Flowering Trees for South Florida Stephen H. Brown Lee County Extension 2010
Tree Definition Tree: A woody perennial plant having a single usu. Elongate main stem generally with few or no branches on its lower part. Treelet (treelike). Having two or more small trunks with few or no branches on their lower parts. Standard: A bush made into a small tree by creating a single main stem.
South Florida Conditions Subtropical, zone 10a Minimum winter temperature 30 F For the most part, this only allows for plants of tropical origins
Our Area Sandy, dry soils, low fertility Distinct wet and dry seasons Distinct cool/dry and hot/humid seasons
What Causes Plants to Flower? Photoperiod (change in daylight length) Change from wet to dry, or dry to wet, season Sudden end of life, i.e. Melalecua, citrus Change from cool to warm, or warm to cool Rarely, don t count on, fertilizer applications
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Tabebuia aurea 1-13 1-20 1-27 2-3 2-10 2-17 2-24 3-3 3-10 3-17 3-24 3-31 4-7 4-14 4-21 observation Date 50 % line blooming, % of max
Effects of Winter Temperatures on Bloom Period Numbers of days in Fort Myers, Florida, with winter temperatures at or below 50 F, 40 F and 35 F Historical Average Winter Days 50 F Days 40 F Days 35 F 0 0 0 2008-2009 28 days 05 01 2009-2010 47 days 09 04
Effects of Winter Temperatures on Bloom Period
Effects of Winter Temperatures on Bloom Period
Effects of Winter Temperatures on Bloom Period
Solitary: Flowers or fruits borne singly, not in clusters. I.e. Magnolia, sea hibiscus, Surinam cherry (Eugenia).
Tubular:.
Funnelform: Tabebuias
Salverform: Oleander; Plumeria
Staminous: A
Caesalpinaceous: A
Composite: A
Inflorescence: The arrangement of flowers in a cluster, or the cluster of flowers itself rather than the arrangement.
Umbel: An indeterminate, often flat-topped inflorescence, with several or many pedicellate flowers arising from a common point of attachment.
Cyme: A flat-topped, usually few flowered inflorescence in which the central, terminal flowers open in advance of the outer ones.
Spike: An unbranched, simple, elongate inflorescence bearing sessile (stemless) or subsessile flowers. Examples: Black olive; earleaf acacia; bottle brush; melaleuca; tropical almond; Australian pine (male).
Examples: Cassia, maple, yellow elder, toog, gumbo limbo, orchid trees, royal poinciana, sweet gum. Raceme: An inflorescence on which individual flowers are carried on short stems of approximately equal length and are borne on an unbranched main stem.
Examples: Jacaranda, mango, buttonwood, avocado, crape myrtle. Panicle: An inflorescence with several branches, either opposite or alternate; a branched raceme.
Acacia farnesiana Sweet acacia C+ November February Evergreen or Deciduous High salt tolerance High drought tolerance Spines Great, spicy fragrance
Acacia farnesiana Sweet acacia Double spines is a feature of Acacia Trees Flowers, Leaves, and spines grow from the same axils
Acacia farnesiana Sweet acacia Prefers dry soils. Is short-lived and can toppled in wet soils. Sweet and spicy aroma from yellow flower balls. The scent accompanies the flowers at all times but the hot sun seems to intensify the aroma.
