South Tampa Seed Swap

02/09/2026

This is sure to be a great event for Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation at Tampa International Airport!

Join us for an evening supporting critical butterfly conservation efforts in our community. This is networking, impact, and inspiration all in one beautiful event. Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation Tampa International Airport
🎟️ EXCLUSIVE FOR SUSTANY MEMBERS: Get 20% OFF tickets with code: SUSTANY
This partnership is all about amplifying the incredible work happening right here in Tampa Bay. When we come together, we create real change for our environment and our community.
👉 Get your tickets now: www.sustany.org

03/09/2025

🦋 Monarch Migration Update: The News is Good, But We Have More Work to Do! 🌍

While the Monarch migration numbers are a step in the right direction, we still have a lot of work ahead to protect butterfly populations and other native insects. 🌿

👉 Keep planting native milkweed and nectar sources in all landscapes—essential for the Monarchs. But don't forget about the 125 resident butterflies and 200 migratory species we also need to support with host plants and nectar resources! 🦋

🌼 Visit our nursery, nature center, and butterfly garden for inspiration and advice on creating your own butterfly/pollinator garden. Let’s work together to attract a variety of species and help restore our ecosystem. We also have Asclepias perennis - White swamp milkweed seeds for sale.

Bring some seeds for the seed swap box when you visit!🌱

This winter's monarch counts from Mexico are in!

In December, monarchs occupied 1.79 hectares (4.42 acres), compared to 0.9 hectares (2.22 acres) at the same time in 2023, a 99% increase. While an increase is good news, this number is still below the average for the past decade, 2.81 hectares, and further below the average from the first two decades of monitoring.

From the 1993-94 to 2002-03 winters, monarchs occupied an average of 8.59 hectares. From 2003-04 to 2012-13, the average was 4.56.

Data is courtesy of the World Wildlife Fund-Telmex Telcel Foundation Alliance (WWF) and the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas in Mexico (CONANP), which announced the overwintering counts today.

02/28/2024

Native plant seeds and Girl Scout cookies!

Girl Scout cookies this Saturday!
As a women-owned and lead business, and a former Girl Scout myself, I am proud to host Girl Scout Troop #150 at Little Red Wagon Native Nursery and Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation's Living Exhibits as they sell their famous and delicious cookies with us this Saturday! As Girl Scouts, girls grow courageous and strong through various enriching experiences, such as field trips, skill-building sports clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardship.
One more great reason to come see us this Saturday - Little Red Wagon Native Nursery 4113 Henderson Blvd in South Tampa.

01/22/2024

Get your seeds ready for our Seed Swap on Saturday, January 27th 10am - 12pm. Seeds for vegetables, herbs, native plants and non-natives (as long as they are not on invasive plant list). Please bring seeds in bags or containers marked with both common name and scientific name and include date collected. Refreshments and snacks will be available.

01/15/2024

Free Privet cassia (Senna ligustrina) seeds while supplies last this week at Little Red Wagon Native Nursery. (limited to 5 seeds per customer). Get them planted now so they will sprout up for the Cloudless sulphur, Sleepy orange and Orange barred sulphur butterflies to lay their eggs and host on them this year. The flowers are also popular with the pollinators!

Privet cassia is a perennial shrub that may grow approximately 3-8 feet high and up to 4-6 feet wide. It prefers full sun but in my garden is doing great in partial sun under an oak canopy where it gets afternoon sun. It does well with slightly moist to dry soil.

Bring some seeds to share to our Seed swap box!

07/24/2022

In case you needed to, you can send a self-addressed stamped envelope to this organization and they’ll send you free milkweed seeds!

To get seeds right now use the To make an online contribution at the same time just use the drop down menus and select to share a little, half or most of your seed purchase with others. We send seeds every time with our thanks unless instructed not to. You are the most important part of this Campaig...

06/28/2022

Good info for our Monarch lovers. Do not store these seeds and propagate tropical milkweed species (Asclepias curassavica).

Tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, has been spreading invasively throughout Central and South Florida for many years, disrupting native ecosystems and harboring excessive amounts of the OE parasite that is burdening Monarch butterfly populations. Recent studies have also shown that its presence in North Florida and further north interferes with successful monarch migration - trapping this tropical species in areas susceptible to freezes.

With the mounting evidence of the detrimental effects of tropical milkweed, many organizations involved in monarch conservation, such as the Xerces Society and Monarch Joint Venture, have begun recommending against planting non-native milkweed - even going so far as to recommend NO milkweed if native species are not available.

Though supplies are limited of native species, we would recommend that it is better to be without milkweed than to buy or sell tropical milkweed. Likewise, if you have it in your yard or notice it in natural areas - please consider removing it. While it may feed our monarchs in the short term, it is harmful to the species as a whole in the long term.

Read about the problems with Topical milkweed, native milkweed species that could be planted instead, and where to find them in our new blog post by FNPS Director of North Florida Programs, Lilly Anderson-Messec

PLEASE READ THE BLOG ARTICLE;
http://fnpsblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/tropical-milkweed-is-harmful-to.html?m=1

06/25/2022

Sewing the seeds of our future - Storytime & crafts for kids - Allison Culbertson, and Connie Nye will be here Sunday 6/26 between 1pm - 3pm, reading their fantastic stories, and doing an activity with the kids. This is a free event, so join us for a fun, nature-filled afternoon. Stay with us for a butterfly release at 3PM.
Register at https://butterflytampa.com/workshops-classes/

06/25/2022

Today - Imperiled Butterflies of Florida with Dr. Marc Minno. Still a few spots open - register now for this event at 2 pm - address: 4111 Henderson Blvd (next to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery). Bring some seeds for the seed swap box in front of the nursery.
https://butterflytampa.com/workshops-classes/

06/24/2022

Tonight - The Trust About Pollinator Gardens with Dr. Craig Huegel. Still a few spots open - register now for this event at 6:30pm - address: 4111 Henderson Blvd (next to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery). Bring some seeds for the seed swap! https://butterflytampa.com/workshops-classes/

06/23/2022

Tonight - Butterfly and Moth Mimicry with Patrick McGirk. Still a few spots open - register now for this free event at 6:30pm - address: 4111 Henderson Blvd (next to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery). Bring some seeds for the seed swap box! https://butterflytampa.com/workshops-classes/

06/22/2022

Tonight - Carnivorous Plants of Florida with Kenny Coogan. Carnivorous plants for sale!. Still a few spots open - register now for this free event at 6:30pm - address: 4111 Henderson Blvd (next to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery). https://butterflytampa.com/workshops-classes/
Bring some seeds for the seed swap box too!