Island Cove honors Florida flora and fauna on its 6th anniversary
January 31, 2018
![Island Cove honors Florida flora and fauna on its 6th anniversary]()
Florida: the Nation's Winter Playground
Originally published in 1922 in a booklet of postcard style photographs, Florida has been referred to as "The Winter Playground of the Nation" -- and as both locals and snowbirds can attest, Florida's beaches and natural beauty can't be beat.
If you've browsed the eclectic collection of art and jewelry at Island Cove Beads and Gallery over the past six years, you'll surely recall our unique Florida flair! The flowers, trees, birds, and sea creatures that call Florida home have inspired the many artists whose work we proudly display in our gallery.
This February, as we celebrate our 6th anniversary, we'll feature a collection of new Florida Flora & Fauna themed beads, art, and jewelry. Below is a summary of the official state symbols of Florida and a preview of what's in store for the Anniversary Party on February 24th!
Florida Flora
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state tree: the sabal palm. The sabal palm is native all across the state of Florida, and has been widely used as both a landscape plant and as a food source; hearts of palm are the bud of the tree.
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state flower: the orange blossom. Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of Florida's economy. Millions of white flowers from orange trees perfume the air in central and southern Florida during orange blossom time.
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state wildflower: tickseed. This pretty yellow wildflower has been planted extensively in Florida for highway beautification programs.
Florida Fauna
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state animal: the Florida panther, a critically endangered subspecies of the cougar native to southern Florida. There are only about 100 alive in the wild.
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state marine mammal: Florida manatee
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state bird: northern mockingbird
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state reptile: loggerhead sea turtle. Florida is one of the world's two largest nesting areas for the loggerhead sea turtle.
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state shell: the horse conch, one of the largest univalves in the world, capable of reaching a length of 24 inches. They can be found along the entire coast of Florida, in intertidal flats and coastal areas to a depth of 20 feet.
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state butterfly: zebra longwing
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state saltwater fish: Atlantic sailfish. Sailfish can reach speeds of sixty miles per hour! The average size of sailfish found in Florida is approximately six to seven feet and thirty to forty-five pounds. The magnificent Atlantic sailfish is considered threatened.
Florida Geology
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state gem: moonstone. While moonstone does not naturally occur in Florida, after the Apollo 11 mission in which astronauts launched from Cape Canaveral landed on the moon, the state legislature chose to commemorate the mission by designating the moonstone as the state gemstone.
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state stone: agatized coral, which is a form of silicified coral similar to petrified wood, is found in Florida near Tampa Bay and in the Suwanee River region.
Island Cove Turns 6 Years Old
Mark your calendars and join us on Saturday, February 24th to celebrate the 6th anniversary of Island Cove Beads. Fresh new art, beads, and jewelry will make their debut. And as Island Cove regulars can attest, many of these pieces are one-of-a-kind. Be sure to RSVP to the party and be one of the first to shop the new Florida Flora and Fauna collection. Oh, and we'll be serving key lime pie too - the official state dessert!