Acacia farnesiana Sweet acacia Leaves: Even-bipinnate, alternate, 2-4 inches long with 2-6 pairs of pinnae each with 10-25 pairs of narrow leaflets Flowers: Staminous, bright yellow ball, very fragrant, about 1.5 inches long and ½ inches across Fruits: Pods, green, thick, becoming black with age; 3 inches long and slightly curved
Acacia Choriophylla Cinnercord, thornless Acacia
Acacia choriophylla Cinnercord, thornless Acacia A Evergreen High salt tolerance High drought tolerance 15 x10
Acacia auriculiformis Earleaf Acacia Flower Display: C Origin: Northern Australia, New Guinea Salt tolerance: Medium Drought Tol.: High Nutritional Req: Low Growth Rate: Fast Dimension: 40 x40 Messiness: High
Acacia auriculiformis Earleaf Acacia
Acacia auriculiformis Earleaf Acacia
Adenium obesum Desert Rose Flower Display: A Origin: Egypt to Kenya, west to Senegal Salt tolerance: Medium Drought Tol.: High Nutritional Req: Medium Growth Rate: Slow Dimension: 4 x4 Messiness: Medium
Adenium obesum Desert Rose A short, fat succulent that flowers abundantly on-and-off throughout much of the year. It develops a few irregularly spaced, smooth branches. Plants from seeds naturally develop the fat lower trunks. Plants from cuttings will not produce the fat bottoms unless, when repotted, they are raised increasingly higher exposing fresh roots. Some of these roots will enlarge to create the swollen bottoms
Adenium obesum Desert Rose Flowers: Salverform, from deep purplish red, through pink, to white, to 3 inches long, on terminal corymbs
Adenium obesum Desert Rose Leaves: Simple, spathulate, deep green, glossy, in terminal whorls Fruits: Follicle, dehiscent, to 4 inches long, usually held in pairs
Adenium obesum Desert Rose Oleander relative and thus also affected by the oleander caterpillar
Adenium obesum Desert Rose Aphids, mealybugs, scales, and spider mites may be occasional problems. Oleander caterpillars can eat all the leaves of a plant in short order. However, complete releafing is quick and normally occurs about four weeks after defoliation. Control caterpillars with B.t. or hand pick them from the plant while wearing gloves.
Bauhinia purpurea Purple Orchid Tree B+ October November Briefly Semi Deciduous Spiderlike and floppy Flowers with it leaves Exotic invasive
Bauhinia purpurea Purple Orchid Tree
Bauhinia purpurea Fall Orchid Tree, Orchid Tree Weak, woody and messy. Also listed as an invasive species.
Bauhinia variegata Spring Orchid Tree A+ February March Evergreen or Deciduous Low salt tolerance High drought tolerance Exotic invasive
Bauhinia variegata Spring Orchid Tree
Bauhinia variegata Spring Orchid Tree
Bauhinia variegata Spring Orchid Tree B. Variegata L. Candida
Bauhinia variegata Spring Orchid Tree
Bauhinia x blakeana Hong Kong Orchid A+ November February Semi-deciduous Garden, Park, Shade, Streetscape Sterile, no pods 30'x25'
Bauhinia x blakeana Hong Kong Orchid Probably a hybrid between B. purpurea and B. variegata. A sterile tree. It produces no pods.
Which is Which?
Which is Which? B. blakeana B. variegata B. purpurea B. variegata
Bombax ceiba Bombax malabaricum A February March Deciduous February April Low salt tolerance 80 x60
Bombax ceiba Red-Silk Cotton, Bombax Flowers: Heavy, 6 inch wide flower having 5 satiny red or orange petals reflexing strongly after opening Fruits: Capsules, oval woody to 6 inches long filled with small cotton-covered seeds
Bombax ceiba Red-Silk Cotton, Bombax Leaves: Palmate, to 24 inches long, with rarely 3-4, and commonly 5-7 lanceolate leaflets, up to 10 inches long, attached to a long flexible petiole
Caesalpinia pulcherrima Dwarf Poinciana, Barbados Fence Post A May January Semi deciduous or Deciduous Dangling seed pods Pruning to keep tidy Container, Garden, Screen, Specimen
Prune in fall for best flowering throughout the year. To avoid winter s messy look, to encourage new growth, and possible late winter flowering, prune only 18 to 20 inches off each branches in early to mid fall. It makes a beautiful informal row of small trees, each tree often with several trunks.
Caesalpinia pulcherrima Dwarf Poinciana Leaves: Even-bipinnate, to 16 inches long, with stout petiole, 4-9 pairs of even pinnae, 5-12 pairs of oblong to obovate leaflets often with slight notch Fruits: Pods, flatten, blackish or dark brown, oblong, to 5 inch long with 5-8 shiny brown flat seeds
Caesalpinia pulcherrima Dwarf Poinciana, Barbados Fence Post Flowers: Caesalpinaceous, yellow, red or pink, with 5 wavey obovate petals and 10 long threadlike stamens
Callistemon citrinus Lemmon Bottlebrush B Growth Rate: Medium Flowering Month(s): March - May Typical Dimension: 15'x14' Salt Tolerance: Medium Drought Tolerance: Medium Nutritional Req: Medium
Callistemon citrinus Lemmon Bottlebrush
Callistemon viminalis Weeping Bottlebrush B; January May; Medium salt tolerance; Medium drought tolerance; 21 X 30 ; Garden, Park, Shade
Callistemon viminalis Weeping Bottlebrush
Calliandra haematocephala Powderpuff Tree, Red Powderpuff Tree Flower Display: B Origin: Tropical America Salt tolerance: Low Drought Tol.: High Growth Rate: Medium; Nutritional Req: Medium Dimension: 4 x4 ; Messiness: Medium
Calliandra haematocephala Powderpuff Tree, Red Powderpuff Tree
Calliandra haematocephala Powderpuff Tree, Red Powderpuff Tree Attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and mockingbirds Thornbugs, caterpillars, scales and mites Tree, 14 x18
Calliandra surinamensis Pink Powderpuff B October April Evergreen Low Salt Tolerance High Drought Tolerance 15 x25 Container, Garden, Park, Patio, Poolside, Streetscape
Calotropis gigantea Giant Milkweed C Flowers yearround High salt tolerance High drought tolerance 12 x15 Container, Garden, Poolside, Seaside
The corolla has 5 showy petals that are whitish and tinged with purple at the apex. The fruit is a follicle, kidneyshaped, 2.7 to 4 inches long.
