FLORIDA FAUNA & FLORA – OLEANDER With its beautiful pink, red or white flowers growing at the end of its branches, oleander is a popular choice for planting. Oleanders can grow six to 20 feet tall. This plant flourishes in warm regions, withstanding extreme heat, poor soil, water shortages, salt spray and lack of […]
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Thoroughbred horses are synonymous with Ocala/Marion County area, as it is coined the “Horse Capital of the World™.” These hot-blooded, highly intelligent horses are known for their agility and lightning-fast runs – reaching speeds up to 40 mph. Thoroughbreds are large, muscular, powerful horses that are innately elegant and graceful. Horses are measured in […]
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COTTONTAIL RABBIT Cottontail rabbits are small, grayish-brown rabbits with a white puffy tail. These rabbits make their homes just about anywhere in Florida with the exception of dense forests and swampy areas. Cottontails live in small brush that is well camouflaged from predators. Female cottontails typically birth four to seven baby rabbits (aka […]
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FLORIDA THE 27TH STATE Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon landed near St. Augustine in Spring 1513. Amidst the blooming flowers, Ponce de Leon named the newly-discovered land “La Pascua Florida” or Festival of Flowers. Florida became the 27th state on March 3, 1845. Long before Florida grew into a tourism hub, early […]
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SPANISH MOSS When imagining “the old south,” you may have a mental image of large live oaks elegantly draped with Spanish moss. Spanish moss, also known as Spanish beard, French hair, Graybeard and tree hair, is not actually part of the moss family. It is a bromeliad that clings to itself and dangles […]
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THE BASKING SHARK The basking shark is the second-largest living shark in the world. Basking sharks can grow up to a massive 40 feet long and weigh between 6,600 and 13,000 pounds. This shark is thought to mate in early summer, with gestation of a year up to three years. It gives birth only […]
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