Trees for South Florida–Part 2
Trees for South Florida–Part 2
This is the second of a multi-part series on trees adapted to the subtropical climate of South Florida. Landscape architects who intent to take Section F of the LARE in Florida need to be familiar with these trees and should be able to identify them from photos if required on the test.
Since there are so many great trees adapted to grow in the mild South Florida climate, this list is broken up into several articles.
- Trees for South Florida–Part 1 (A-C)
- Trees for South Florida–Part 2 (D-I)
- Trees for South Florida–Part 3 (J-P)
- Trees for South Florida–Part 3 (Q-Z)
Delonix regia (royal poinciana)
This many-branched, broad, spreading, flat-crowned deciduous tree is well-known for its brilliant display of red-orange bloom, literally covering the tree tops from May to July. There is nothing like a Royal Poinciana (or better yet, a group of them) in full bloom. The fine, soft, delicate leaflets afford dappled shade during the remainder of the growing season, making Royal Poinciana a favorite shade tree or freestanding specimens in large, open lawns. The tree is often broader than tall, growing about 40 feet high and 60 feet wide. Trunks can become as large as 50 inches or more in diameter. Eighteen-inch-long, dark brown seed pods hang on the tree throughout the winter, then fall on the ground in spring creating a nuisance. Royal Poinciana will provide fullest flowering and best growth when planted in full sun locations. Tolerant of a wide variety of soils and conditions, Royal Poinciana needs to be well-watered until established, then only during the severest droughts. Grass grows poorly beneath poinciana. Do not plant closer than about 10 feet from pavement or sidewalks, since large surface roots often grow beneath them and can destroy them. Early pruning is required to encourage development of branches which are well-attached to the trunk. This will help compensate for the weak wood. Train the tree so the major limbs are located 8 to 12 feet from the ground to allow for adequate clearance beneath the tree. To develop a strong, durable tree, prune major limbs to prevent them from growing to more than half the diameter of the trunk. More information can be found here.
Dodonaea viscosa (hopbush, varnish leaf)
The shiny green leaves of this shrub have a varnished appearance that gives this plant its most widely used common name. The varnish leaf is a fast growing, broad-leaved, evergreen shrub that can grow 10- to 15-feet tall. It is most commonly seen at about 6- to 10-feet tall. The “varnished” leaves of this plant have a resinous coating that is a protection against water loss, and this allows the plants to be exceptionally drought tolerant. Leaves vary in shape from spatulate to elliptic or obovate. Margins of the leaves are often turned under. Greenish yellow flowers are without true petals and appear in terminal clusters that are 3 inches in length. This shrub blooms in the spring and fall, and flowers on the same plant may be male, female, or perfect. The most outstanding part of this plant is the pendent fruit. These emerge green, turn yellow green, then pink and red, and then brown as they mature. The three-parted seed pods have 3 or 4 rounded wings. One may use varnish leaf as a specimen due to its nice fruit display. The plant is also attractive when it is not in fruit. Planted 5 to 8 feet apart, varnish leaf makes a nice hedge or background plant, and it is very effective when employed as a screen. It is can also be grown in fence rows and is interesting when espaliered. It is a useful plant that is underutilized. Dodonaea viscosa will tolerate dry sandy or rocky soils, salt spray, windy areas, and drought conditions. It favors areas that receive full sun and is often cultivated in loamy or sandy soils. Find out more about this species here.
