South Poinsettia Park Flower Street “Names”
Sarasota’s "Flower Streets" are located in the highly desirable South Poinsettia Park neighborhood, just south of downtown and west of U.S. 41. When the area was platted, developers chose an elegant botanical theme for the roadways. Lush tropical plants were chosen for the
newly developed sub-divisions starting in the 1920’s. Pioneer names were also popular filling in the gaps; that is why colorful family names are interspersed with plant names!
Walking, cycling, or driving through the neighborhood takes you across streets named after iconic tropical and southern flora as well as the developer's favorite northern plant additions including: Rose, Goldenrod, Bougainvillea, Datura, Wisteria, Oleander, Clematis, Hibiscus and more! Known for its walkability, lush tree canopy, and proximity to Southside Village and Sarasota Memorial Hospital, the area features a charming blend of 1920s historic homes and modern luxury residences. Our nineteen streets in South Poinsettia Park are a melding of multiple
neighborhoods including: The Hartland tract, Grove neighborhood, South Poinsettia Park and Desota Park. Life in the Flower Street neighborhood has always been filled with vibrancy and community spirit.
Learn about your street and enjoy!
newly developed sub-divisions starting in the 1920’s. Pioneer names were also popular filling in the gaps; that is why colorful family names are interspersed with plant names!
Walking, cycling, or driving through the neighborhood takes you across streets named after iconic tropical and southern flora as well as the developer's favorite northern plant additions including: Rose, Goldenrod, Bougainvillea, Datura, Wisteria, Oleander, Clematis, Hibiscus and more! Known for its walkability, lush tree canopy, and proximity to Southside Village and Sarasota Memorial Hospital, the area features a charming blend of 1920s historic homes and modern luxury residences. Our nineteen streets in South Poinsettia Park are a melding of multiple
neighborhoods including: The Hartland tract, Grove neighborhood, South Poinsettia Park and Desota Park. Life in the Flower Street neighborhood has always been filled with vibrancy and community spirit.
Learn about your street and enjoy!
Datura is often confused with "angel's trumpet". While closely related and similarly toxic, Brugmansia grows as a woody tree or shrub with large flowers that hang downward, whereas Datura is generally a sprawling, low-growing herb or bush whose flowers point upward. They are both part of the nightshade family, blooming in the evening! Despite its high toxicity, Datura has a rich history of use in indigenous cultures and folklore. Children or pets-not the plant for you!
|
Clematis vines are vigorous and flowering in a multitude of colors. They are in the buttercup family. Known for their stunning, star-like blooms, they are called the "Queen of Climbers." They require "feet in the shade, head in the sun" to thrive, meaning their roots need cool, moist soil while their upper vines climb in direct sunlight.
|
Wisteria is a perennial vine with wonderfully fragrant flowers, often lavender, that grow in clusters, similar to grapes. Wisteria is common throughout the Southeast. It is actually an invasive from China.
|
Hibiscus are large, showy flowering plants in the mallow family, known for their vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms and tropical appearance, with popular types including tropical hibiscus (grown as annuals or houseplants in cooler zones) and hardy hibiscus (like Rose of Sharon), which are perennials in colder climates. They thrive in full sun and moist, well-draining soil, requiring consistent water and feeding, and are popular for attracting pollinators like hummingbirds. Despite needing treatment for insect infestations they remain one of the most popular Sarasota plantings.
|
Bougainvillea is a thorny ornamental vines, bush, or tree. They are native to the tropical forests of South America. There are between 4 and 22 species in the genus. When you think of Florida you think of the Bougainvillea! Wear Kevlar sleeves to trim!
|
Rose refers to either the woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae, or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. The plants range in size and form, from trailing and erect shrubs to climbers up to 7 meters in height. Many cooler climate new residents try to grow roses in Florida-buyer beware…look for new Florida Friendly varieties which resist mildew and the ravages of heat!
|
Oleander, commonly known as, rose- laurel, or rosebay, is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is highly toxic to humans. All parts of the plant—including the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots—contain cardiac glycosides. These substances affect the heart and can lead to severe health complications or death if ingested. Not a plant for you if you have children or pets.
