PAEnflowered began with me, Maria, walking in the woods and quiet countryside of Pennsylvania, where beautiful plants became companions, teachers, and endless sources of wonder and healing. That love slowly blossomed into a mission of the heart to create a space where the beauty of flora could meet accessible, meaningful botanical education — a place where learning feels like connection.

When I first began studying plants, I was surprised by how few welcoming, well-organized resources existed online for our state. That absence became an invitation and a call to create something that could nourish learning in all its forms, from first encounters to lifelong study.

With a background in software engineering, it felt natural to merge my technical skills with my passion for the natural world. Over several years of photographing plants and building a database, what began as a personal side project gradually evolved into the Flora of Pennsylvania website and, eventually, the founding of PAEnflowered, a nonprofit devoted to deepening our connection to nature and our relationship with native plants — their beauty, their stories, and the quiet wisdom they offer.

This work has been one of love and devotion — shaped by my hands and mind, guided by my heart, and sustained by a quiet trust that shared knowledge can nourish connection between people and the natural world.

Our mission is to cultivate an engaging online platform that celebrates the rich and diverse flora of Pennsylvania — inviting wonder, learning, and appreciation through educational and aesthetic resources.

Through this work, we invite a deepening  connection to nature, a rekindling of wonder, and a commitment to enduring earth-loving care.

PAEnflowered is a small 501(c)(3) nonprofit rooted in a shared love for Pennsylvania’s native flora. We’re a community of plant enthusiasts dedicated to making botanical knowledge accessible, beautiful, and engaging for everyone — from curious novices to seasoned botanists.

Our primary goal is to build a living field guide of the state's plants, enriched with interactive maps, seasonal guides, and visual galleries, that invites users to connect with flora through experiences that are intuitive, beautiful, and easy to explore.

The Flora of Pennsylvania site grew from Maria’s own journey into plant learning, sparked by the absence of a comprehensive, user-friendly resource. Since its launch in 2021 with 450 species, the site has expanded to include over 1,200 plants — thanks to the generous contributions of citizen scientists and kindred spirits across the region.