1. Overview of Native Wildflower Seed Production in Florida Jeffrey G. Norcini University of Florida/IFAS North Florida Research & Education Center, Quincy http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/norcini

2. Wildflower Coop.  20 growers / 6 advisors Wildflower Seed Production Growers Floridawildflowers.com

3. Wildflower Seed Co-op Coreopsis basalis - Dye Flower2700 LBS Coreopsis lanceolata - Lanceleaf Coreopsis107 LBS Coreopsis leavenworthii - Leavenworth's Coreopsis0 LBS Gaillardia pulchella - Blanketflower0 Ipomopsis rubra - Standing Cypress0 Phlox drummondii - Drummond Phlox0 Rudbeckia hirta - Black-eyed Susan0 Rudbeckia mollis - Softhair coneflower34 LBS Trifolium reflexum - Buffalo Clover0 Vernonia gigantea - Iron Weed5 LBS

4. ERNST Southern Native Seeds, LLC Suwannee County, FL A Division of: ERNST Conservation Seeds, LLP Meadville, PA http://www.ernstseed.com

5. Plant Origin Matters Origin of native wildflowers could affect performance and survival.

6. Many of the best stands of wildflowers are…. Native Naturally-occurring

7. Coreopsis basalis GoldenmaneTickseed

8. Coreopsis nudata Swamp Tickseed

9. Mimosa strigillosa Powderpuff

10. Sisyrinchium angustifolium Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass

11. Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan

12. All of these wildflowers …. Adapted to our climate Can be thought of as Florida “ecotypes ”

13. Population of a species that’s adapted to a particular set of environmental conditions Occurs via natural selection What is an ecotype?

14. The bottom line… The origin of the seed or plant can make a difference in performance.

15. Comm. C-Fla. N-Fla. Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)

16. Central Florida ecotype flowering while flooded - Sept. 1998 Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)

17. Advantages of Florida ecotype Longer living Longer flowering Longer period of seed production  facilitates long-term sustainability  facilitates expansion of population Implications? Rudbeckia hirta

18. Comm. Fla. Eco. Coreopsis lanceolata Lanceleaf Tickseed

19. Advantages of Florida ecotype Flowers first year after seeding Flowers earlier Low growing  reduced mowing; lower costs Implications? Coreopsis lanceolata

23. Florida Wildflower Seed Production

24. Two types of cropping systems: Traditional field planting Landscape fabric system Wildflower Seed Production

25. Wildflower Seed Production Planting Broadcast Seeding

26. Harvest Natural Stands

27. Wildflower Seed Production Cropping Sys. Parallel rows of landscape fabric with 2” to 4” gap; plus drip tubing

28. Wildflower Seed Production Planting Row Seeding

29. Wildflower Seed Production Planting Transplants

30. Injector system for landscape fabric prod. Wildflower Seed Production Fertilizer

32. Wildflower Seed Production

33. Important issue from site prep  marketing Crop interference Eliminating weed seed from final product Limited number of herbicides Wildflower Seed Production

34. Wildflower Seed Production Harvesting Vacuuming Combining

35. Vacuuming Adjustable shroud Wildflower Seed Production Harvesting

36. Seed drying

37. Prototype drying bin for tobacco box barn Wildflower Seed Production Seed Drying

38. Growers need to be innovative Work with a grower that has seed cleaners or access to them - contact/join Fla. seed prod. co-op FDACS central processing facility Wildflower Seed Production Seed Cleaning

39. Rotary Screen Wildflower Seed Production Seed Cleaning

40. Cool, dry environment (refrigerator) temp. + RH  100 ex.: 35 o F, 40% RH 35+40 = 75 (best is RH < 50%, and total < 75) Protect against insects and rodents Wildflower Seed Production Storage

41. Tests % Germination Total % viable seed = % germ seed + % dormant seed % Purity by weight (want >90%) Noxious weed seed – zero tolerance Wildflower Seed Production Seed Testing

42. Southern Seed Certification Assoc., Inc. P.O. Box 2619 Auburn, AL 36831 Phone: 334-844-4995 / www.ag.auburn.edu/ssca/ Wildflower Seed Production Certification

43. Thank You vFor more information visit the Small Farms web at http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu vTake a virtual field day tour by visiting the Virtual Field Day web at http://vfd.ifas.ufl.edu http://vfd.ifas.ufl.edu This presentation brought to you by the Small Farms/Alternative Enterprises Focus Team.