Yes I am in Stuart, FL and I was so thrilled when I spotted my first Atala fluttering around my Coontie after planting them two years ago! 5 of the cats survived to be beautiful butterflies. Thanks Christie I did not no they were cannibalistic! I thought it might have been the Great Crested Flycatchers that were hanging around. I did not want to intervene not wanting to disturb them but if I am lucky enough to get them again I may try to use my hubbys soft bait well. It looks like an oversized cat hut! Thanks for the link Lila! Had a beautiful Zebra Longwing laying a mess of eggs on my Passionvine this week as well! I am so in awe of nature!!!

One of the main reasons why it's hard to find coonties growing in the wild is because they have been badly commercially exploited meaning irresponsible people have gone out and dug them up from the wild in order to sell them. I imagine that this is why cycadjungle will not list where he's seen them growing. Another problem is that developers will come in and completely clear property of all native vegitation whether or not it is a plant that is threatened or endangered. I believe that the native coontie is on the threatened list. The only places I've seen coonties growing wild is in areas that are difficult to access or are kept behind locked gates. One of the coontie clumps I have growing on my property came from a private home owners property that I had gone to to pick up a load of rocks from. While I was moving the rocks I noticed a large coontie growing out from under the pile. When I mentioned it to the property owner he told me that I could take it otherwise he would just throw it away. The plants are now growing quite happily in my back yard under the edge of a large oak. In order to increase your chances of getting a true native coontie I would suggest going to a native plant nursery to buy coonties if there is such a nursery near you. Since I have yet to find a native plant nursery in my area I can tell you that I've bought coonties from walmart that are currently thriving in my garden.

I have several coontie growing wild in my yard. I would suggest you buy 3 good-sized ones (prob the $10 ones). They are extremely SLOW growers. That one for $1.50 will probably take 10 years to be big enough for a butterfly to use as larval food! Not really, but close. Where I am, there are coonties everywhere, they are a very popular landscape plant now so maybe the population will increase. They are planted in lots of common areas, parks, roadsides, beaches, etc. I love them!

John, if you are in Miami, I can tell you some locations where there. are growing a substantial number of plants. Although new seed pods are growing right now they are not ready to be picked for a few months. But i went last month and found some older seed pods from last year. You can tell the older from the New that shouldn't be picked yet. As the older pods are substantially larger. Some of the older pods are beginning to open up and you can see the orange colored seeds inbetween the cracked pods. The new pods are currently being fertilized by the male pods. After fertilization the fruits around the seeds begins to swell up. They probably will not reach pic optimum sides for another month or two The older pods maybe over riped. So they maybe a bit liquidy and gewy. So get some gloves. As you might have read the plant can be poisonous. So you got to take some precaution. They are in a public location, and they are not a reserve or natural locations like the Everglades. They are in town growing in public location. Like a parking lot. I know about four locations. I have learned that Cooties are having quite some problems growing in natural preservation and the Everglades. And like I said I have hundreds of seeds. I have been thinking of taking some of these seeds am broadcasting them at random at some of these natural preserved and habitat restoration projects. They'll take a few years. As you might have read there is a lot of conditions that keeps the seeds from germination and finally sprouting new leaves. As you may know the orange fruits has to be removed as it has anti germination substance. To worsen conditions I read a scholarly document that states that the female plant puts out a chemical that keeps the seeds from germinating near them apparently to avoid growth competition. As the viable seeds fall near the female plants, these seeds do not necessarily move or fall close to any plants that are female unless a big heavy rain falls at the right time and location to have these seeds move away far enough from the female plant or a squirrel or similar animal move the seeds and burying them away. As those who read what am writing an understand the dilemma of why Coonties are having such hard time making a comeback in nature. Humans is the main cause of the Coontie and the Atala demise. I figure it is us humans who must be responsible for helping them return from nature. It appears to have everything against it and that is a reason why the Cooties are having some difficulties making a return in nature. And that's the reason I have been thinking of taking seeds and broadcasting them. I guess that's my way of trying to leave some sort of legacy behind even if other people don't know about it. I'll be the Johnny Apple Seed of South Florida Coonties. Decades from know when the Coontie plants have matured and I maybe gone. I left a contribution of helping the Atala butterfly returning to Miami Dade County. The Atala butterfly used to be comman, and although it may no longer in the extinction list as it was at the beginning of last century. The Atala is not command in many locations of Miami Dade County as they colonies around locations were there are sufficient Coonties plants (minimum of twelve plants). I have numerous plants (am guessing over twenty ) growing in the building complexes I live in Allapattah where I have yet to see any Atalas. Yet there are three locations I know of with in a mile or so from each other and my location being in the middle with just a few less than a year old plants with one or two leaves. I have gotten so good at it. That some people that know are offering me to grow plants for them and they've been paying me for my time. A lot less than what they charge at nurseries for a two year old plant.... I just enjoy doing them Am bend on bringing back butterflies and song colorful birds like Cardinals and Painted Bundles bar to urban areas like downtown and Allapattah, by growing native plants that these birds will eat. I claim that if we grow this plants if we feed them they will come" If anyone wants to help out my email is franco33139ca@Hotmail or Gmail.com there is an organization in Miami call Urban Paradise who are making a he'll of an impact, but they have limited resources and locations where they are restoring habitat. And I figure home owners have to take ultimate responsibility. After all, I can assure you that the building of the home they raise their families at who contributed to the destruction of the Natural Habitat. Many areas of Miami used to be pine tree forest. I have been shocked at the facts that we can drive miles around Miami and not find one pine tree anywhere. Take a look at your own neighborhoods in Florida. You have to drive away from developing suburbia. Even some of the must affluent areas zero pine trees. Allapattah were I live I have yet to find any. Except at my locations where I have two that I began to grow from seeds. And two I gave away to a friend that is a landscape architect in Miami Shores. She began to develop her property with a more native and natural way and shortly after she began she had a City of Miami Shores harassing her about her natural landscape. Many city governments are in love with.manicure nature. And she told me that if we continuo to insist on Manicure Nature, Nature may eventually manicure us... In sense we are saving out own lives.