Flowering & Shade Trees: F - Z
Notes:
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-- indicates plants commonly available in nurseries and/or garden centers in south Florida
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© indicates Florida native plants
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indicates plants that can tolerate wet soils or occasional flooding.
Click on linked scientific names for photos and/or more information.
Common name |
Size |
Light |
Salt tolerance |
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fern tree |
20-35 |
Sun or Shade |
None |
Striking, albeit slow-growing, evergreen ornamental with dense, rounded crown. Small, white flowers. Compound leaves resemble ferns. Fruit purple, olive-like, and forms in clusters. Often two or three trunks. |
Lignum vitae ¨© UF Fact Sheet(91KB pdf) |
6-25 |
Full sun |
High |
Attractive, native, slow-growing large shrub to small tree, with blue flowers year round—but best in spring. Flowers followed by yellow seed pods which pop open to reveal shiny, bright red seeds. Extremely dense, prized wood. |
Longleaf blolly © |
30 |
Full sun to light shade |
High |
Attractive native shade tree, especially for beach front. Hardy and adaptable. Greenish flowers insignificant. Female trees bear small, red berries. |
Krug holly ¨© |
30 |
Partial shade |
High |
Native tropical holly with glossy foliage and black fruits. Well adapted to south Florida. Small, reddish berries ripen to black. |
Jacaranda ¨ UF Fact Sheet (104KB pdf) |
30-50 |
Full sun |
None |
Outstanding, showy, lavender-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers in late spring, followed by lacy, fern like foliage. Will succeed on poor soils if freely draining. Can be susceptible to root rot. Roots can lift sidewalk and wood is liable to break in storms. |
Chinese juniper UF Fact Sheet (154KB pdf) |
2-50 |
Full sun |
Low-Moderate |
See description in “Shrubs & Hedges” above. |
Black ironwood © |
30 |
Full sun to light shade |
Low |
See description in “Shrubs & Hedges” above. |
Wild tamarind ¨© |
40-60 |
Full Sun |
Moderate |
Attractive native, fast-growing tree, providing broken shade. Bipinnately compound leaves and small, white/pink, pom-pon flowers followed by brown seed pods. |
Horseradish tree |
25 |
Full sun |
Low |
Attractive panicles of fragrant, cream-colored flowers, particularly when climate is dry. With prolonged drought, can loose leaves, but recovers. Needs good drainage. |
Simpson’s stopper ¨© UF Fact Sheet(36KB pdf) |
6-20 |
Full sun to partial shade |
High |
One of the most beautiful and ornamental native woody plants. Densely branched, densely leafy large shrub to small tree. Pure white, puffy flowers followed by large, bright orange berries which contrast with dark foliage. Attractive to birds. |
Wax myrtle ¨©Myrica cerifera UF Fact Sheet(185KB pdf) |
10-25 |
Full sun to partial shade |
Low |
Native, clumping, fast-growing shrub to small tree with small, evergreen leaves, inconspicuous flowers, and waxy gray fruit attached to twigs. Leaves and fruit smell like bayberry. Tolerates periodic flooding. Natural insect repellant. Attracts birds. |
Fried egg tree |
10-15 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Spiny shrub or small tree. Finely serrated, deep green leaves. Prominent, sharp 1-2" spines. Showy 3" flowers with white petals surrounding prominent array of bright yellow stamens and bearing melon like fragrance. Large, hard-shelled berries. |
Allspice ¨ |
40 |
Full sun |
Low |
Attractive, peeling bark and edible fruit. Glossy, deep green, oblong to elliptical leaves with prominent veins on undersides. Crushed foliage has clove-like scent. |
Slash pine ¨ UF Fact Sheet(137KB pdf) |
30-60 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
South Florida’s only native pine. Difficult to establish on home site. Best when planted in a group. Will not survive compacted soil. Borers and rust can be problems. |
Jamaican dogwood © |
30-50 |
Full sun |
High |
