
Table 1. South Florida Trees--Small (Mature tree height less than 25 feet)
| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Leaf Persistence1 |
Form2 |
Shade Density3 |
Growth Rate4 |
| Bucida |
Bucida spinosa |
E |
O |
L |
S |
| Remarks: Wind and salt tolerant. |
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| Carambola |
Averrhoa carambola |
E |
R |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Free flowering. Delicious fruit produced two or three times per year. |
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| Citrus-leaf bottlebrush |
Callistemon citrinus |
E |
O |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Red flowers in spring. Accent trees. Can tolerate a damp site. |
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| Citrus trees |
Citrus spp. |
E |
R |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Fragrant flowers. Adaptable to many uses. Roots not aggressive. |
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| Frangipani |
Plumeria rubra |
D |
V |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Fragrant showy flowers. |
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| Geiger tree |
Cordia sebestena |
E |
R |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Burnt orange to vermillion flower. Peak flowering in June and July. Slow in poor sites. |
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| Golden shower |
Cassia fistula |
D |
O |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Seed pods messy. Attractive yellow flowers. |
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| Ipe |
Tabebuia impetiginosa |
D |
V |
L |
M |
| Remarks: Attractive pink and purple flowers. |
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| Jaboticaba |
Myrciaria cauliflora |
E |
V |
H |
S |
| Remarks: Slow to establish. Free flowering. Black fruit of grape-like flavor. |
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| Jerusalem thorn |
Parkinsonia aculeata |
D |
S |
L |
F |
| Remarks: Irregular habit. Late spring flowers. Often picturesque trunk. |
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| Loquat |
Eriobotrya japonica |
E |
R |
H |
F |
| Remarks: Low canopy. Coarse texture. Fragrant late fall or winter. |
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| Madagascar olive |
Noronhia emarginata |
E |
O |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Coarse texture. Durable tree for seaside locations. |
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| Orchid tree |
Bauhinia spp. |
D |
R |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Favored flowers on B. blakeana (medium tree). B. variegata has been evaluated using the UF/IFAS invasive plant criteria and it should be avoided in south Florida. |
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| Pigeon plum |
Coccoloba diversifolia |
E |
V |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Accent tree. Interesting bark. |
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| Pink trumpet tree |
Tabebuia heterophylla |
E |
O |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Excellent street tree. Pink flowers. |
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| Sea grape |
Coccoloba uvifera |
E |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Edible fruit. |
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| Shaving brush |
Pseudobombax ellipticum |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Pink flowers when the tree is bare. |
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| Silver buttonwood |
Conocarpus erectus \var. sericeus |
E |
R |
L |
F |
| Remarks: Very good tolerance for salt. |
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| Silver trumpet tree |
Tabebuia caraiba (T. argentea) |
D |
O |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Attractive yellow flowers. |
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| Sweet acacia |
Acacia farnesiana |
E |
V |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Thorny. Not suitable for play area. |
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| Torch tree |
Dais continifolia |
E |
O |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Good for small patio. Clusters of rosy pink flowers. |
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| Wax myrtle |
Myrica cerifera |
E |
R |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Patio tree. Often multi-stemmed. |
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| Weeping bottlebrush |
Callistemon viminalis |
E |
R |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Weeping habit. Showy red spring flowers. |
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| Yellow elder |
Tecoma stans |
E |
R |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Yellow flowers. |
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| 1Leaf Persistence: E = Evergreen; D = Deciduous2Form: R = Round; V = Vase; S = Spreading; O = Oval; P = Pyramidal3Density of Shade: L = Light; M = Moderate; H = Heavy4Growth Rate: S = Slow; M = Medium; F = Fast |
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| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Leaf Persistence1 |
Form2 |
Shade Density3 |
Growth Rate4 |
| Apple blossom cassia |
Cassia javanica |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Pink and white blossoms with new leaves. |
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| Avocado |
Persea americana |
E |
R |
H |
F |
| Remarks: Edible fruit. Low branching when young. |
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| Bulnesia |
Bulnesia arborea |
E |
S |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Yellow flowers. Growth faster when established. |
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| Buttonwood |
Conocarpus erectus |
E |
V |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Excellent for seaside. Silver-leaved variety smaller. |
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| Fiddle-leaf fig |
Ficus lyrata |
E |
R |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Not very aggressive. |