Eriobotrya japonica (loquat)
The dense, rounded, dark green canopy of Loquat is decorated in USDA hardiness zones 8b through 11 in late winter and spring with clusters of apricot yellow, pear-shaped, edible furry fruits. Fruit rarely sets further north. Loquat is a rapidly-growing evergreen tree and can reach 25 to 30 feet in height in the shade but is frequently seen 15 feet tall with a 15 to 25-foot-spread in a sunny location. The 10 to 12-inch-long leaves are rusty-colored beneath and have a coarse texture. Fragrant clusters of creamy white flowers are produced in fall, followed by the delicious, brightly colored, winter fruit. Its neat habit and compact growth make Loquat an ideal specimen or patio shade tree, and it can be used as a residential street tree or median strip tree in areas where overhead space is limited. But an adequate clear trunk needs to be developed early in the life of the tree to provide for vehicle clearance. Branches will have to be pruned to grow up, as they tend to droop with time under the weight of the developing branch. It is not suited for planting next to the street if trucks pass close to the tree since adequate clearance is not possible but is successful in wide median strips. It also blends well into informal shrubbery borders and the fruit is attractive to wildlife. It espaliers well against a sunny wall, and makes a good screen due to its dense canopy. Sprouts along the trunk can be a maintenance nuisance. Providing best fruit and form when grown in full sun, Loquat can tolerate partial shade and a variety of well-drained soils. It grows well on soils with a high pH and maintains the characteristic dark green foliage. Clay soil is acceptable as long as there is sufficient slope to allow surface water to run away from the root system. It often looks best in the southern portion of its range when given some shade in the afternoon, especially if it is not irrigated. Loquat should be well-watered until established, but can then survive periodic droughts. Do not overfertilize since this could increase sensitivity to fire blight disease. Loquat may live only 20 to 30-years so it should not be considered a permanent fixture in the landscape. It performs well along the coast with some protection from salty air. Read more about fruiting loquats here.
Eugenia spp. (stoppers)
Eugenia is a large group of plants, some native and some non-native, including evergreen trees and shrubs, some of which have been reclassified to the genus Syzygium. The evergreen leaves are firm and glossy, and the flowers white. It is the dried buds of Eugenia aromatica (Syzygium aromaticum) which become the fragrant “herb” cloves. The flowers are followed by the production of berries, some types of which are edible. All these traits – the attractive foliage, flowers, and berries – help make Eugenia a popular landscape choice in warm climate areas, such as California, Florida, and Hawaii. Eugenia confusa (Ironwood, Red Stopper) is native to Florida and grows to about 35 feet and is well suited for street tree and parking lot planting. Eugenia foetida (Spanish Stopper) is also native and grows to about 15 feet tall. The smooth, brown to grey, mottled bark and tight canopy of fine-textured leaves makes Eugenia well suited for planting as a specimen in any yard. Trees can be trained in the nursery to one central trunk or allowed and encouraged to develop multiple trunks. They create shade for a patio or deck, but will not grow to the large, often overpowering size of a Ficus tree. They are often used along streets, in highway medians and in parking lots because they adapt to small soil spaces and do not become very large. Street and parking lot trees are often specified to have one trunk to allow for vehicle clearance beneath the crown. Multiple trunked trees are often specified for specimen planting so the beautiful bark can be displayed. Eugenia should be grown in full sun or part shade on well-drained soil. Once established in the landscape, they are drought tolerant requiring little, if any, irrigation. Learn more about the different stopper species here.
Ficus aurea (strangler fig)
Often starting out as an epiphyte nestled in the limbs of another tree, the native Strangler Fig is vine-like while young, later strangling its host with heavy aerial roots and eventually becoming a self-supporting, independent tree. Not recommended for small landscapes, Strangler Fig grows quickly and can reach 60 feet in height with an almost equal spread. The broad, spreading, lower limbs are festooned with secondary roots which create many slim but rigid trunks once they reach the ground and take hold. They become a maintenance headache as these roots need to be removed to keep a neat-looking landscape. The shiny, thick, dark green leaves create dense shade and the surface roots add to the problem of maintaining a lawn beneath this massive tree. The fruit drops and makes a mess beneath the tree. Easily grown in full sun or partial shade, Strangler Fig can literally be planted, watered a few times, and forgotten. A variety of soils, including wet, will do, and Strangler Fig is moderately salt-tolerant. More often than not, large Strangler Figs were existing trees, not planted. Seeds germinate easily in the landscape allowing the tree to invade nearby land. Read more about strangler fig here.
