Floridata - Plant Encyclopedia
An excellent resource for Florida gardeners is Floridata. It was created by Jack Scheper who lives in the Tallahassee area. The site has many features but its best feature, by far, is its Plant Encyclopedia which contains information on 700 plants. You simply click on “Plant List” and find the plant (common and botanical names) you are interested in, and you will be rewarded with an abundance of information. Each plant page contains: common names, family, plant tags (more on them later), description, photo, location, culture, usage, features, and history. Even my local extension office uses them as a resource.
The Plant tags (click on “plant tag lists”) are graphic icons that categorize plants by type and by feature characteristics. Plant types (10 altogether) include: annuals, perennials, grasses, etc. The plant features (19 altogether) include: birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, shade, drought tolerant, wet areas, edibles, etc. These icons are depicted at the top of each reference page to provide you with additional information.
My second favorite feature on this site is their lists of best performing plants (by category). If you’re short on ideas, this is a quick reference for a list of plants to include in your garden.
I give this site high ratings for its easy usability and valuable content. I dare say it would be difficult to find another reference better than this one for Florida gardeners. In addition to its super plant encyclopedia, it also offers articles, picture gallery, forums, shopping and a place where you can submit your questions.
Well done, Jack. Your site is a wonderful treasure to Florida gardeners.