INTRODUCTION

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: flor-id (adj.) meaning "covered with flowers"or "very flowery in style."

 In the 500 years since Ponce de Leon christened our peninsula "Florida," native wildflowers have struggled to co-exist with the pressures of progress. As the state’s natural landscape has been increasingly threatened by development – particularly within the last 30 years – some species have vanished altogether. Still others have been classified as endangered or threatened.

The Florida Wildflower Foundation’s mission is to protect and replenish native wildflowers while increasing public knowledge of them as vital members of the state’s delicately balanced ecosystems. Through the sale of the State Wildflower license tag, the organization increases the visibility and availability of native wildflowers, plants and grasses by funding roadside, park and community plantings; educational programs, and research projects.

Since 2000, the Foundation has used the $15 donation from the sale of each State Wildflower license plate to:

  •  Award more than $1 million in grants for education, research and planting projects.
  • Aid the development of the wildflower seed industry through the support of the Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association Inc.
  • Support Florida’s native nursery industry by increasing demand for flowering native species.
  • Build awareness and knowledge of native wildflowers and plants.
  • Support highway beautification through widespread wildflower seeding and planting projects.
  • Promote wildflower tourism and its enormous economic benefits.
  • Partner with like-minded agencies and organizations to support programs such as the Florida Forever land preservation effort.
Ultimately, the Foundation seeks to build a center for wildflower research and education that conveys to visitors and residents alike the beauty of wildflowers and their roles in Florida’s diverse habitats. To support its research effort, the Foundation in 2007 established the Gary Henry Research Endowment Fund at the University of Florida. The endowment is in honor of the contributions made by the organization’s first executive director.The Foundation is steered by a board of directors  that includes representation from many of the organizations and agencies responsible for the creation of the State Wildflower license plate. The organizations represented are:
  • Florida Federation of Garden Clubs
  • Florida Department of Transportation
  • Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
  • University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
  • Florida League of Cities
  • Florida Master Gardeners
  • Association of Florida Native Nurseries
  • Florida Native Plant Society
  • Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association Inc.