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South Florida's Small Palm Trees - How to Use Them in Your Landscape

Palm trees, including small palms less than 20 feet tall, can be found all over Florida. Their tropical look and versatile nature make them a great addition to any South Florida landscape. Most people wouldn’t consider a 20 feet tall palm tree a “small palm” but when there are others that can grow to heights of 80 feet, this likely puts things in perspective.

Small palms can be used in combination to provide a look that compliments your home using their various sizes, colors, textures and shapes. There are even some larger palms that are slow growers which many people utilize as a “small palm”. Just make sure to do your research when it comes to the ultimate size of a tree or plant before planting in your South Florida landscape. You wouldn’t want to have to remove a tree in 5 years because it outgrew the area it was planted in.

WAYS TO USE IN YOUR LANDSCAPE

Solo - plant your small palm by itself to make a statement. This is ideal for small yards, small houses and mobile homes.

A shade tree – a small palm can be planted in front of windows in your home in order to reduce the sun’s intensity.

Privacy – plant them along your property line, fence, and around the patio screen in order to gain some additional privacy.

Near the entry of your home as a focal plant

Inside your screened-in patio (certain types)

As a landscape bed anchor or accent…depending on the size of the bed

Anchor at the corner of your home

Understory planting between much larger palms in order to take away from their unsightly trunks

In the center of a circular driveway

In large pots used on the patio or around the pool

I’d recommend planting palms in conjunction with shrubs and plants in order to beautify your landscape and provide a complete and cohesive look. These plants can be planted around the trunks of the palms in order to take away from the sometimes unsightly look from the trunks.

Some palms grow their fronds close to the ground or full to the ground and are best used as a backdrop for other smaller plants that give off color and/or flowers.

Below is a list of some of my favorite and most widely used small palm trees in South Florida landscapes. Feel free to click on any of the trees to learn more about whether this is something that would work well in your yard.

Areca Palm

Arikury Palm

Bamboo Palm

Bottle Palm

Buccaneer Palm

Cat Palm

Christmas Palm (Adonidia)

European Fan/Mediterranean Fan Palm

Florida Thatch Palm

Lady Palm

Pindo Palm

Robellini/Pygmy Date Palm

Spindle Palm

Windmill Palm

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Add Some Color to Your South Florida Landscape With a Small Flowering Tree

Looking to add some color to your South Florida landscape? The best place to start is with a small flowering tree and design around it and any other trees in your yard. A small tree is one that is less than 20 feet tall at full maturity. It can be used as a main tree in a small landscape or as an accent in a larger landscape. Many of these trees are actually shrubs that are trained into a single trunk (called standards) or they may have multiple trunks.

Most of the flowering trees listed below will flower on and off throughout the year. Some are deciduous and will lose their leaves in the winter but since our winters are short and all of your other plantings will remain full of color, don’t be deterred to use one. There are many uses and applications for small flowering trees including:

Near the entry of the home

As an anchor to provide some height to your landscape

Provide an accent at the corner of the home

Placed around or between larger trees to draw focus away from their trunks. Only do this if the taller tree’s canopy allows for light to come through (like a palm tree) otherwise the flowering tree may not bloom to its full potential.

Lining a long driveway

A nook or resting area in the backyard

Part of a butterfly garden

One thing to keep in mind is that flowering trees draw attention to whatever area they’re planted in. This means you should not use them in an area that you’re trying to cover-up or hide something…like a tree trunk or sewage cleanout, etc. In this type of situation, you’d be better off using a green plant since it will blend in with the surrounding environment.

When picking a small flowering tree for your South Florida landscape you’ll want to consider these factors before purchasing:

Height – Small trees will range in height from 5 feet to 20 feet tall.

Distance planted from the home – Some trees need a lot of room between its trunk and the exterior wall and roof of your home. Others can be planted a lot closer. Make sure to do your research if looking for this type of anchor tree.

Canopy size – The trees listed below have all different canopy sizes and density. This is important especially considering what will be planted under and around the tree and their lighting needs.

Safety – Some flowering trees have thorns on them which can easily puncture skin or worse. Be aware of this type of risk especially if you have children.

Growth rate – Trees grow at different rates to different sizes. If you’re looking for a tree that will be 15ft tall and is 8ft tall when you buy it, consider the amount of time it’ll take to get to its full height. It could take 15 years!

Light requirements – Most flowering trees need a good amount of sun to bloom but some trees (like Tibouchina) will not do well in direct sunlight. Make sure that you choose a tree that can flourish in its location in your landscape.