Cananga odorata Ylang-Ylang C February June Evergreen Low salt tolerance Very fast growing perfume and massage oil 35 x16
Cananga odorata Ylang-Ylang A leafy evergreen, it holds the drooping flowers along its bowing branches. Although large and borne in profusion, the flowers do not stand out amongst the greenness of the foliage. Its narrow form shades only a small portion of ground allowing plenty of light for grass and other sun loving plants.
Cananga odorata Ylang-Ylang Whenever I m around a C. odorata, I m compelled to take an evening stroll just to embrace its perfumed fragrance. Leaves: Simple, alternate, oblong-ovate, 6-8 inches long with sharp pointe pointed apexe Flowers: Six very narrow drooping petal, changing from green to yellow, attached to a 1-2 inch green stalk, borne along leaf axils Fruits: Syncarps, oblong in small tight clusters. Immature green, matures black
Canella winterana Wild Cinnamon D Growth Rate: Slow Evergreen High salt tolerance Very fast growing Very high drought tolerance 20 x15
Consider this a low maintenance tree. It requires little or no pruning and once established it is extremely drought tolerant, but one should not leave it to neglect.
Capparis cynophallophora Jamaican Caper B Growth Rate: Slow Dimension: 9 x10 Flowering Months: Late April May Leaf Persistence: Evergreen Drought Tolerance: Low for the first couple of years until establishment
Capparis cynophallophora Jamaican Caper A dense, low forming pyramidal or rounded crown, stiff leaves that are shiny green above and light brown beneath, and delightfully scented flowers that open white and fade to purple or pink. Each flower last for about two days, spending half its time in white and the other half in the darker hue.
Cassia afrofistula African Cassia A Growth Rate: Medium Flowering Month(s): May - September Typical Dimension: 15'x14' Salt Tolerance: Medium Drought Tolerance: Medium Nutritional Req: Low
Leaves: Even-pinnate, alternate, to 15 inches long with 6-10 pairs of leathery, slightly folded leaflets Flowers: Five bright yellow petals. Flowers 2 inches wide, held on terminal, branched racemes Fruits: Pods, cylindrical, green young, matures black, to 24 inches long, indehiscnt, many cross walls, each with a single seed
Cassia fistula Golden Shower A+ May June, September Medium salt tolerance High drought tolerance 35 x30 Garden, Park, Shade, Specimen
Cassia fistula Golden Shower it is at its best in May and June. Leaves begin to fall in April in preparation for the display. The drier the conditions, the greater the leaf loss, and the more spectacular is the display. Plant it in full sun and in a place where it will be noticed. It flowers while it is still quite young. As with most fat growers, it can be brittle.
