Wellington develops plan to halt iguanas

Coleus plants are the perfect choice next to village entrance signs.

WELLINGTON — They slink along canal banks, burrow under sidewalks and strike fear into the hearts of small dogs. Iguanas have posed a challenge to South Florida communities for years, as the large reptiles continue to breed and spread using the region’s sprawling canal system as a conduit.

Wellington recently faced an issue caused by the growing number of iguanas along Southern Boulevard and the West Palm Beach Canal — and came up with a unique but seemingly simple solution.

Frustrated by the continued destruction of flowers in front of Wellington’s entrance signs along Southern, landscape and forestry operations supervisor Brian Hopper made a decision: Swap out the colorful flowers for another type of colorful plant. And have these colorful plants be ones iguanas do not like to eat.

“Brian got tired of having to replace them over and over again,” Village Manager Paul Schofield said.

According to a report from the University of Florida, the

list of things iguanas enjoy eating is long and includes many plants popular in Florida landscaping: hibiscus, orchids, bougainvilleas, nasturtiums and turf grasses.

The list of iguana-repelling plants is much shorter and includes milkweed, oleander, citrus and some crotons, the UF report says. It also includes plants with tough, thick leaves. That’s where coleus comes in.

The brightly colored plant grows close to the ground and has thick, hearty leaves that iguanas reportedly hate, making it the perfect choice for Hopper, who recently ordered it to be planted in front of Wellington’s entrance signs along Southern Boulevard.

Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife at the University of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, said he had heard of homeowners swapping out plants to deter hungry iguanas, but this was his first time hearing of a municipality doing it. “I’m not surprised,” he said. “They have had a devastating effect on landscaping.”

Mazzotti has worked with exotic species for three decades and said he’s seen iguanas “wipe out” new planting of some species, making the creatures especially disruptive for farmers during the growing season.

In Wellington, a recent visit to the Wellington sign at Southern Boulevard and Big Blue Trace showed promise. The coleus were there, bright in the afternoon sun after a rain storm — with not a nibble to be seen, despite several iguanas lurking nearby.

PHOTOS BY ALLEN EYESTONE / THE PALM BEACH POST An iguana sits Monday near the bridge over the C-51 canal at Big Blue Trace and Southern Boulevard in Wellington. The creatures have devoured plants near entrance signs.

Coleus plants, with thick, hearty leaves that repel iguanas, are planted in front of the Wellington welcome sign on the south side of Southern Boulevard at the intersection with Big Blue Trace.

ALLEN EYESTONE / THE PALM BEACH POST An iguana keeps cool Monday under the bridge over the C-51 canal at the intersection of Big Blue Trace and Southern Boulevard in Wellington. The animals are known to have a “devastating effect on landscaping,” an expert said.