10 Native ‘Weeds’ for 20 Butterflies with Andee Naccarato

Andee will be discussing native butterfly host plants that are either named "weeds" (such as milkweeds) or often perceived as weeds or nuisance plants (such as Spanish needles) and encourage homeowners to allow "benign neglect" in sections of their yards to allow the non-cultivated host plants to persist.

Andee Naccarato grew up in Naples, FL exploring the slash pines and bald cypress around her childhood home. Andee received a master's degree in Environmental Science from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2011. She became further immersed in the world of native plants by working at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and Naples Botanical Garden. Along the way, Andee contributed over 100 “Meet the Native” articles for the Fort Myers News-Press. Currently, Andee serves as President for the Naples Chapter of FNPS. One of Andee's favorite pastimes is wading into cypress strands in the rainy season.