Pine Rockland Exhibit
Pine Rockland Exhibit
Did you know South Florida was once covered in pines? Our native pine, Pinus elliottii var. densa, once blanketed the east coast, mixing with saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), coontie (Zamia integrifolia), and a stunning variety of wildflowers. Most pines grew on the Miami Rock Ridge. Primarily composed of oolitic limestone, this ridge varies in elevation from 4 to 12 feet. Less than 2% of the original Pine Rocklands remain today, outside Everglades National Park, rendering this habitat globally endangered.
Fairchild’s pineland was planted in a historically low lying area of the Garden. To recreate the superior drainage and elevation needed by pines and their companion plants, a large quantity of rock and sand fill was used.
Fairchild is dedicated to saving the pine rockland ecosystem and its multitude of plants. The Connect to Protect Network was launched by Fairchild in 2007 to help preserve and strengthen our remaining pine rocklands, and to increase wherever possible the numbers of pine rockland plants growing in Miami-Dade County.
Create your own pine rockland in your backyard with the help of Connect to Protect, or make a visit to Fairchild’s pineland to see what much of South Florida once looked like.