Explore The Outdoors With This Florida Trees Identification Guide

By April Briggs


Florida is a tree lover's paradise with more than 300 native species growing in all regions. In addition to native species, the state has become home to a variety of exotic trees and plants that have made their way north. This Florida trees identification guide offers an introduction to just a few of the native trees growing in the state.

Two different varieties of sand pine are found in Florida. They are the Ocala and the Choctawatchtee variations. The Ocala grows in southern and northeastern regions. Its serotinous cones fail to open unless they are exposed to intensely high temperatures. The bark turns gray over time after starting out brownish-red. This variety has a rounded or flattened crown that grows symmetrically. The Choctawatchtee variety is found in the northwest part of the state and produces cones that are non-serotinous.

The white mangrove prefers the shorelines of estuaries and bays growing beyond the water line. It thrives in wet soil that is stagnant. It has no aerial roots, which are common in other types of mangroves. The light green leaf has two glands at its base and is elliptical in shape.

The adaptable laurel oak can grow in dry or wet habitats. It is a fast-growing tree, so it is a favorite with commercial and residential landscapers. The tree has a symmetrically round or oval crown and the trunk may be as big around as four feet. It reaches heights of 60 feet or more and grows small brown catkins in the springtime.

The myrtle oak lives on dunes and hammocks along the coast or in sandy soil in scrubland. It may grow up to 40 feet tall or remain short. Its leaves are approximately 1.5 inches long and grow downward along the edges. The leaves are usually yellowish to rusty in color.

The coastalplain willow is found along the banks of lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, shrub swamps, and open wet forests. This is a deciduous tree that grows from 25 to 30 feet high and is common throughout much of Southern Florida. The leaves are up to seven inches long and are alternate with fine serrate margins.

The turkey oak is an important food source for various wildlife species, including deer, black bears, and turkeys. It gets its unusual name because the leaves are shaped like a turkey foot with a minimum of three lobes and a maximum of seven. It thrives in woodlands of oak and pine and in dry pinelands and can grow to more than 50 feet tall.

As a host plant for Swallowtail butterflies, the swamp bay is important to the state's ecosystem. The light green leaves of this evergreen tree are shiny on the upper surface and lighter green underneath with reddish hairs growing from them. It bears fruit that is an elongated drupe and a dark shade of blue that is nearly black.

The southern magnolia is another tree popular with Florida property owners. It grows large flowers that are 8 inches long. The flowers are cream or white colored and produce a pleasing fragrance. The cone-like fruit grows silky threads with red berries hanging from them during the summertime. It thrives in bottomland forests and Mesic upland woodlands.




About the Author:



0 komentar on Explore The Outdoors With This Florida Trees Identification Guide :

Posting Komentar