Derek de Witt

Oak trees can be found throughout the northern hemisphere, but Florida has an interesting oak species that doesn’t look or act like most others.

Rain. Almost as common in Florida as sand. We have the 5th highest total average precipitation of any state, and it’s heavily concentrated to the summer. Florida would look quite different without it.

Sand is an integral part of the Florida story. The white sandy beaches are a major reason why people come here. But why are the beaches like that? What is it about Florida that produces such things? And, in the end, what really is sand?

At first glance, this grass doesn’t look particularly special or attractive, but when it blooms, it transforms into a beautiful pink cloud.

What kind of plant does this look like to you? For most people, it appears like a fern, but there’s something different about this one.

The palm tree is truly the quintessential Florida plant. It has been associated with Florida and tropical regions in general for decades.

A group of birds flying in formation is a common sight for many of my readers, but not as much here in Florida. Most v-formations seen are ducks or geese, which Florida has fewer of.

Moving on in our backyard tour of Florida is another plant commonly used as an ornamental. It is native to the southern half of the state as well as large portions of Latin America. This is the firebush, Hamelia patens.

What is your favorite flower? Some of you may already know the answer right away. However, if you’re like me, it’s not a question that you ever gave much thought about. That’s perfectly fine, too. You can appreciate things without having a ‘favorite’.

What visual comes to mind when you hear the word nature? For many people, it conjures images of far off places of heavy wilderness. One of the goals of Nature Stories is to try and change the perspective that the natural world is separate from our everyday lives.