Ficus citrifolia (shortleaf fig, wild banyan tree)
This semi-deciduous fig tree is native to Florida and is naturally found in tropical hammocks throughout south Florida, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the West Indies, and some regions in Central America, such as Belize and the Yucatan. It requires full sun for optimal growth and can reach heights between 40 to 50 feet. Leaves are simple, alternate, and range from 2 to 4 inches long. The leaf appears oval but the base of the leaf is rounded and the tip of the leaf is sharply pointed. Leaves are dark green and smooth with a leathery texture and entire or smooth margin. A shortleaf fig’s trunk can grow to a diameter of 2 feet or greater, and its bark is light to yellowish brown. Blooms are inconspicuous, occurring inside of figs. Fruits appear on elongated stalks, are ¼ to ½ inch in diameter, and turn from yellow to purple when ripe. This fig tree does not tolerate flooding by salty or brackish water, nor does it tolerate salt spray. Besides the strangler fig (Ficus aurea), this is the only other native fig species in Florida and is commonly seen in yards of older neighborhoods in south Florida. Though it is not as aggressive as the strangler fig (and other exotic fig species), its seed still has the potential to take root in the canopies of other trees. The spreading canopy of this tree is attractive and provides pleasant shade but requires plenty of growing space. Read more about this species here.
Forestiera segregata (Florida privet)
Florida privet is a 10- to 20-foot-tall shrub or small tree that is densely foliated with small, evergreen leaves. The dark, glossy green leaves are oblong to elliptic in shape and are sometimes shed in the winter. The form commonly found in south Florida (Dade County) has a much smaller leaf than those from other parts of the state. The bark of the younger trees is light brown or gray, and older specimens have a pale yellow bark that is mottled with light brown and green. The bark of the older trees is also roughened by many small, raised lenticels. Bees are attracted to the tiny, corolla-less flowers that have greenish yellow or reddish purple stamens. These flowers are borne individually or in clusters of three or four along the branches, and they occur in the winter and early spring before the new leaves emerge. The fruits are purplish or dark blue berries that ripen in the spring and summer. The birds favor these berries, and the plant produces the fruits in abundance. Florida privet may be successfully used as a specimen or hedge. With regular clipping, it can be planted along a foundation. It makes a superior hedge and is very tolerant of clipping and shearing. Small leaf size and moderate growth rate make it suited for maintaining at almost any height. For best results, keep the lower portion of the hedge wider than the top. Early training can produce a small tree for planting in home landscapes and other areas requiring a small, multi-trunked tree. This cold hardy plant requires a planting site that receives full sun and a well-drained soil. It grows poorly in mucky soils. Its native, upland coastal habitat associates include bay cedar, Spanish bayonet, cocoplum and other drought and salt tolerant plants. Soils in this habitat are very sandy with shell fragments and a neutral or alkaline pH.
Forestiera acuminata is a similar plant hardy into zone 5 that grows in the swamps. Forestiera ligustrina grows in the flatwoods and mesic upland hardwood forests of Florida. For more information about native privets, check out this article.
Ilex attenuata and cvs. (East Palatka holly)
Discovered in 1927 growing near East Palatka, Florida, this Holly is one of a group of hybrids between Ilex cassine x Ilex opaca. The broad, dull green, rounded leaves have one spine at the tip and few, if any, along the blade edge. The 30 to 45-foot-tall trees take on a moderately tight, pyramidal shape. A female Holly plant, East Palatka Holly is heavily laden with bright red berries in fall and winter, especially toward the top of the tree. A row of East Palatka Hollies will look quite uniform, adding to the popularity of the tree among landscape architects and designers.
East Palatka Holly makes a durable street tree throughout its range and is quite drought-tolerant once it becomes well-established. Most trees are sheared in the nursery, unfortunately, and this practice is often repeated in the landscape after planting. The natural shape of the tree is rarely seen but is a graceful pyramid of drooping branches growing from a strong central trunk, laden with bright red berries which remain on the trees until eaten by birds. The crown of East Palatka Holly grown with one central trunk is narrow, making it well-suited for urban areas having restricted vertical space.