Wind tolerance – Make sure to consider this if you’re planting in an open area. Certain trees cannot tolerate high (or even moderate) winds. Trees that are susceptible to windy conditions should be planted in an area where they’re protected from the wind, like on the side of your home.

Soil conditions – Different trees have different soil and drainage needs. Some trees like dry conditions and others prefer moist. If you’re planting in an area of your landscape that doesn’t have good drainage, make sure to consider this when choosing your flowering tree.

Pruning needs – Some trees will require a lot more work in order to achieve the goal of colorful blooms throughout the year. Certain trees like Crape Myrtle need to be cut back at the end of each winter to achieve their maximum potential. Other trees like Bougainvillea will need to be trimmed every other month in order to keep their shape.

Flower color – You should consider more than just choosing your favorite color when it comes down to picking a small flowering tree. Make sure to also choose a color that compliments or contrasts the color of your home. For example: you’d want to avoid using a Desert Cassia in front of your yellow house since its blooms are yellow and the beauty would be washed away with your home in the background.

So now that you’re somewhat knowledgeable on South Florida small flowering trees it’s time to pick one that will thrive in your landscape. Click on the trees below to find out more about each one.

Bottlebrush (Red Cluster)

Bottlebrush (Weeping)

Bougainvillea

Crape Myrtle

Desert Cassia/Cassia Surattensis

Frangipani

Geiger

Golden Dewdrop

Hibiscus

Jatropha

Magnolia – Little Gem

Oleander

Parkinsonia

Tibouchina

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Curb Appeal and Real Estate Value

We’ve all seen the shows on HGTV where they continuously express how important curb appeal is when selling your home. It’s estimated that a complete landscaping job can improve the value of your South Florida home anywhere from 5% - 20%. If you’re selling your home for $400k, this means that landscaping could increase your value somewhere between $20,000 - $80,000.

Let’s use the same scenario as above and pretend you have a house that is going to be listed at $400k with a very shabby yard in a very nice neighborhood. Your home looks decent from the outside but your neighbor’s houses all have more curb appeal and better landscaping. It’s time for you to consider a small investment. A complete landscaping job will include removing many of the existing plants and shrubs and perhaps even a couple of trees. In its place you’ll have to add new plants, trees, annuals, rock, mulch, sod, edging and landscape lighting to get the maximum value your curb appeal can offer. This investment can range anywhere from $1500 - $10,000+ depending on the current condition of your landscape and how much needs to be improved. For our example, let’s say that the landscaping job at hand will cost $6000 and take 2 days to complete. When completed, this investment will make your home one of the nicest looking in the entire neighborhood. Your value will increase by 8% which is $32,000. You’re making an additional profit of $26,000 just for being smart enough to spend $6k on a complete landscape design & install before selling your home.

In addition to the landscape design & install, you’ll want to make sure that you follow these tips to maximizing the profit from your curb appeal:

·         Keep your yard weed free

·         Add some potted plants and flowers near the front door to make it more inviting

·         Keep the garden beds mulched and the lawn edged to maintain a clean appearance

·         Keep the lawn mowed and watered

·         Pressure clean your driveway and walkway

A positive first impression can pay huge dividends when it comes to selling your home. It can be the difference between someone just driving by or stopping in to see more. Don’t make the mistake of losing a potential buyer just because you didn’t have time this week to mow your lawn.

Whether you’re a homeowner looking to maximize the profit of the sale of your home or a realtor selling your client’s home at its full potential value; landscaping will only help you, not hurt you. Listen to those folks on HGTV; I’m pretty sure they know what they’re talking about.

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Planting and Caring for New Trees

In South Florida landscapes trees are essential when it comes to offering aesthetics, providing shade which reduces energy use in your home, and providing a home for wildlife to live in. Whether you’re adding an additional tree to your landscape or replacing one that is sick or dead, here are some tips to help you get the job done right the first time.

 PLANTING YOUR NEW TREE

·         Before you begin, look around and make sure there are no obstructions that would prevent your tree from growing properly. Whether it’s a sidewalk, a home exterior wall or a powerline. Be conscious of any obstacles that your tree could encounter in the future.

·         Dig a hole about twice the width of the root ball of your tree at a depth where the root collar is even with or slightly above the soil surface.  The root collar of your tree is the point where the uppermost root emerges from the trunk. You may have to remove some soil from the tree root ball in order to determine where the collar is.