Cassia fistula Golden Shower Leaves: Even-pinnate, alternate, 12-18 inches long, 4-8 pairs of ovate, opposite, leaflets, 3-6 inches long Flowers: Five bright yellow, widely spaced petals. Flower cluster held on terminal and unbranched racemes Fruits: Pods, long and hanging, indehicent, to 24 inches long and 1 inch diameter, many cross walls, each with a single seed
Cassia javanica Apple Blossom Cassia A+ July September Briefly deciduous Slightly fragrant blossoms 40'x50' Garden, Park, Shade, Specimen
Cassia javanica Apple Blossom Cassia
Cassia leptophylla Gold Medallion Tree A+ April - June 21 Flowering Days Briefly deciduous Very cold tolerant 20'x18' Garden, Park, Patio, Screen, Specimen, Streetscape
Cassia leptophylla Gold Medallion Tree It has a dense, low spreading, globose crown crammed with huge terminal clusters of circular yellow inflorresences. Flowers: Deep yellow to 3 inches wide borne on terminal racemes up to 8 inches across
Senna Pendula Christmas senna, Golden Senna A November December Evergreen Sold as a Christmas plant Requires staking to remain upright Invasive
Senna Pendula Christmas senna, Golden Senna
Senna Pendula Christmas senna, Golden Senna, Butterfly Cassia
Senna polyphylla Desert Cassia A Intermittently, all year Evergreen High salt tolerance High drought tolerance Butterfly attracter Full sun Highly recommended
Senna polyphylla Desert Cassia
Senna surattensis Glaucous Cassia A+ March November Semi-deciduous in December January Weakly rooted Butterfly attracter
Senna Sulfurea Glaucous cassia
Senna and Cassia
Delonix regina Poinciana regia
Delonix regina Poinciana regia A+ May September Deciduous or Semideciduous High drought tolerance 5-12 years to flower Characteristic D. regia scent 50'x75' Garden, Park, Shade, Specimen, Streetscape
Delonix regina Royal Poinciana, Flamboyán
Delonix regina
Delonix regina Royal Poinciana, Flamboyán Ganoderma fungus
Dombeya burgessiae Seminole D. elegans, D. rosea, D. x seminole
Dombeya burgessiae Seminole Seminole Dombeya, Tropical Rose Hydragea A November January Low salt tolerance Slow growth rate 7 x8 Rarely needs pruning Container, Garden, Park, Patio, Specimen
Dombeya wallichii Tropical Snowball
Dombeya wallichii Tropical Snowball A November January Low salt tolerance Very cold tolerant 30-50 flowers in cymes 20 Garden, Park, Specimen Umbellate Cyme
Duranta erecta Golden Dewdrop, Pigeon-berry Drooping raceme B January December Native to Florida and much of Central America Frequent light pruning necessary Fruits remain for months 12'x12' Container, Garden, Hedge, Parking Lot, Patio, Poolside, Streetscape
Duranta erecta D. ellisia, D. plumieri, D. repens
Erythrina crista-galli Cockspur coral Tree, Cry-Baby-Tree A April-July 14 flowering days Deciduous before flowering Armed with curved spines Racemes are commonly 2 feet long
Erythrina crista-galli Cockspur coral Tree, Cry-Baby-Tree Terminal raceme
Erythrina herbacea Cardinal-spear, Cherokee-bean, Coral-Bean C February June Florida Native Deciduous or Evergreen Spiny Borers
Erythrina herbacea Cardinal-spear, Cherokee-bean, Coral-Bean Trifoliate leaf; Constricted dehiscent pod with bright red seeds. Upright raceme to about 2 feet long
Erythrina speciosa
Erythrina speciosa Little Coral Tree A February April Deciduous just before and while flowering 15 x15 Spiny Borers
Erythrina variegata Coral Tree
Pachypodium lamerei Madagascar Palm Flower Display: A Origin: Western Madagascar Salt tolerance: Medium Drought Tol.: High Nutritional Req.: Low Growth Rate: Slow Dimension: 8 x8 Messiness: Low
Pachypodium lamerei Madagascar Palm Leaves: Simple, alternate, elliptic, dark green to 10 inches long in whorls at branch tips Fruits: Capsules, tube-like, to 8 inches long Flowers: Salverform, white, 5 petals, fragrant, to 8 inches long arranged on cymes
Plumeria rubra Frangipani Flower Display: A Origin: Central America, Central Mexico Salt Tolerance: High Drought Tol.: High Nutritional Req.: Low Growth Rate: Slow Dimension: 15 x18 Messiness: High when with leaves
Plumeria rubra Frangipani
Plumeria rubra Frangipani Rubra form Lutea form
Plumeria rubra Frangipani Flowers: Salverform, fleshy, strongly perfumed, white, yellow, pink, to 4 ½ inches wide and 2 ¾ long, on a terminal rather lax corymbose Acutifolia form