|
Goldenrod, offers about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants. It is in the Aster family. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and savannas. Butterfly gardeners love this plant…have allergies beware.
|
Magnolia flowers are prehistoric "living fossils" that have existed on Earth for nearly 100 million years. Evolving before bees, they rely on beetles for pollination. Because they predate typical flower anatomy, they lack distinct petals and sepals, instead featuring tough, modified leaves called "tepals". A traditional Southern tree coming large or small-Little Gem; no garden should be without one!
|
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae, a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colorful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants, living in diverse habitats on every continent except Antarctica. They grow prolifically throughout South America and everyone in Sarasota loves orchids!
|
Honeysuckle is an arching shrub or twining vine. The genus includes 158 species native to northern latitudes in North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. Not a Florida friendly offering; the name must have been used because it was the builder’s favorite bush!
|
Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family. It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers. It is a wonderful Florida and Sarasota garden staple.
|
Tulips are spring blooming perennial herbaceous plants. Their flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly colored, generally red, orange, pink, yellow, or white. They often have different colored blotches at the base of the tepals, internally. Because of a degree of variability within the populations and a long history of cultivation and much intrigue in cultivation and transport through the ages… everyone loves them. The tulip is a member of the lily family along with 14 other genera. Popular in the north and in Europe, not a Florida plant!
Not all streets are named after a Flower. But they are equally important and historic.
Hyde Park Street (which marks the northern border of the neighborhood) was named after the prominent historic Hyde Park neighborhood in Tampa. Developers in the 1920s deliberately chose this prestigious name to market Sarasota as an equally charming, high-end, and established community.
Boyce Street: While many streets in Sarasota were named by early developers or to honor pioneering families, Boyce is a highly localized designation whose exact individual namesake is lost to the broader public record, though it remains one of the area's most popular and historic streets. Boyce Blackmon a well-known local contractor and cattle rancher who lived in the Florida/Sarasota region may have lent his name to this street. Alternatively, perhaps historical political figures with a similar name, such as U.S. Congressman and Confederate Representative William W. Boyce, or Southern Baptist Theological Seminary founder James P. Boyce (who served as a Confederate Chaplain) could possibly be considered as the namesake.
Morris Street breaks that botanical theme because it was named after Morris McClellan, a prominent Sarasota pioneer and property owner. Our adjacent neighborhood is McClellan Park named specifically for this gentleman.
Grove Street (and the surrounding Grove Park subdivision forming part of SPPNA) in Sarasota was not named after a single person. Like many early streets platted during the 1920s, the area's developers favored the tree-related name to promote the region's lush, tropical, and agricultural identity. Many of the homes in the Grove Street and flower streets, including the Southside Elementary School area, were developed and constructed as part of this subdivision expansion.
Sarasota's Webber Street (originally spelled Weber at some intersections) is named after a local pioneer family who farmed the area. In the mid-20th century, the Webber family owned and farmed extensive tracts of land in this part of Sarasota County, eventually selling the acreage for residential and commercial development.
Siesta Dr. obviously is named for our Siesta Beach/Key connection. Our neighborhood is the gateway to this world famous beach! Our neighborhood’s specific stretch of the drive—running east-west from US 41(Tamiami Trail) over to the North Bridge (Siesta Drive Drawbridge) - holds a unique place in local infrastructure history. Even though it is presently signed as Siesta Drive, it wasn't always a single cohesive road, and it holds a few fascinating geographic and legal secrets: The name comes from Siesta, a residential development platted on the island in 1907 by the Siesta Land Company. When the original north bridge to the key was completed in the late 1920s, it aligned directly with a small mainland street on Bay Island called Siesta Drive. At that time the section east of the bridge was called Bay Street. However, this section was re-named Sumac Street (in the 50’s) and was part of the “Heartland Division” encompassing Siesta, Honeysuckle, Tulip and Jasmine Streets. Sumac Street appears on some of our resident’s deeds!