·         Slide the tree into the hole in the position you want it in. This is especially important when planting double and triple trunk trees where the trunks grow out at angles. Begin filling the hole with excavated soil while making sure the tree is straight. Compress the soil with your foot to stabilize the tree.

·         Thoroughly water the root ball and surrounding area of the tree. Add more soil if necessary.

·         Add 3” of mulch around the tree extending 4’ in each direction. Make sure to leave a 6” gap between the trunk of the tree and the mulch in order to provide proper air circulation

·         Stake the tree if necessary. This is a normal step when planting canopy and ornamental trees in South Florida landscapes when they’re top heavy or might be subject to windy conditions .  Make sure to remove the stakes within 1 year.

 CARING FOR YOUR NEW TREE

·         Water your tree frequently to help roots become established. For the first 2 months, make sure to deeply water 2-3 times per week. This can be achieved via hand watering with a hose or a bubbler as part of your irrigation system.

·         After the first couple of months, provide normal weekly irrigation to make sure your new tree is receiving 2-3 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter. This can usually be achieved with a standard irrigation system.

·         Start pruning your tree early to establish a single dominant trunk. This will ensure that the tree grows strong and stable and can resist high South Florida winds.

·         Don’t worry about fertilizing your newly planted tree unless it shows signs that it’s needed. Usually trees will come with a slow release fertilizer in the soil when purchased from the nursery.

…And that’s it! Doesn’t seem so hard for all you landscape DIY folks. Follow these tips and you should be on your way to having a healthy and beautiful new tree in your South Florida landscape.

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How To: South Florida Butterfly Garden

Coconut Creek, Florida is known as the butterfly capital of the world. This is largely because it is home to the world’s largest butterfly aviary, Butterfly World, which has more than 80 species and over 5000 total butterflies. This is a key indicator that all of us in the Coconut Creek and South Florida area have the ability to turn our landscapes into beautiful butterfly habitats with a little knowledge and DIY landscaping ability.

The first thing one should know when thinking about creating a butterfly garden is the type of butterfly garden you actually want. Butterflies go through 4 stages of life: egg, caterpillar (larva), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. All stages are dependent on certain butterfly plants. These plants are broken up into 2 categories: host plants and nectar plants.

Host, or larval plants, attract female butterflies who lay their eggs on the plant. These eggs hatch and become caterpillars. These caterpillars eat the host plant, shedding their skin several times as they grow out of it, until the pupa stage. The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa and the metamorphosis is complete. If you’re planning to include this type of plant in your butterfly garden you should know that it might get a bit messy. The leaves on the host plant will be eaten all the time (though they usually grow back fine) and issues from other types of insects can’t be remedied with insecticide since this will kill the caterpillars also.

Adult butterflies need nectar plants to feed. These plants are much easier to maintain than the host plants. The butterflies use their proboscis like a straw to drink the nectar from flowers. They’re cold blooded so they like “laying out” in order to warm up their body temperature. To provide an area for them to bask in, you can just lay out some flat stones or areas of mulch near the nectar plants. Male butterflies like to drink from puddles of water which allows them to absorb the salts which helps with fertility. You can add a shallow water source with some sand and rocks in it which the butterflies can land on and drink from.

Now that you know a little bit about the different types of butterfly gardens you should now be able to make a decision on which one (or both) you’d like to create. The plants listed below should help your South Florida butterfly garden flourish. Good luck!

Host Plants

·         Milk Weed – attracts Monarch butterflies

·         Pipe vine – attracts the Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies

·         Passion vine – attracts Passion butterflies, gulf fritillary and more

·         Cassia (shrub or tree) – attracts cloudless sulphur, sleepy orange, and orange-barred sulphur butterflies

·         False Nettle – attracts red admiral butterflies

·         Coontie – the only plant that attracts the rare Atala butterfly

 Nectar Plants

·         Salvia – attracts monarch butterflies (and honey bees if that’s your thing)

·         Spanish Needles (it’s actually a weed) – attracts dainty sulphur and Florida duskywing butterflies

·         Cosmos  – attracts various butterflies

·         Pentas – attracts Monarch, gulf fritillary, and various other butterflies

·         Zinnias – attracts various butterflies

·         Firebush – attracts various butterflies

·         Jatropha tree – attracts various butterflies

·         Lantana – attracts swallowtail, birdwing, skippers, and other butterflies

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Mowing Your Lawn: Bag the Clippings or Not?