Fruits: Follicles, tapered to 6 inches long usually held in pairs and not often produced Plumeria rubra Frangipani
A rust fungus, Coleosporuim plumeriae, causes premature deciduousness. In some cases, the rust makes it appearance along with the new leaves. By September of each year, there can be so much rust on a tree that a good shake of the tree will rain down an orange dust of spores. Frangipani caterpillars
Plumeria or Frangipani Plumeria obtusa var. Singapore Flower Display: A+ Origin: Bahamas, Caribbean Salt tolerance: High Drought Tol.: High Nutritional Req.: Low Growth Rate: Slow Dimension: 12 x20 Messiness: Medium when deciduous
Plumeria or Frangipani Plumeria obtusa var. Singapore Leaves: Simple, alternate, oblong to obovate, dark green, from 6 to 14 inches long, curved under at edge with blunt or indented tips Flowers: Salvereform, to 2 inches long having 5, not overlapping, white petals with yellow throat borne on terminal cymes
Plumeria pudica Bridal Bouquet A Growth Rate: Medium Flowering Month(s): April - December Typical Dimension: 13'x9' Messiness: Low Drought Tolerance: High Nutritional Req: Low Major Problems: Whiteflies
Plumeria pudica Bridal Bouquet Leaves: Simple, oblong to spathulate, to 7 inches with a pair of large lobes near the pointed tip Flowers: Salverform, white, 5 overlapping petals, with yellow throat, up to 3 ½ inches across, and arranged on terminal cymes Fruits: Follicles, dark brown, usuallay borne in pairs
Euphorbia leucocephala Christmas Bush A+ November January 33 flowering days Deciduous below 40F Low salt tolerance 10 x12 Fruits rare in the U.S.
Gordonia lasianthus Loblolly Bay C May June Evergreen Florida Native Low drought tolerance Natural in wet areas Pyramidal shape Straight-trunked tree
Gordonia lasianthus Loblolly Bay
Gordonia lasianthus Loblolly Bay Leaf: Simple, alternate, long-elliptic, dark green, leathery 2-5 inches long, margin evenly and finely toothed Flower: Single, axillary, five creamy white petals surrounding a center of yellow stamens
Tabebuia aurea Silver Trumpet Tree/Yellow Poui A+ March 16 flowering days Semi-deciduous or deciduous before and while flowering
Tabebuia aurea Silver Trumpet Tree T. aurea begins to bloom when the tree commences to lose its leaves. Trees flower with varying degrees of leaf retention. The most desirable flowering with no leaves.
Tabebuia aurea Silver Trumpet Tree Leaves: Palmate, opposite, to 11 long, with 5-7 oblong-elliptic to oblonglanceolate leaflets Flowers: Funnelform, flaring mouth, bright yellow on terminal panicles Fruits: Follicle, oblong, narrow at each extreme, somewhat woody, to 6 inches long
Tabebuia bahamensis Five Fingers/Bahamian Trumpet Tree
Tabebuia bahamensis Five Fingers, Bahamian Trumpet Tree C March-April Deciduous High Salt Tolerance High Drought Tolerance 12 x8
Tabebuia heptaphylla Bignonia heptaphylla, T. avellanedae
Tabebuia heptaphylla Pink Trumpet Tree A+ January February Deciduous when flowering Medium Drought Tolerance 40 x50
Tabebuia hetrophylla Pink Trumpet Tree B+ March April, sporadic throughout the year High Salt Tolerance. Will grow on beach sand 25 x20
Tabebuia hetrophylla Pink Trumpet Tree Leaves: Palmate, opposite, 6-12 inches long, with mostly 3-5 leathery, elloptic to obovate leaflets Flowers: Funnelform, upper-half pink or lavender, rarely white, bottom-half crème colored, yellow throat fades to white, to 3 inches long on terminal panicles Fruits: Capsules, narrow, linear-cylindric, green, to 8 inches long and 0.4 inches wide
Tabebuia hetrophylla Pink Trumpet Tree
Tabebuia impetiginosa Purple Tabebuia Tree, Ipe A+ 21 flowering days February March Deciduous when flowering High drought tolerance Widely available
Tabebuia impetiginosa Purple Tabebuia Tree, Ipe
Tabebuia ochracea Gold Trumpet Tree A+ February March Trees flower when quite young 21 flowering days 24 deciduous days High drought tolerance Velvety buds, fuzzy brown velvety fruits Attracts epiphytic plants
Tabebuia ochracea Gold Trumpet Tree
Tabebuia umbellata No common name found A March-April 15 flowering days Open growth habit Very cold tolerant/10f High nutrition demand Slow growth 40 x34
Tabebuia umbellata T. eximia, Tecoma umbellata