Multi-stemmed, topped, and trimmed trees grow a wider crown and are probably not as suited for narrow, limited-space downtown sites as their single-stemmed counterparts. The tree should be grown with a central trunk. Young trees which are topped in the nursery grow several upright, multiple trunks. These eventually droop to the horizontal and then become more weeping, creating an unkempt, asymmetrical mess. Training the tree into a single-trunked tree will increase its durability and resistance to storm-damage, although many nurseries offer multi-trunked specimens. The tree grows well even in small tree pits carved out of downtown sidewalks.
East Palatka Holly grows quickly in full sun or partial shade on moist, acid soils. Growth is poor and foliage chlorotic on alkaline soil.
Another hybrid, ‘Savannah’, is a fast-growing female plant which also produces abundant red berries. The foliage is light green and variably-spines. Read more about this fine holly here.
Ilex cassine and cvs. (dahoon holly)
Attractive when tightly clipped into a tall screen or allowed to grow naturally into its single-trunked, small tree form, Dahoon Holly is ideal for a variety of landscape settings. Capable of reaching 40 feet in height, Dahoon Holly is usually seen at a height of 20 to 30 feet with an 8 to 12-foot spread. The smooth, supple, shiny dark green, evergreen leaves, two to three inches long, have just a few serrations near the tip. Possessing male and female flowers on separate plants, at least two Dahoon Hollies (male and female) must be planted in the landscape to ensure production of the brilliant red berries in fall and winter. The berries serve as an excellent food source for wildlife but are far less prevalent than on East Palatka or Fosters Holly. Growing well in full sun to partial shade, Dahoon Holly does best on moist soils since the wet, boggy soils of swamps is its native environment. Dahoon Holly can tolerate drier locations with some watering, but often has a thin crown in this environment. It is not recommended in the southern part of its range in a dry, exposed site unless irrigation is provided. It lends itself well to use as a specimen or street tree, and is ideal for naturalizing in moist locations. Little pruning is needed to create a well-structured, strong tree. It appears to adapt well to the confined spaces of urban and downtown landscapes and is tolerant of some salt spray. The crown is fuller in full sun. Find out more about this species here.
Ilex glabra (gallberry)
This upright, clump-forming, evergreen shrub is valued for its foliage and fruits. The lustrous, dark green leaves may have a few obtuse teeth toward the leaf apex or they may have entire margins. They are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and may reach a length of 3/4 to 2 inches. Gallberry becomes somewhat open with age and often loses its small lower branches. Female plants have berry-like, black drupes that occur from September to May of the following year. These 6- to 8-foot-tall plants are especially valuable to birds for their persistent fruits and branch structures. The flowers of Ilex glabra appear in May, and the staminate and pistillate flowers occur on separate plants. The female flowers are solitary, and the male flowers are borne on a stalk consisting of 3 or more flowers. Both sexes of flowers have creamy white petals and are inconspicuous. Gallberry is excellent when used in mass plantings and as naturalizing material. It has been utilized as a hedge, foundation plant and accent plant. It makes a poor hedge because it thins toward the bottom. Ilex glabra prefers a full sun to partial shade location in the landscape and moist, acidic soils; high-pH soils should be avoided. Older plants may be renewed by heavy pruning. Cultivars include ‘Compacta’, dwarf female clone, tighter branching and foliage than species, grows 4 to 6 feet high, becomes leggy at base; ‘Georgia Wine’, turns burgundy during the winter; ‘Ivory Queen’ and ‘Leucocarpa’, white fruited forms, grow 6 to 8 feet high; ‘Nigra’, purplish foliage in winter; ‘Nordic’, compact rounded form, grows 3 to 4 feet tall, cold hardy, needs pruning to keep it dense; ‘Shamrock’, compact form, slower growing then species, leaves smaller and flat; ‘Steed’, compact form; ‘Squat’, compact form. Read more about inkberry here.