It’s 8:30 AM on Saturday morning. You went out last night but still woke up early just so you could beat the South Florida heat while cutting your lawn. You fuel up your mower and pull it out of the garage. It’s time to get to work. Should you attach the bag for the clippings? It depends and here’s why…

Leaving the bag off your mower and letting the clippings lie where they fall on the grass is the easy way out; it’s also usually the smarter choice. Besides not needing to expend additional energy disposing of the cut grass, the clippings actually provide nutrients which promote a fuller and healthier lawn. Nitrogen encourages green growth and is the most important nutrient for grass. The clippings contain about 4% nitrogen and it’s been found that just leaving your clippings will provide about 25% of your annual nitrogen needs. This means that you’ll save money on fertilizer in the long run.

So why do they even bother to sell mowers with bags on them if it’s better for your lawn not to use it? There are certain instances where bagging your clippings is the smarter choice. In South Florida, mowing your lawn regularly means once every other week in the cold months and once per week in the hot months. If you keep up with this schedule, you probably won’t ever need to bag those clippings. On the other hand, if you don’t, you might want to keep that bag handy.

When cutting your grass, it’s not a great idea to cut more than 1/3 of the total grass blade since doing so will cause stress to your lawn. Because you should leave your lawn 2.5” – 3” tall, you really shouldn’t let it grow taller than 4.5” before mowing. If it does grow taller than this, it’s time to use the bag or increase the cutting height of your mower. If your grass clippings are too long and you leave them behind, they can prevent sunlight and water from reaching the soil which will ultimately hurt your lawn instead of help it.

It’s recommended to cut your grass when its dry but sometimes we can’t wait. If you need to mow it when it’s a little wet, you should definitely use the bag. The wet grass clippings clump together and get matted which also prevents sunlight and water from reaching the soil.

So what have we learned? If you do not deviate from a normal mowing schedule and also don’t mow your lawn when it’s wet, you’ll probably never need to use your mower’s bag. However, if you’re not perfect (which most of us aren’t) then you’ll want to keep that bag handy; every once in a while a scenario will occur when it’s smarter to bag your clippings than leaving them on the ground.

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Rock or Mulch?

The South Florida sun is unwavering in its mission to make our homes the hottest place on Earth. Maybe this statement is a slight exaggeration but I believe we can all agree that summer’s in the Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county areas are brutal. So what does this intense heat mean for the plants in your South Florida landscape? At a minimum, water loss…and this isn’t good for that landscape you spent all that money on.

So now that we know that leaving your South Florida plantbed with bare soil is a DIY landscaping No-No, which should you use…rock or mulch? Let’s explore the pros and cons of each.

Cost

Organic mulches such as shredded bark, wood chips or compost are significantly cheaper than river rock…in the short term. The initial cost of river rock is usually about 3-5 times what you’ll pay for mulch. However, if you take into account the fact that river rock will never decompose and usually won’t need to be replaced, the cost of rock could end up being cheaper in the long run. If cost is important to you, consider using river rock in areas of permanent installations like around trees and shrubs. Use mulch around annual plantings.

Soil Nutrition

Most people don’t realize that mulch can actually provide a source of nutrients for the soil which lies under it. Mulches made from bark, wood and other sources decay over time and provide a renewable source of nutrients to the plants and trees around it. This is similar to the logic that when mowing your lawn, you should let the grass clippings fall to the ground (instead of bagging) because this will act as fertilization. River rock, on the other hand, provides no additional nutrients. The plants grown under it will probably need additional fertilization.

Maintenance

Mulch will fade, harden and clump together after a while. For this reason, it must be removed and replaced over time. Personally, I recommend doing this twice per year or at least a minimum of once per year. River rock may require washing or an additional layer of rocks over time but shouldn’t need to be completely replaced.

Weed Control

River rock does a great job at keeping weeds under control without restricting water and air movement. Some weeds will still find a way through so some hand weeding should be expected. Mulch is also a deterrent but doesn’t do quite as good a job as rock.

Water Conservation

Both river rock and mulch are used to conserve water in the soil that lay beneath them. This is extremely important in our South Florida climate unless you’re running your irrigation system every single day (which nearly all of us aren’t doing). Mulch, however, does a better job than rock at keeping your soil moist. If water conservation is important to you, mulch is the better choice.

So now that you’ve done your research, which should you choose? Personally, I prefer to use a hybrid of both. When you add aesthetics into the mix of cost, soil nutrition, maintenance, weed control and water conservation; the combination of colors and materials is very attractive and an additional benefit. Whichever you decide to use, your landscape will thank you for it year after year with full, colorful and healthy plants.

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