Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida

26 years of experience in teaching and research, with significant focus on native and invasive plants

Sandy is a professor at the university’s main campus in Gainesville, where she teaches courses on native Florida landscaping, plant propagation, and annual and perennial gardening. Sandy has been recognized nationally with numerous awards for her scholarship in teaching and development of interactive online materials on plant propagation, plant family classification and greenhouse education. 

Her research focuses on (1) propagation and evaluation of native plants and (2) characterizing the invasive potential of ornamental plants in Florida.

Sandy has co-authored over 150 scientific and technical articles in plant propagation, container production, and landscape use. Recently, she became the newest co-author of the 9th edition world standard textbook, Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices.

Sandy has a B.S. in animal science and a M.S. in horticulture from the University of Delaware.

Sandy has a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Clemson University and completed postdoctoral studies at both Clemson University and Chiba University, Japan.