Category: Tampa Bay, Florida Local News

TAMPA, Fla. — Plant parents, heads up — we’ve got an upcoming event you might dig.

It’s the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens Summer Plant Festival in Tampa. The festival is one of the Botanical Gardens’ three major fundraisers each year.

And it’s where Spectrum News met their director Craig Huegel, planting in the fern area of the garden.

Huegel says he has always loved plants.

“My very first memory is messing around with some black raspberries in the back yard,” he said, explaining that his parents always gave him part of their Wisconsin garden plot for his own plants.

So it makes sense he’s the boss of all 18 acres on the corner of the USF campus off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and East Fowler Avenue.

To help with the evolving green space, the USF Botanical Gardens offers their Summer Festival.

There is an outside area, as well as two greenhouses filled with plants — some grown from seed and others propagated.

There are native plants, loved by pollinators, as well as unique ones.

“Mostly what we’ve been trying to do is grow things, collect things for sale that aren’t available in most — if any — nurseries in the area,” said Huegel.

And the commonly known plants like a monstera adansonii — the climbing Swiss cheese plant — are handsomely priced.

(This plant weirdo has seen similarly sized plants for more than twice the USF Botanical Gardens prices.)

So people can come for the prices and plant species, and then hang out with some of their own.

“Well, plant people gravitate towards plant people,” said Heugel, with a chuckle. “So you’ll have somebody you can talk to about your passion or disease whatever it is it just makes it a lot more fun.”

TAMPA, Fla. — “You’ve got food on your nose,” Ellie Pulsifer said to a tiny meowing kitten.

The Tampa actor is in a meet and greet room of kittens at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Pulsifer plays the lead role in the musical Annie with a co-star canine Sandy in a traveling Broadway show.

She’s been visiting rescue centers during her tour, that wraps up this weekend, in her hometown.

“When people come in and spend time with the animals and bring any sort of attention to it, we’re so happy,” said the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Regan Blessinger. “Also, because it shows the really awesome animals that we do have here just waiting for their homes.”

Pulsifer herself has always wanted a pet.

And now she knows where she’s coming when it’s time to find her lifelong fur friend.

On the edge of 13, Pulsifer is wrapping up her run on tour as Annie as human star of the traveling Broadway Musical currently at the Straz Center.

Pulsifer and her fellow Annie stars have been visiting animal rescues in cities on the tour.

Why?

Because Pulsifer’s co-star Sandy – that role is filled be trained rescue dogs. And somebody’s got to speak for them.

“It’s given me a closer connection to rescue dogs and shelters,” said Pulsifer. “And it taught me that anybody — dogs — can be stars. Like if they are just trained properly and they’re just given the respect and kindness that they deserve.”

This advocacy work opened Pulsifer’s eyes to animals.

“Really made me realize how important it is to rescue if you are going to get a pet,” said Pulsifer.

After living out of one suitcase and a carry on since last August, fighting motion sickness to do homework on the tour bus, she’s ready to stretch her legs into the next chapter.

“I hope one day I can adopt a dog when life settles down,” said Pulsifer, “but after this, I’m going to get lots of sleep and enjoy the summer and chill.”
Pulsifer’s final performances as Annie will be in front of family and friends.

Her work on the stage and with animals will continue.

“It’s just such a magical experience,” said Pulsifer of her animal volunteering. “And I’m so glad that this tour let me have all the experiences—it’s just been amazing”

Annie plays at the Straz Center all weekend.

And the Humane Society of Tampa Bay welcomes the public to come play with their future pets.

TAMPA, Fla. — Today’s On The Town story is all about one succulent species, one neighborhood’s yard trash and one man’s mission to spread the Bonsai in the Tampa Bay area.

The succulent species is called Portulacaria Afra — commonly called Dwarf Jade or Elephant Bush.

“We use these species at the workshop because it’s extremely beginner friendly,” said Larry Naeder of Thunderstruck Bonsai in Pinellas Park.

Naeder’s been taking his bonsai tree workshop to Tampa Bay area breweries and distilleries for about a year — called Bonsai and Brews.

It’s the Japanese horticultural art form centuries old.

It’s derived from a Chinese practice from a millennia ago.

And it’s all put together over a local brew made pretty recently.

Naeder leads the workshop, trimming the little succulent from the top of its leggy growth to the bottom of its lacy, beard-like root system.
He repots it in fast draining, rocky soil and secures the bonsai root ball with wire.

There’s a little more soil and food — and bonsai life begins.

Naeder explain how bonsai became his career.

“I fell down a rabbit hole on the internet years ago,” he explained, “fell upon bonsai and kind of became infatuated with it. Found it very calming, relaxing.”

He also found himself growing more patient.

“There’s not much instant gratification at all ‘cause you’re watching a tree grow.”

Truth be told, naeder can and will make a bonsai out of whatever is in front of him, including his neighbor’s unwanted landscaping.

Naeder has rescued, revived and made living art.

Ever the propagator, Naeder OF COURSE recycles his leggy bonsai cuttings.

He waits for the cut to heal on the stem and has a steady stream of re-potted plants.

“And we are going to go ahead and get ready for these to become next year’s trees — a sustainable resource,” said Naeder.

Love and care in the form of water, sun food — and the right trims.

“The magic will come alive,” Naeder says.

Nature Magic y’all.

“One of my favorite parts for me is enjoying and sharing the knowledge and love of Bonsai.”