Dr. Sandra Wilson
Professor / Environmental Horticulture / Invasive ornamentals, Native propagation
Sandra B. Wilson is a Professor and Distinguished Teaching Scholar in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida (UF). She completed her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Delaware, her Ph.D. from Clemson University and conducted postdoctoral studies at Clemson University and Chiba University, Japan. Her research focuses on (1) characterizing the invasive potential of ornamental plants, (2) native plant propagation, production and evaluation for urban landscapes, and (3) the floral rewards of pollinator plants. Complementary to this, she teaches courses in plant propagation, native landscaping, and annual and perennial gardening. Throughout her career she has been recognized with awards from UF such as the Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award, Roche Professorship Award, Superior Accomplishment Award, and Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award. Within her professional societies she has been recognized with awards such as the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Outstanding Undergraduate and Graduate Educator Awards and the International Plant Production Societies (IPPS) Sidney B. Meadows Award of Merit. She is co-author to the world standard textbook Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation- Principles and Practices, 9th edition. For her outstanding contributions to horticultural science and education, she holds the distinction of Fellow within International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS), American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), and the North American Colleges and Teaching of Agriculture (NACTA).
Mailing Address:
Fifield Hall
2550 Hull Road
PO Box 110670
Gainesville, Florida 32611
Phone: 352-273-4576
E-mail: sbwilson@ufl.edu
- RESEARCH
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TEACHING
Invasive ornamentals, Native propagation
Dr. Sandra Wilson is a Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida's main campus in Gainesville. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Delaware and a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Clemson University. Dr. Wilson completed postdoctoral studies at both Clemson University and Chiba University, Japan.
Dr. Wilson teaches courses on Florida Native Landscaping, Plant Propagation, and Annual and Perennial Gardening. She has been recognized nationally for her scholarship in teaching and development of interactive online materials on plant propagation, plant family classification and greenhouse education. This includes honors such as The ASHS Outstanding Graduate Educator Award in 2018 and the International Plant Propagator’s Society Fellow Award in 2018.
Dr. Wilson's research focuses on (1) propagation and evaluation of native plants and (2) characterizing the invasive potential of ornamental plants in Florida. Her training and expertise encompass numerous aspects of plant production including techniques to overcome seed dormancy, evaluation of containerized media, optimizing plant growth under varying environmental conditions, and trialing of new plants in the landscape.
Throughout her career, Dr. Wilson has formally advised 42 graduate students. She takes a hands-on approach to their course scheduling, research advising, teaching involvement, publishing, grant writing, and career placement. Her teaching and research programs have generated millions of dollars in extramural grant funding and authorship of more than 140 refereed publications and proceedings. Recently, she has become the newest co-author of the 9th edition world standard textbook, Hartmann and Kester's Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices
Courses Taught
- ORH5817C Advance Florida Native Landscaping
- PLS5222C Advance Plant Propagation
- ORH 4804/5026C Annual and Perennial Gardening
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EDUCATION
- Ph.D., Plant Physiology, Clemson University, 1996
- M.S., Horticulture, University of Delaware, 1993
- B.S., Animal Science University of Delaware, 1989
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PUBLICATIONS
TEACHING PUBLICATIONS:
- Dynamic modeling and simulation of greenhouse environments under several scenarios: A web-based application
- Multi-institutional cooperation to develop digital media for interactive greenhouse education
- Interactive online tools for teaching plant identification
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
- Wilson, S.B., R. Mallinger, H. Kalaman*, and E. Momol. 2024. Development and evaluation of a web application for attracting bees to your garden. Horticulturae. 10(1),77. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10010077.
- Silva*, J.J., S.B. Wilson, G.W. Knox and R.E. Mallinger. 2024. Effects of plant provenance and moisture availability on growth and flowering performance of Florida native and non-native ornamentals. HortTechnology. 34:629-643. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05470-24.
- Mikell*, L., S.B. Wilson, S.C. Marble, W. Vendrame, and E. van Santen. 2023. Sexual and asexual propagation of wild like (Zanthoxylum L. Sarg.), A native Florida plant with ornamental and ecological value. J. Environ. Hort. 42(3):131-139. https://doi.org/10.24266/0738-2898-42.3.131.
- Campbell Martinez*, G., S.B. Wilson, M. Thetford, C. Steppe*, and H.E. Perez. 2024. Cutting propagation and landscape performance of an underutilized southeastern native herb, coastalplain honeycombhead (Balduina angustifolia). J. Environ. Hort. 42(2)46-53. https://doi.org/10.24266/0738-2898-42.2.46.
- Campbell Martinez*, G., M. Thetford, D. Miller, S.B. Wilson and C. Gomez. 2023. Effect of fertilizer rate, substrate, and container type on greenhouse performance of sandhill milkweed. HortScience. 58:1230-1236. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17118-23.
- Rostan*, V., P.C. Wilson, S.B. Wilson, and E. Van Santen. 2024. Influence of pesticide application method, timing, and rate on contamination of nectar with systemic and non-systemic pesticides. J. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 0:1-12. https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/etc.5989.
- Deng, Z., S.B. Wilson, and D. Czarnecki. 2020. 'UF-1013-1': An Infertile Cultivar of Lantana camara. HortScience. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14911-20.
- Fetouh, I.F., Z. Deng, S.B. Wilson, C.R. Adams, G. Knox. 2020. Induction and characterization of tetraploids in Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.). HortScience.
- Steppe, C., S.B. Wilson, Z. Deng, K. Druffel, and G.W. Knox. 2019. Morphological and cytological comparisons of eight varieties of trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis) grown in Florida. HortScience. 54:2134-2138. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14443-19.
