A closer look at native plants blooming seasonally across campus
- Laurie Dionne Babcock
- Community
- Contributors: James Greco, Photos
7 – minute read
Walking through the Florida Gulf Coast University campus is a botanical adventure. Nearly half of its 807 acres is preserved or restored nature, where the changing seasons reveal themselves in the cycles of native plants.
FGCU’s landscaping reflects its commitment to sustainability. By emphasizing Florida-native species, the university reduces irrigation, fertilizer and maintenance needs while supporting local wildlife and resilient habitats.
Students trained as campus naturalists share these lessons with peers through Colloquium and sustainability courses, where more than 1,000 Eagles complete more than 10,000 service-learning hours and participate in over 200 field experiences tied to sustainability each semester. Among the many native plants they highlight on campus tours are saw palmetto, slash pine and muhly grass.
Saw palmetto
The fan-shaped saw palmetto grows low and thick in the understory of pine flatwoods around campus, providing plentiful ground cover — and sometimes food — for a range of wildlife.
Native Americans relied on its fruit as a food source and a versatile herbal remedy. According to the National Institutes of Health, saw palmetto traditionally had multiple medicinal uses, including as a sedative, diuretic, cough suppressant, lactation aid and digestive.
Today, it remains one of the most widely used herbal supplements, particularly for supporting urinary and prostate health. An Allied Market Research report valued the saw palmetto berries market at $172.4 million in 2023.
“Ecologically, the berries are a critical seasonal food source for Florida wildlife. Removing them disrupts these food webs and can have ripple effects on already vulnerable species,” says Chad Evers, an instructor in Ecology & Environmental Studies and the campus naturalists program facilitator.
Florida now regulates berry collection, requiring a special permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Unauthorized picking is illegal.
“The saw palmetto reminds us that conservation sometimes means leaving resources untouched so that ecosystems can continue to benefit from them,” says Evers.
Slash pine
Often rising among palmetto thickets, and prominently fringing the main campus loop, slash pines’ tall, straight trunks can grow as high as 100 feet.
Early settlers slashed the tree’s bark to collect the sap for a tar-like material used to waterproof boats, roofs and tools. Slash pines are fire resistant — a crucial adaptation in Florida’s pine flatwoods ecosystem. Historically, lightning strikes set off fires that cleared underbrush and made space for new growth. Rather than being destroyed, slash pines evolved to withstand these burns, ensuring the rebirth and renewal of the landscape.
Pines are a great example of how specialized a species needs to be to survive in South Florida ecosystems, says Evers.
“Through Florida’s seasonal wet and dry climate, a pine tree may receive no water for six months, spend three months with its roots submerged in water, and then every two to three years be surrounded by fire with flames three to four feet in height,” Evers says.
The species’ importance extends beyond its own survival. Each tree hosts insects, which attract birds and other predators, while fungi and microorganisms in the soil break down dead material into nutrients. After a pine dies, it still serves as a mini-ecosystem for mice, toads, snakes and insects until it eventually burns and nourishes the forest floor.
“Hundreds of interactions are occurring on a single pine tree,” Evers says.
Muhly grass
Among the most eye-catching plants on campus is muhly grass, a favorite of Macy Noll, an art and biology double-major and a former campus naturalist. Each fall, its feathery plumes burst into a vibrant purple haze.
“People complain that Florida doesn’t have seasons, but if you look closely, you’ll see the muhly grass go purple, you’ll see little changes happening,” she says.
Muhly grass frames the main campus entrance leading toward Lutgert Hall and lines the academic corridor stretching from Lutgert to Academic Building 9, home of The Water School. Its presence among buildings shows how well native plants can serve a dual purpose: “It’s a great native plant that is also decorative,” says Evers.
In addition to being beautiful, muhly grass plays an important role in campus sustainability. Its roots stabilize soil, reducing erosion, and the plant thrives in stormwater retention areas where it slows runoff and improves water quality.
“One thing hidden in plain sight on campus is how we use the landscaping to mitigate the flow of water coming off our impervious surfaces from buildings and sidewalks,” says Evers.
More than a seasonal spectacle, plants like muhly grass remind us that even the most ornamental details of FGCU’s landscape serve a purpose, helping the university live up to its commitment to blend education and sustainability.
Subtle seasonal shifts
While Florida may not have the dramatic seasons of northern states, Southwest Florida’s flora tells its own quiet story of change. From palmetto berries ripening, to pinecones opening after fire, to muhly grass glowing purple each fall, FGCU’s landscape reflects the cycles of growth and renewal. “It’s just as exciting to track the small changes we get,” says Noll. “It’s the natural charm of Florida seasons.”
“I think my favorite parts of the year are the seasonal changes,” says Evers. “In the fall the light gets a little softer, the air finally gets a little cooler, the maple leaves change color. I enjoy the cool winter mornings and evenings and breathing a sigh of relief that we’ve made it through another hurricane season. And before you know it winter is gone, and it’s suddenly spring. The summer heat is rough, but I enjoy the longer days and the rainstorms.”
This article is one in a series highlighting FGCU’s distinctive campus.