Ilex rotunda (round holly, roundleaf holly, rotund holly)
Carissa holly is a compact, dense evergreen shrub with small, glossy, dark green leaves, each with a single terminal spine. The somewhat-showy clusters of fragrant, springtime, white flowers are followed in fall and winter by bright red berries. However, the berry display is mostly inferior to Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordii’. The shrub stays small, eventually growing to about 8 feet. Most carissa holly plants are kept smaller than this. The plant occasionally reverts back to a ‘Rotunda’ holly leaf form, a plant to which it is closely related. ‘Rotunda’ has many spines along the margins of the leaf.
A dense, rounded silhouette develops without clipping making it well suited for planting along a foundation. Plant 3 to 4 feet apart to form a hedge, farther apart in a shrub border. It is often used as a mass planting on commercial properties to form a tall ground cover or low shrub mass around parking lots. One yearly pruning can easily keep this plant in bounds in most landscape settings, unless it is clipped into a formal hedge. Two or three clippings may be needed for hedges. It shears fairly well, but will thin slightly toward the base, especially if not located in full sun. Clip the hedge so it is wider at the bottom than at the top to allow maximum light penetration to bottom foliage. This will help keep the hedge full to the ground.
Growing best in rich, well-drained, slightly acid soil, carissa holly does well in full sun or part shade. The plant is very drought tolerant, requiring little, if any, irrigation once established in the landscape. One or two fertilizations are all that is needed to maintain good leaf color and adequate growth. Read more about Florida hollies here.
Ilex vomitoria and cvs. (yaupon holly)
This upright, spreading small evergreen tree or large shrub, capable of reaching 15 to 25 feet in height with a similar spread, has small, grey-green, leathery leaves densely arranged along smooth, stiff, light grey branches. Plants in the landscape require about 10-years to develop a distinct vase-shape. Sometimes clipped into a tight hedge, Yaupon Holly is ideal for training into a small tree with lower branches removed to reveal the interestingly-contorted multiple trunks. It can also be used for topiaries, espaliers, specimens, screens, or barriers. The non-showy male and female flowers appear on separate plants and are followed on the female plants by the production of brilliant red berries (yellow on some cultivars) which are quite attractive to wildlife. The flowers attract bees for several weeks. Purchase plants with berries on them (females) if you want a berry-producing plant, or buy trees which were propagated from cuttings of female plants.
A tough native of the southern United States, Yaupon Holly grows quickly in a variety of locations, from full sun or shade to seaside or swamps, in sand or clay. Crowns will be thin in the shade. It will grow in soil with a pH in the 7’s and is very tolerant of drought and sea salt, It sprouts readily from the roots forming clumps of upright shoots beneath the canopy. Sprouting is most troublesome if the soil beneath the canopy is disturbed, as in planting shrubs or flowers under the tree. These need to be pruned to the ground two or three times each year to maintain a neat appearance. Consider this when selecting trees for use on streets, parking lots, and other low-maintenance areas since thickets often form.
Yaupon Holly is one of the most durable and adaptable of the small-leaved evergreen Hollies for use in southern landscapes. It grows well throughout its range in sidewalk cutouts and other sites with limited exposed soil. Wild Yaupons are protected by Florida statute.
A few of the available cultivars include: ‘Folsom’s Weeping’, similar to ‘Pendula’; ‘Jewel’, female plant with heavy fruit production; ‘Nana’, dwarf, compact shrub form, male plant, no berries; ‘Pendula’ (‘Grey’s Weeping’), large weeping specimen, sparsely foliated, to 35 feet tall; ‘Pride of Houston’, medium-sized shrub with heavy fruit production; and a low shrub called ‘Schelling’s Dwarf’ (‘Stroke’s Dwarf’), more compact than ‘Nana’. Yellow-fruited cultivars include: ‘Aureo’, yellow berries; ‘Otis Miley’, small leaves, yellow fruit; ‘Wiggins’ Yellow’, yellow fruit.
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