- Kalaman, H., G.W. Knox, S.B. Wilson, and W. Wilber. 2020. A master gardener survey: Promoting pollinator-friendly plants through education and outreach. HortTechnology. 30:163-167. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04460-19.
- Bechtloff, A., C.Reinhardt-Adams, S.B. Wilson, and Z. Deng. 2019. Alternatives to potentially invasive plant species for the horticultural industry in the southeast United States. J. Environmental Horticulture. 37(1): 9-18.
- Wilson, S.B., R.L. Geneve and F.T. Davies. 2018. An online study tool for reviewing plant propagation terms and concepts. HortTechnology. 28(6):851-854.
- Thetford, M., A. O’Donoughue, S.B. Wilson, H. Perez. 2018. Landscape performance of 3 Polygonella wildflower species native to Florida. Native Plants Journal. 19:239-247. doi:10.3368/npj.19.3.239.
- Deng, Z., S.B. Wilson, X. Ying and D.M. Czarnecki II. 2017. Infertile Lantana camara cultivars 'UF-1011-2' and 'UF-1013A-2A. HortScience 52:652-657.
- Fetouh, M.I., A. Kareem, G.W. Knox, S.B. Wilson and Z. Deng. 2016. Induction, identification, and characterization of tetraploids in Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum). HortScience. 51:1371-1377.
- Smith, A.M., C. Reinhardt Adams, C. Wiese, and S.B. Wilson. 2016. Re-vegetation with native species does not control the invasive Ruellia simplex in a floodplain forest in Florida, USA. Applied Vegetation Science. 19:20-30.
- Smith, A.M., S.B. Wilson, C. Reinhardt Adams, and C. Wiese. 2015. Germination of native species: Efforts to guide revegetation in a Mexican petunia-invaded floodplain in Florida, USA. Ecological Restoration. 33:237-241.
- Smith, A.M., C. Reinhardt Adams, C. Wiese, and S.B. Wilson. 2015. Suppression of the ornamental invasive Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex) by native species in a greenhouse study. Ecological Restoration. 33(2) 207-214.
- Wilson, S.B., G.W. Knox, Z. Deng, K.L. Nolan, and J. Aldrich. 2014. Landscape performance and fruiting of nice heavenly bamboo selections grown in northern and southern Florida. HortScience. 49:706-713.
- Irani, T., S.B. Wilson, D. Slough, and M. Rieger. 2014. Graduate student experiences on and off Campus: Social connectedness and perceived isolation. J. Distance Education. 27(2), online.
- Smith, A.M., S.B. Wilson, M. Thetford, K.L. Nolan, and C. Adams. 2014. Performance of nine Florida native wildflower species grown in varying container substrates. Native Plants Journal. 15:75-86.
- Freyre, R. and S.B. Wilson. 2014. Ruellia simplex R10-105-Q54 ('Mayan Pink'). HortScience. 49:499-502.
- Wilson, S.B., G.W. Knox, K.L. Nolan, and J. Aldrich. 2014. Landscape performance and fruiting of 12 privet selections grown in northern and southern Florida. HortTechnology. 24:148-155.
- Wilson, S.B. and A.L. Flory. 2012. FloraGator: A novel, interactive and online multiple entry key for identifying plant families. HortTechnology. 22:410-412.
- Freyre, R., A. Moseley, S.B. Wilson, and G.W. Knox. 2012. Fruitless Ruellia simplex R10-102 ('Mayan Purple') and R10-108 ('Mayan White'). HortScience. 47:1808-1814.
- Freyre, R., A. Moseley, S.B. Wilson, and G.W. Knox. 2012. Breeding and evaluating for landscape performance and fruitlessness in Mexican Petunia (Ruellia, Acanthaceae). HortScience. 47:1245-1251.
- Czarnecki,D.M., S.B. Wilson, G.W. Knox, R. Freyre, and Z. Deng. 2012. UF-T3 and UF-T4: Two sterile Lantana camara cultivars. HortScience. 47:132-137.
- Thetford, M., A.H. O'Donoughue, S.B. Wilson and H.E. Pérez. 2012. Softwood cutting propagation of three Polygonella wildflower species native to Florida. J. Prop. Ornamental Plants. 12(1)58-62.
- Campbell, K.R., S.B. Wilson, P.C. Wilson, and Z. He. 2011. Interactive online tools for teaching plant identification. HortTechnology 21:504-508.
- Heather, A.E, H.E. Pérez, and S.B. Wilson. 2010. Non-deep physiological dormancy in seeds of two Polygonella species with horticultural potential. HortScience. 45:1854-1858.
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RECENT SERVICES AND HONORS
RECENT HONORS
- American Society for Horticultural Science ASHS Outstanding Education Publication Award, 2012 recipient
- Roche Professorship, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2011-2012 recipient
- American Society for Horticultural Science Outstanding Undergraduate Educator Career Award, 2009 recipient
- University of Florida College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Undergraduate Teacher of the Year. 2006-07 recipient
- Association for Communication Excellence Gold Award for Educational Project, 2007 co-recipient
- North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Fellow Award, 2005
RECENT SERVICE
- American Society for Horticultural Sciences Vice President, Education Division, 2012-2015
- International Plant Propagator’s Society Board of Directors, 2013-2015
- Native Plant Journal Associate Editor, 2010-present
- Advanced Leadership Program for Academics, 2012-2013
- Faculty Senate, 2012-2015
- Roche Professorship, 2010-2012
- LEAD21 National Internship Program, UGA Fanning Institute, 2010-2011