Publication #ENH28

Topics: Environmental Horticulture� |�Landscape Tree Selection -- Central Florida� |�Landscape Plant Selection -- Central Florida� |�Black, Robert J�

Ornamental Trees for Central Florida¹

R. J. Black²

Trees are an indispensable part of the landscape. They give a home, street, or commercial site individuality, beauty, and tranquillity. Because of their long life, trees give the surroundings a sense of permanence and stability.

Trees are vital in combating environmental pollution. They help keep the air supply fresh by trapping and filtering dust, removing carbon dioxide, and at the same time releasing oxygen. Trees reduce noise pollution by acting as barriers to sound, lower temperatures by shading and through evaporation of water from their leaves, and reduce soil erosion. Trees can camouflage harsh scenery such as city dumps, auto graveyards, and industrial sites. Furthermore, trees beautify our gardens, streets, and parks and please our senses with interesting shapes, patterns, colors, scents, and seasonal changes. Every homesite should include several ornamental trees.

Selection of a Tree

Tree selection is mainly a question of personal preference. However, the species should be well adapted to the site and satisfy the purpose for which it is intended. In Florida, the number and variety of trees are so great that the choice is not always simple. Table 1 lists information about desirable trees for central Florida. Trees listed are some of the best choices for home landscaping, and all have proven suitable for planting in central Florida. No attempt has been made to include all trees that can be grown in central Florida.

Planting Trees

Because of better developed and more compact root systems, nursery-grown trees are easier to transplant and grow more successfully than those taken from the woods. It is impractical when moving wild plants to dig and move more than a small portion of the root system, and without an adequate root system the tree may die after transplanting. The best place to purchase a tree is from a reputable nursery. Container-grown trees can be planted any time of the year. The nursery will be able to provide information on where and how to plant the tree selected.

Follow the steps below when planting a tree:

Have a nursery salesperson cut the container so that the tree can be easily removed.
Make the hole two to three times as wide as the container the tree is in.
Make the hole no deeper than the height of the root ball.
Gently place the tree straight in the hole and be sure that the root ball is not deeper than the existing landscape soil surface. Fill around the ball with soil and gently firm the soil. Water thoroughly while planting to remove any air pockets.
Form a basin around the edge of the root ball with a soil ridge 3-6 inches high to facilitate watering.
Mulch with a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic material to buffer soil temperature, conserve moisture, and reduce weed competition.
If needed, support the tree by staking or guying.
Water the tree daily for 1-2 months, then 3 times a week for 2 months, then weekly until established.
Fertilize 4 to 6 weeks after planting with a slow-release fertilizer on the surface of the root ball and the backfill soil.

Fertilizing

Fertilization is usually desirable when we are trying to get newly planted trees established. We normally want the new tree to get off to a quick start and grow rapidly so that it will fill the planted area. When this is the case, fertilize about 4 to 6 weeks after planting and then 2 to 3 times per year for the following 3 years. Two of the annual applications are normally scheduled around February and October for south Florida, and March and September for north Florida. A third application can be made during the summer. Once trees are established (3 to 5 years after transplanting), they will not need additional fertilizer if they are growing in a landscape where turf and shrubs are fertilized.

A complete fertilizer with a ratio of approximately 3:1:2 or 3:1:3 (e.g. 12-4-8 or 15-5-15) is generally recommended. Similar analysis fertilizers such as 16-4-8 (4:1:2) can also be used.

Fertilizers that are slow release, controlled release, sulfur coated or with nitrogen such as isobutylidene diurea or ureaformaldehyde have extended-release periods compared to fertilizers that are readily water soluble. Thirty to fifty percent of the nitrogen should be water insoluble or slow release so that plant roots can absorb the nitrogen over a long period of time. A fertilizer containing thirty to fifty percent slow-release potassium should be used in south Florida or where soil potassium is frequently inadequate.

The amount of fertilizer to apply to trees can be determined by calculating the area under the trees and then applying fertilizer at the rate of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of area.

Fertilizer placement in relation to the tree root zone is very important. Fertilizer should be applied to the surface of the mulched and unmulched areas around a tree out to a distance no more than one and a half to two times the canopy diameter. If the turf was fertilized within the two preceding weeks, do not apply additional fertilizer to the turf area around the tree.

Tables

Table 1. Ornamental Trees for Central Florida

Common name

Scientific name

Type of Tree¹

Height

Flower Color and Season

Soil Adaptability²

Salt Spray Tol.³

How Trees Are Used

Accent or Specimen

Border Planting

Framing

Patio

Roadside & Street

Seaside

Shade

American hornbeam,

Carpinus carolinia

Decid.

30 feet

Inconspicuous

Moist to average

Remarks: Good tree where there are high water tables

Bald cypress,

Taxodium distichum

Decid.

125 feet

Inconspicuous

Wet, acid

Remarks: Will grow on drier soils, if watered.

Bottle brush,

Callistemon citrinus (lanceolatus

BLEV

20 feet

Red

Spring, Summer

Average

Remarks: Widely used as a specimen; large shrub or small tree

Calamondin; Orange,

Citrus spp.

BLEV

var 10-40 feet

White

Spring

Fertile & well-drained

Remarks: High fertilizer requirement. Pest problems serious

Cherry laurel,

Prunus caroliniana

BLEV

35 feet

White

Early Spring

Fertile, well-drained

Remarks: Fragrant Foliage. Attractive to birds. Good native evergreen tree. Will not tolereate wet feet.

Crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia spp.

Decid.

20-30 feet

Various

Spring, Summer

Any

L-M

Remarks: Old-fashioned planting. Spectacular when in flower.

Dogwood,

Cornus florida

Decid.

40 feet

White

Spring

Well-drained

Remarks: Attractive to birds; pink-flowered forms not well adapted to Florida. Beautiful native tree.

Chinese elm,

Ulmus parvifolia

Decid.

45 feet

Inconspicuous

Average, dry

Remarks: Rapid growth. Not to be confused with Ulmus pumila, also called Chinese elm.

Fringe tree,

Chionanthus virginicus

Decid.

30 feet

White

Spring

Average

Remarks: Should be used more widely in north Fla. Beautiful native tree.

Glossy privet,

Ligustrum lucidum

BLEV

25 feet

White

Spring, summer

Any

Remarks: Sometimes confused with Ligustrum japonicum. Should be used more often.

Golden-rain tree

Koelreuteria elegans

Decid.

40 feet

Yellow

Fall

Any

Remarks: Drought resistant, wind resistant. Pink fruits attractive. Very colorful.

Holly,

Ilex spp.

BLEV

40-50 feet

White

Spring

Average

L-M

Remarks: Tolerates neglect. Includes American, Yaupon, Dahoon and many varieties.

Jacaranda,

Jacaranda mimosifolia

Semi-Ev.

50 feet

Lavender to blue

Late spring, early summer

Avg. to sandy

Remarks: Recovers rapidly from frost injury; somewhat messy; too large for small lots.

Jerusalem thorn, Parkinsonia aculeata

Decid.

30 feet

Yellow

Spring, Summer

Any, well-drained

Remarks: Tolerates neglect; excellent flowering tree. Unattractive seed pods.

Loquat,

Eriobotrya japonica

BLEV

25 feet

White

Late Fall

Average

Remarks: Excellent, edible fruit. Fruit fairly rarely matures in north Florida due to cold.

Oaks,

Quercus spp.

BLEV

60-100 feet

Inconspicuous

Well-drained

Remarks: Only live oaks are salt tolerant. Live, laurel and water oaks available.

Orchid tree,

Bauhinia spp.

Semi-Ev.

20-30 feet

Purple to white

Yearly

Avg.

Remarks: Different species bloom at different seasons; some near ever-blooming. Bauhinia variegata is invasive.

Pine,

Pinus spp.

Conifer

70-120 feet

Inconspicuous

Any, well-drained

M-H

Remarks: Grows rapidly. Spruce and Longleaf best. Very adaptable.

Podocarpus,

Podocarpus spp.

Conifer

50-70 feet

Inconspicuous

Fertile, well-drained

Remarks: Usually not intentionally planted as a tree.

Redbud,

Cercis canadensis

Decid.

30 feet

Rose

Spring

Average

Remarks: Grows rapidly. Beautiful flowering tree for colder parts of central Florida.

Red cedar,

Juniperus spp.

Conifer

50-100 feet

Inconspicuous

Any

Remarks: Attractive to birds; tolerates neglect; difficult to transplant.

Red maple,

Acer rubrum

Decid.

70 feet

Red

Spring

Moist to average

Remarks: Does not grow well on sandy ridges. Good fall color.

Silk Oak,

Grevillea robusta

BLEV

100 feet

Yellow and orange,

Spring

Dry, sandy

Remarks: Subject to wind damage. Unusual flowers.

Silk Tree,

Albizia julibrissin

Decid.

40 feet

Pink,

Late spring, summer

Any

Remarks: Survives total neglect. Susceptible to a wilt disease. Unattractive seed pods.

Southern magnolia,

Magnolia grandiflora

BLEV

100 feet

White

Spring

Moist, well-drained

Remarks: Difficult to transplant; old-fashioned planting; fragrant flowers.

Sweet gum,

Liquidambar styaciflua

Decid.

100 feet

Inconspicuous

Any

Remarks: Difficult to transplant. Red, yellow & purple in the fall. Rapid growth. Produces messy, sharply pointed fruit.

Wax myrtle,

Myrica cerifera

BLEV

20-30 feet

Inconspicuous

Any

M-H

Remarks: An excellent small native tree. Should be used more. Scented foliage.

¹ Type of tree: BLEV - Broad Leaved Evergreen. In leaf year round; Semi-Ev. - Semi-Evergreen. eafless for only a short period; Decid. - Deciduous. Without leaves during part of the year; Conifer - Evergreen, but narrow leaved

² Soil adaptability - Soil type for best growth: Avg. = Average; Fet. = Fertile

³ Salt spray tolerance: H - High. May be used in exposed areas near shore line; M - Moderate. If near shore, must be protected; L - Low. Must be used in well protected areas back from shore; N - No salt tolerance or salt tolerance unknown

Footnotes

1. This document is ENH-28 (which supersedes OH-28), Department of Environmental Horticulture, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Date first printed: September 1985. Revised: June 1997, September 2003. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/

2. Robert J. Black, Extension Consumer Horticulturist; Department of Environmental Horticulture, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

Ornamental Trees for Central Florida1

Selection of a Tree

Planting Trees

Fertilizing

Tables

Footnotes

Ornamental Trees for Central Florida¹