Estero man learns native plant isn't harming his trees after expert advice

ESTERO, Fla. (WINK)—A local property owner thought an invasive plant was taking over his land and killing his trees, but a closer look revealed a native twist that changed everything.

Jay Vandall brought samples of the plant to a WINK Listens event, concerned about what he saw spreading across his property. He feared the plants were killing his air plants and green trees and worried his oak trees would be next.

The thick brush and heavy tree cover made his concern easy to understand. Wildlife was everywhere, and the vegetation seemed overwhelming.

WINK News showed Matt DePaolis, the environmental policy director at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, photos of the plant.

"There's not really any instances of an invasive talanzia. So this one looks like it would be a native, and most of the talanzias are actually protected," DePaolis said.

Frank Jaques, a local arborist, confirmed the same finding.

"They're just a native plant here. They're actually kind of endangered due to invasive species," Jaques said.

Vandall was trying to protect his trees but didn't realize what he was looking at. His intentions were good, but the plant he thought was invasive turned out to be protected.

"A great rule of thumb is erred on the side of caution, if you don't know what it is, go ask someone and try to figure out what it is before you remove it," Jaques said.

Experts recommend checking with local organizations, such as the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, before removing any plants. The foundation has tools on its website to help identify species, and consulting with arborists or native plant experts can prevent the accidental removal of protected vegetation.

Protecting Florida's native species starts with knowing what you're looking at.