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| Gumbo limbo |
Bursera simaruba |
D |
R |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Conspicuous bark. |
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| Harpullia |
Harpullia arborea |
E |
R |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Interesting red fruits and black seeds. |
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| Hong kong orchid |
Bauhinia blakeana |
E |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Flowers from late fall to spring. Intense flower color. |
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| Indian laurel |
Calophyllum inophyllum |
E |
O |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Picturesque branches. Fragrant. |
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| Jacaranda |
Jacaranda mimosifolia |
D |
S |
L |
F |
| Remarks: Fern-like foliage. Showy blue flowers in spring. |
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| Karum tree |
Pongamia pinnata |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Litter problem with leaves and pods. |
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| Mimusops |
Manilkara roxburghiana |
E |
R |
H |
S |
| Remarks: Durable in wind. Salt tolerant. Edible fruit. |
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| Norfolk Island pine |
Araucaria heterophylla |
E |
P |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Formal specimen tree. |
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| Paradise tree |
Simarouba glauca |
E |
R |
M |
S |
| Remarks: Pleasing form. Yellow flowers in spring. |
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| Queen crape myrtle |
Lagerstroemia speciosa |
D |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Masses of pink and lavender flowers. Low maintenance. |
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| Red maple |
Acer rubrum |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Suitable for sites with excess moisture. Short lived. |
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| Sausage tree |
Kigelia pinnata |
E |
P |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Messy. |
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| Tamarind |
Tamarindus indica |
E |
R |
M |
S |
| Remarks: High wind resistance. Litter of seed pods. Handsome form. |
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| Weeping podocarpus |
Podocarpus gracilior |
E |
O |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Weeping habit. Fine texture. |
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| West Indian mahogany |
Swietenia mahagoni |
D |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Interesting fruit. |
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| Wild tamarind |
Lysiloma bahamensis |
E |
V |
L |
M |
| Remarks: May lose most of its leaves. |
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| Yellow poiniciana |
Peltophorum pterocarpum |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Yellow flowers. Seed litter. Surface roots may be a problem. |
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| Yellow trumpet |
Tabebuia chrysotricha |
E |
V |
L |
M |
| Remarks: May lose its leaves when yellow blooms appear. |
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| 1Leaf Persistence: E = Evergreen; D = Deciduous2Form: R = Round; V = Vase; S = Spreading; O = Oval; P = Pyramidal3Density of Shade: L = Light; M = Moderate; H = Heavy4Growth Rate: S = Slow; M = Medium; F = Fast |
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| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Leaf Persistence1 |
Form2 |
Shade Density3 |
Growth Rate4 |
| Bald cypress |
Taxodium distichum |
D |
P |
L |
F |
| Remarks: Flat-topped to spreading when mature. Fine foliage. |
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| Black olive |
Bucida buceras |
E |
R |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Tender. Massive with age. |
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| Floss silk tree |
Chorisia speciosa |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Showy pink flowers. Needs plenty of room. |
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| Laurel oak |
Quercus laurifolia |
D |
O |
H |
F |
| Remarks: Appropriate for street plantings. |
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| Litchi, lychee |
Litchi chinensis |
E |
R |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Edible, colorful fruit. Excellent specimen and shade tree. |
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| Live oak |
Quercus virginiana |
E |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Long-lived. Little maintenance. Fine avenue tree. |
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| Mango |
Mangifera indica |
E |
R |
H |
M |
| Remarks: Edible fruit. |
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| Red silk cotton tree |
Bombax ceiba |
D |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Spiny trunk and branches. Red to orange-red flowers in winter. |
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| Royal poinciana |
Delonix regia |
D |
S |
M |
F |
| Remarks: Litter problem. Attractive orange-red flowers. |
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| Shortleaf fig |
Ficus citrifolia |
E |
S |
M |
M |
| Remarks: Native. |
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| 1Leaf Persistence: E = Evergreen; D = Deciduous2Form: R = Round; V = Vase; S = Spreading; O = Oval; P = Pyramidal3Density of Shade: L = Light; M = Moderate; H = Heavy4Growth Rate: S = Slow; M = Medium; F = Fast |
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1. This document is ENH-50 (which supersedes OH-50), one of a series of the Department of Environmental Horticulture, Florida cooperative extension service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Date first printed: September 1982. Reviewed: June 1997. Revised: October 2003. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
2. R.J. Black, professor emeritus, Department of Environmental Horticulture, 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.