed - Verbesina virginica - presented by Peter Sigmann
Oct. - Coralbean - Erythrina herbacea - presented by Gina Holt
Nov. - Spanish Needles - Bidens alba - presented by Judi Van Horn
Dec. - NO Plant of the Month - Holiday Native Plant Auction
2023 Native Plants Front and Center
Showcasing the spectacular native plants that work great in your front yard.
Jan. - None
Feb. - Milkweed - Asclepias sp. - Marc Godts
March - Yellow necklacepod - Sophora tomentosa var. truncata - Georgann Meadows
April - Coontie - Zamia integrifolia - Peter Sigmann
May - Fakahatchee Grass - Tripsacum dactyloides - Sandi Habali
June - Chickasaw plum - Prunus angustifolia - Karen Walter
July - Muhly Grass - Muhlenbergia capillaris - Kate Muldoon
Aug. - Simpson’s Stopper/twinberry - Myrcianthes fragrans - Dee Hacket
Sept. - Saw palmetto - Serenoa repens - Danny Young
Oct. - Cabbage Palm - Sabal palmetto - Paul Rebmann
Nov. - Adam's Needle - Yucca filamentosa - Celena Cline
Dec. - NO Plant of the Month - Holiday Native Plant Auction
Contact Paul Rebmann to volunteer to present a plant of the month - NaturePaul @ wildflphoto.com
2022 Creepers & Kneelers
Creepers & Kneelers was a focus on vines and ground covers and those little annuals in the grasses we like to kneel down to see closer, with an opportunity to promote more eco-friendly lawn and landscape choices to help replacement of invasives and minimizing fertilizers and insecticides.
Jan. - Mimosa strigillosa - Powderpuff - Karen Walter
Feb. - Salvia misella - Southern river sage, creeping sage - Suzie Shaeffer
March - Stachytarpheta jamaicensis - Trailing Porterweed - Sande Habali
April - Dyschoriste oblongifolia - Twinflower, lakeside or oblongleaf - Peter Sigmann
May - Ipomoea pes-caprae var. brasiliensis - Railroad Vine - Paul Rebmann
June - None (meeting off-site)
July - None (no meeting)
Aug. - Passiflora suberosa - Corkystem - Kate Muldoon
Sept. - Helianthus debilis - Dune daisy, east coast - Leslie Nixon
Oct. - Kallstroemia maxima - Big caltrop - Danny Young
Nov. - Parthenocissus quinquefolia - Virginia creeper - Peter Sigmann
Dec. - NO Plant of the Month - Holiday Native Plant Auction
2021 - Hedge Your Bets
Our favorite native shrubs for screening, alternately featuring plants for both sun and shade.
January: Salt bush - Baccharis halimifolia - Peter Sigmann
February - Bay-cedar - Suriana maritima - Paul Rebmann
March - Jamaica caper - Quadrella jamaicensis - Melissa Lammers
April: Florida privet - Forestiera segregata - Leslie Nixon
June: Walter's viburnum - Viburnum obovatum - Karen Walter
July: Seagrape - Coccolobo uvifera - Paul Rebmann
August: Myrsine - Myrsine cubana - Danny Young
September: Marlberry - Ardisia escallonioides - Kate Muldoon
October: Yellow anise - Illicium parviflorum - Sande habali
November: Wax Myrtle - Morella cerifera - Leslie Nixon
2020 - Butterfly Buffets and Caterpillar Cafes
Native plants that are larval hosts or nectar sources for various Lepidoptera.
Jan. - Pine Ily - Lillium catesbaei (Cathy Lowenstein)
Feb. - Spanish needles - Bidens alba (Jane Andrews)
Mar. - Buttonsage - Lantana involucrata (Doug Hunt)
Apr. - Frogfruit - Phyla nodiflora (Carol Hawkins)
May - Partridge pea - Chamaecrista fasciculata ( Sande Habali)
June - Powder puff - Mimosa strigillosa (Paul Rebmann)
July - Ironweed - Vernonia spp. (Katie Tripp)
Aug. - Doctorbush - Plumbago zeylanica (Leslie Nixon)
Sept. - Scorpionstail - Heliotropum angiospermum (Katie Tripp)
Oct. - Spurred butterfly pea - Centrosema virginianum (Samantha West)
Nov. - White passionflower - Passiflora incarnata forma alba - (Karen Walter)
2019 - Flowering Favorites for our Feathered Friends
Native plants that provide food and/or shelter for birds.
Jan. - Wild coffee - Psychotria nervosa (Sande Habali)
Feb. - Yellow jessamine - Gelsemium sempervirens (Samantha West)
Mar. - Blood sage - Salvia coccinea (Megan Pritore)
Apr. - Tree sparkleberry - Vaccinium arboreum (Doug Hunt)
May - Red buckeye - Aesculus pavia (Judi Van Horn)
June - Firebush - Hamelia patens (Karen Walter)
July - Pokeweed - Phytolacca americana (Nancy Hull)
Aug. - Devil's-Walkingstick & Hercules’ Club - Aralia spinosa & Zanthoxylum clava-herculis (Ellen Nelson)
Sept - American beautyberry - Callicarpa americana (Sonya Guidry)
Oct. - Spotted beebalm - Monarda puctata (Peter Sigmann)
Nov. - Chapman's & seaside goldenrod - Solidago odora & Solidago sempervirens (Carol Hawkins)
2018 - Prickly Plants for Pollinators and Privacy
Native plants to keep people out and let nature in.
Jan. - ?
Feb. - Wild lime - Zanthoxylum fagara (Mark Wheeler)
Mar. - White indigoberry - Randia aculeata (Doug Hunt)
Apr. - Sweet acacia - Vachellia farnesiana var. farnesiana (Paul Rebmann)
May - Coralbean - Erythrina herbacea (Karen Walter)
June - Hercules club - Zanthoxylum cava-herculis (Dot Backes)
July - Sawtooth blackberry - Rubus pensilvanicus (Warren Reynolds)
Aug. - Hogplum - Ximenia americana (Sonya Guidry)
Sept. - Prickly-pear - Opuntia spp. (Nancy Hull)
Oct. - Buckthorn - Sideroxylon spp. (fka Bumelia spp.) (Sande Habali)
Nov. - Christmasberry - Lycium carolinianum (Danny Young)
Month - Plant common name - Scientific name (presentor)
NO plant of the month in December due to the annual Holiday native plant auction