For decades, this exact stretch was a point of bureaucratic headache. It used to be officially designated as State Road 758, meaning it was owned and maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Because it functioned more like a local neighborhood artery than a major state highway, Sarasota County and the state finalized a massive $40 million "road swap" in September 2020. The state handed over control of Siesta Drive (from US 41 all the way onto the key) to the county so local planners could better manage neighborhood traffic, speed limits, and paving. However, the state drew a very specific line in the sand: FDOT kept ownership of the actual Sarasota Bay drawbridge structure because maintaining massive, mechanical swing-and-bascule bridges is too expensive for local county budgets! This section remains in question: FDOT, County or City Management for what services?
Boyce Street: While many streets in Sarasota were named by early developers or to honor pioneering families, Boyce is a highly localized designation whose exact individual namesake is lost to the broader public record, though it remains one of the area's most popular and historic streets. Boyce Blackmon a well-known local contractor and cattle rancher who lived in the Florida/Sarasota region may have lent his name to this street. Alternatively, perhaps historical political figures with a similar name, such as U.S. Congressman and Confederate Representative William W. Boyce, or Southern Baptist Theological Seminary founder James P. Boyce (who served as a Confederate Chaplain) could possibly be considered as the namesake.
Morris Street breaks that botanical theme because it was named after Morris McClellan, a prominent Sarasota pioneer and property owner. Our adjacent neighborhood is McClellan Park named specifically for this gentleman.
Grove Street (and the surrounding Grove Park subdivision forming part of SPPNA) in Sarasota was not named after a single person. Like many early streets platted during the 1920s, the area's developers favored the tree-related name to promote the region's lush, tropical, and agricultural identity. Many of the homes in the Grove Street and flower streets, including the Southside Elementary School area, were developed and constructed as part of this subdivision expansion.
Sarasota's Webber Street (originally spelled Weber at some intersections) is named after a local pioneer family who farmed the area. In the mid-20th century, the Webber family owned and farmed extensive tracts of land in this part of Sarasota County, eventually selling the acreage for residential and commercial development.
Siesta Dr. obviously is named for our Siesta Beach/Key connection. Our neighborhood is the gateway to this world famous beach! Our neighborhood’s specific stretch of the drive—running east-west from US 41(Tamiami Trail) over to the North Bridge (Siesta Drive Drawbridge) - holds a unique place in local infrastructure history. Even though it is presently signed as Siesta Drive, it wasn't always a single cohesive road, and it holds a few fascinating geographic and legal secrets: The name comes from Siesta, a residential development platted on the island in 1907 by the Siesta Land Company. When the original north bridge to the key was completed in the late 1920s, it aligned directly with a small mainland street on Bay Island called Siesta Drive. At that time the section east of the bridge was called Bay Street. However, this section was re-named Sumac Street (in the 50’s) and was part of the “Heartland Division” encompassing Siesta, Honeysuckle, Tulip and Jasmine Streets. Sumac Street appears on some of our resident’s deeds!
For decades, this exact stretch was a point of bureaucratic headache. It used to be officially designated as State Road 758, meaning it was owned and maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Because it functioned more like a local neighborhood artery than a major state highway, Sarasota County and the state finalized a massive $40 million "road swap" in September 2020. The state handed over control of Siesta Drive (from US 41 all the way onto the key) to the county so local planners could better manage neighborhood traffic, speed limits, and paving. However, the state drew a very specific line in the sand: FDOT kept ownership of the actual Sarasota Bay drawbridge structure because maintaining massive, mechanical swing-and-bascule bridges is too expensive for local county budgets! This section remains in question: FDOT, County or City Management for what services?
South Osprey is named for the town of Osprey to the south although ultimately, it traces back to the bird. But the street itself is named after the town (and bay area) of Osprey to the south. Here is how the history connects:
- The Town Name: In 1867, a pioneer named Judge John G. Webb established a homestead on Little Sarasota Bay (what is now Historic Spanish Point). When he established the area's first post office in 1884, he chose the name Osprey because of the abundance of majestic ospreys (or "fish hawks") nesting in the local trees.
- The Street Name: As Sarasota expanded in the early 20th century, major thoroughfares were platted to connect the growing city of Sarasota to the established pioneer settlements down the coast. The "Osprey Avenue Subdivision" was officially platted in May 1913, naming the roadway for its destination direction leading toward Webb's settlement of Osprey. So while the bird inspired the pioneer, the avenue was built to take you to the town!