Attractive, deciduous, native tree with dark green leaves and masses of white flowers prior to leafing out in spring. Poisonous. |
Rusty pittosporum |
20 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Insignificant flowers, but colorful orange berries. Relatively pest and disease free. |
Frangipani, plumeria ¨ UF Fact Sheet(137KB pdf) |
25-40 |
Full sun |
High |
Unusual form and very showy, fragrant flowers. Good for sheltered coastal locations away from beach-front. Roots brittle, so larger trees more difficult to install. Leaves prone to rust (fungus) during wet season. |
Podocarpus ¨ |
5-40 |
Full sun to partial shade |
None |
Evergreen shrub or tree with needle-like leaves. Makes an excellent hedge. Bears small, bluish ‘berries’. |
Live oak ¨© UF Fact Sheet(169KB pdf) |
40-50 |
Full sun |
High |
Impressive, undemanding, native tree—but not for small lots. Caterpillars, insect galls, and root rot sometimes a problem. |
Rain tree |
30-40 |
Full |
Low |
Impressive tropical tree resembling live oak in form but faster growing. Attractive pink flowers with prominent red stamens, mostly spring to summer, followed by seed pods. Needs plenty of space for extensive roots; not for small lots. |
Soapberry © UF Fact Sheet(63KB pdf) |
20-60 |
Full sun |
High |
Native tree with broad crown, dense foliage, and attractive yellow fruit. Excellent shade tree for small yards. Seeds poisonous. |
False mastic © |
50-70 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Large tree with pale, bright yellow, fragrant flowers in summer. Fruit ripen in late winter. Principal landscape attributes, ability to thrive on infertile, alkaline soils and excellent resistance to storms. Also known as Mastichodendronfoetidissimum. |
African tulip tree UF Fact Sheet(154KB pdf) |
50-80 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Showy when in bloom, but blossoms and fruit messy. Drought tolerant once established. Weak wood; older trees particularly prone to break up. |
Mahogany ¨©Swietenia mahogani UF Fact Sheet) (144KB pdf) |
40-75 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Attractive, storm resistant tree. Foliage and stems can be disfigured by insect pests. Falling woody cones can damage vehicles. Prized, deep reddish colored wood. |
Tamarind ¨ UF Fact Sheet(141KB pdf) |
50-90 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Attractive feathery foliage, fissured bark, and yellow/red flowers. Pods contain edible pulp. Highly wind resistant. May need chelated iron on limestone soils. |
Tetrazygia, West Indian lilac ¨© UF Fact Sheet(41KB pdf) |
6-40 |
Full sun to light shade |
Low |
Extremely ornamental, native, tropical shrub to small tree. Beautiful white and yellow flowers followed by purple-black berries, highly attractive to birds. Elegant, glossy, dark green foliage. Cannot be used as hedge, as branches die when pruned. |
Walter’s viburnum, black haw © UF Fact Sheet(104KB pdf) |
12-30 |
Full sun to partial shade |
Low |
Native large shrub to small tree with attractive, pure white blossoms in spring, before leaves fully developed. Flowers followed by berries that turn from green to pink to red to purplish-black in the fall. Ideal as a hedge. |
Wild lime © |
20 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Attractive tree with recurved spines, lime scented foliage, and insignificant yellow flowers. Attracts butterflies. |
Indian jujubeZizyphus mauritiana |
40 |
Full sun |
Moderate |
Attractive weeping habit and fissured bark. Scattered small spines. Light green, miniature, apple-like fruit. Withstands drought and temporary inundation. Grows well on limestone soils. Rust disfigures leaves but not seriously. |
Plant Categories
- Perennials
- Annuals
- Shrubs & Hedges (A-Ci)
- Shrubs & Hedges (Cl-Ha)
- Shrubs & Hedges (He-P)
- Shrubs & Hedges (R-Z)
- Flowering & Shade Trees (A-E)
- Flowering & Shade Trees (F-Z)
- Fruit Trees
- Palms, Cycads & Palm-like Plants (A-E)
- Palms, Cycads & Palm-like Plants (G-Z)
- Ornamental Grasses
- Groundcovers (A-I)
- Groundcovers (J-Z)
- Herbs & Vegetables
- Vines
- Epiphytes