Siesta Key's #1 Information Source
By Jane Bartnett “Kayaking around Siesta Key is a must-do for any visitor to the Key,” says William Scott, owner of Siesta Key Bike & Kayak. Better known as Scotty, he has been traveling local waters for more than 20 years and knows the shoreline well.Being away from the land but within a short distance […]
By Jan Baumgartner American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Recently, an early morning stroll down Turtle Beach yielded the magnificent sight of a lone white pelican foraging for breakfast in the company of several brown pelicans. As both types of pelicans helped themselves to the Gulf’s plentiful buffet in the shallows just offshore, their table manners […]
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) The common names have alluded that the crown of thorns worn by Christ at the time of his crucifixion was made from stems of this plant. They are pliable and can be intertwined into a circle. It’s a native to Madagascar, and thought to have been brought to the Middle […]
Yellow, five-petaled buttercup-like flowers bloom prolifically on this butterfly bush. Commonly called Cuban Buttercup or yellow alder. Growing buttercup bushes provide continued blossoms.Botanically called Turnera ulmifolisa, this spreading ground cover or small bush brightens up bare spots in the landscape with bright yellow flowers that bloom in the morning and last all day.The rewards of […]
Poinsettias The familiar red poinsettias, which are a favorite flower for the holiday season, every year grow well in this area – given the proper care.The bright-red petals are actually leaves in the top of the plant; they surround the actual flowers, which are yellow or green and accent the center of the display. Natives […]
Osprey (fish hawk) * Pandion haliaetus By Jan Baumgartner Circling high above the Siesta Key shoreline, the osprey is the only North American hawk who dines almost exclusively on live fish, both fresh- and saltwater.It takes lots of protein (rich in Omega-3 fatty acids) to fuel the exploits of this large raptor weighing 2 to […]
Hibiscus The hibiscus, which loves the Florida climate, is a popular flower here. Although most are red, the colors actually range from white through pink, yellow, orange, lavender, and even blue. They all have five large petals, and some exotic ones are beautifully ruffled.It’s part of the Malvaceae family.It likes some fertilizer twice a year […]
Cassia tree Cassia fistula, commonly known as the golden shower tree, is a flowering plant in the subfamily Casalpiaceae of the legume family Fabaceae. Cassia trees, are known for their display of delightfully showy and bright clusters of yellow flowers. If you have room for a tree that can get up to 35 feet tall […]
Firebush Firebush is a large perennial shrub or a small tree of the family Rubiaceae and is native to the American subtropics. Its range extends from Florida to as far south as Argentina. Common names include firebush, hummingbird bush, scarlet bush, and redhead bush. This fast-growing and showy drought-resistant evergreen shrub with bright red blooms is one of the prettiest native plants Florida has to offer. It blooms in the spring through fall. Its nectar-filler flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, It is […]
Staghorn ferns Staghorn ferns look like deer or elk antlers, hence the unusual name, The ferns are in the genus Platycerium of the polypod family. These plants do the best growing in the semi-shade and do well in the fork on a tree. They can be mounted on boards or driftwood, and can hang in a […]