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Category: Florida Fauna & Flora

Florida Fauna & Flora – Oleander

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 proper tree trimming care. For growers with less-than-green thumbs, oleander may be an ideal choice for your home landscape.

 

Despite its beauty, oleander is also very poisonous. Ingesting large amounts can be fatal especially for small children and animals. The heart, central nervous system and gastrointestinal systems are all affected. For these reasons and depending on your circumstances, it’s important to evaluate whether oleander is a good choice for your location. With its hardy characteristics and eye-catching colors, it is sure to be an aesthetic hit!

 

Reminder – trees growing into power lines can cause outages, sparks or fires. Planting trees in the right place on your property can reduce cooling and heating costs helping you use less energy. For more tips on planting the right tree in the right place and saving energy visit Right Tree, Right Place.

 

Read the full June 2019 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Thoroughbred Horse

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 “hands.” A hand is equal to four inches. A horse’s height is determined from the ground up to the tallest point on its body called the withers – the ridge between the animal’s shoulder blades. An average-sized thoroughbred horse is 16 hands or 64 inches. Average weight is 1,100 pounds.

 

Male thoroughbreds are stallions and females are mares. Foals (not ponies) are born after a gestation period of about 11 months.

 

Ocala/Marion County is the proud home of two Triple Crown winning horses – Affirmed in 1978 and American Pharoah in 2015.

 

Read the full May 2019 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Cottontail Rabbit

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 kittens) per litter. An average female births four litters in its lifetime. Cottontails are crepuscular, meaning they are mostly active during twilight hours. From dusk to dawn, these rabbits rummage through foliage scouting for food and can be spotted in the early morning hours before settling in for the day.

 

Children all over the world have been entertained with “tails” about mischievous cottontail rabbits written by Beatrix Potter (Peter Rabbit) and Thornton Burgess (Peter Cottontail). Like Potter’s stories, Burgess’ Peter Cottontail character was originally named Peter Rabbit but temporarily changed his last name to Cottontail, then changed it back to Rabbit. Burgess’ Peter Cottontail character evolved through pop culture and is now associated with the Easter Bunny.

 

Read the full April 2019 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida the 27th State

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 industries included logging, fishing, cattle ranching, farming and citrus growing. These industries continue today. In the 1920s, the railroad spurred the land boom bringing business and residents to Florida’s southern tip. Florida became a popular spring break destination for college students starting in the early 1930s.

 

The state’s first theme parks were Cypress Gardens and Marineland. Tourism took off in Florida in 1971 when the Magic Kingdom opened in Orlando. Today, millions visit Universal Studios, Epcot, LEGOLAND, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens every year.

 

Florida visitors enjoy the state’s multi-faceted entertainment options. Flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is a beach-lover’s dream. Crystal-clear natural springs, National Parks and Forests, unique wildlife and copious sunshine brand Florida a national treasure.

 

Read the full March 2019 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Spanish Moss

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 from tree limbs. It does not have roots and prefers warm climates with high humidity for absorption of nutrients from the air.

 

Spanish moss plays an important role in nature. Birds, insects, bats, frogs, lizards and snakes use Spanish moss to build nests. Trees are not harmed by dangling moss.

 

You may see Spanish moss hanging from communication and power lines. Small bits are usually harmless and no cause for concern. Large clumps can cause a power outage if moss touches more than one phase. If a large bundle of moss is engulfing poles or lines, send us an email or give us a call.

 

Read the full February 2019 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Basking Shark

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 once every two to four years. Its life expectancy is fifty years.

 

Despite their large appearance, basking sharks are non-aggressive and harmless to humans. The basking shark has the smallest brain weight of any shark – a reflection of its relatively passive lifestyle. Listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature‘s (IUCN) Red List as a vulnerable species, this shark is fully protected in the UK, Malta, New Zealand, Florida and the Gulf Coast.

 

Read the full January 2019 SECO News online.