THE COONTIES

Our most popular plant is the coontie, Zamia pumila, which is variety of cycad native to Florida and several Carribean islands . Cycads are prehistoric plants that were common across much of the earth as far back as the Jurassic period which commenced almost 200 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the world!

This unique plant adds a "primtive" dimension to any lamdscape. And coonties really shine in xeriscapes since they require no irrigation once established. Unfortunately coonties are rare in the wild today, having been harvested commercially for their starch roots well into the 1900s, almost to the point of extinction.

The coontie serves as the host plant forr the endangered Atala butterfly. In fact, the Atala butterfly, a Florida native, whose dazzling colors rival those of coral reef fish, almost disappeared from the wild, all because the coontie was virtually wiped out (click here to learn more). Now that folks are planting coonties in their landscapes, the Atala is making a comeback! Atalas have reappeared in small numbers on Florida's east coast, and attempts are currently underway to reintroduce them to southwest Florida. You can be part of the salvation of the atala by planting coonties in your own yard