Second of a two-part series Flowering Trees for Central Florida Flowering trees are an important fall and bears racemes of orange flowers heat tolerant variety. The pink forms component of central Florida landscapes. at the tips of the branches. Schizolobium will not grow here. Eastern Redbud, They provide colorful flowers during their parahyba, the Fern Tree, is native from Cercis canadensis, is another spring season of bloom. Many of these trees also southern Mexico to Brazil. It is an bloomer that flowers before the leaves make nice shade specimens. Our climate extremely fast growing tree, especially for appear. It bears small rosy-pink flowers here in central Florida allows for a wide the first several years. (It can grow 10-20 along the stems. It has similar range of flowering trees to be used. We can feet in a couple of years.) It does not requirements to Eastern Dogwood. grow some of the hardier, temperate climate branch until it is about 20-30 feet tall. ‘Forest Pansy’ is a variety that has trees and trees from subtropical and even It has long pinnate leaves and resembles burgundy colored foliage when it first tropical climates. The following are some a giant tree fern in this growth phase. It emerges. It usually fades to green by of the flowering trees that grow well in can grow 40-60 feet tall with a high mid-summer. C. racemosa ‘Avondale’, our area. canopy. It bears yellow flowers during the the Chinese Redbud, has performed summer. The African Tulip Tree, well here at Leu Gardens. It flowers in Spathodea campanulata, is a spring like other Cercis but ours also has native of tropical Africa. It is a a light bloom in the fall. American fast growing tree reaching 30-40 Fringe Tree, Chionanthus virginicus, is feet tall. It bears orangish-red another spring bloomer that grows well flowers in spring and summer. here. It can be grown in sun or shade S. campanulata var. lutea bears but looks best with at least afternoon yellow blooms. Kigelia africana, shade. It grows 10-20 feet tall. The tree the Sausage Tree, is a real blooms in early spring before the foliage curiosity. It is native from emerges and is covered in lacy white tropical Africa to southern flowers. This tree is native to the eastern Africa and grows 30-50 feet U.S. including northern Florida. Prunus tall. The dark maroon flowers umbellata, the Flatwoods Plum, is a appear in summer and hang Florida native growing 10-15 feet tall. It from the tree on long stalks. If is deciduous and is covered with small these flowers get pollinated, white flowers in early spring. It is an Prunus persica ‘Martha Jane’ large spongy seed pods appear. understory tree and grows best in a For the gardener who is adventurous or These pods can be 1 to 2 feet in length shaded location. It bears small purple who lives in a very warm and protected and resemble sausages. plums in summer. The fruits are bitter microclimate, there are a few tropical For those gardeners that miss flowering but are loved by birds. A similar Florida flowering trees that are worth the effort. trees that heralded the arrival of spring native, P. angustifolia, is the Chickasaw The Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia, is a in more northern parts of the country, Plum. It is similar to P. umbellata but native of Madagascar. It is a fast growing several of these trees can be grown in this one suckers heavily and forms small tree reaching 30-40 feet tall with an central Florida. Eastern Dogwood, colonies. For those who miss the umbrella shaped canopy. It flowers in late Cornus florida, can be coaxed into Flowering Cherries found further north, spring and summer. The tree is covered growing in local landscapes. They grow in orange to scarlet red flowers. This is 10-15 feet tall and bare white flowers one of the most spectacular of all in early spring before the leaves appear. flowering trees. It is very common in They are not as showy bloomers as they southern Florida. A close relative is are further north. Eastern Dogwood Colville’s Glory, Colvillea racemosa. It is prefers a lightly shaded location (at also native to Madagascar. It grows 30-40 least in the afternoon) and moist soil. feet tall. It resembles a Royal Poinciana They also need good air circulation. when it is not flowering but has much For central Florida, it is best to grow less of a spreading canopy. It flowers in the cultivar ‘Weaver’s’ as it is the best

Prunus angustifolia

Michelia champaca ‘Orange Champaca Tree’

Australia. Mexican Poinciana, Oleander, is native to Central America. Caesalpinia mexicana is fast It is not a true Oleander but is a close growing reaching 10-15 feet tall. relative. It has small, narrow, glossy leaves It bears small yellow flowers and bears yellow, bell-shaped flowers almost all year. It is a native of during most of the year. T. peruviana southern Mexico. Cordia boisseri, var. aurantiaca bears orange flowers the White Cordia Tree, is one of while T. peruviana var. alba bears white the best flowering trees for this flowers. It grows 10-15 feet tall. area. It is fast growing, cold hardy, Some of these flowering trees can and bears white flowers all year. easily be found in local nurseries and Sometimes the tree only has a few flowers, at other times it is covered in white. there is one that can be grown locally. It only grows 10-15 feet tall and is Prunus campanulata is a low-chill species native to southern Texas and that will grow and flower in central northern Mexico. Sicklebush, Florida. It is known as the Taiwan Dichrostachys cinerea, is native Flowering Cherry and is a native of from southern Africa to India. It is Taiwan, southern China and southern a small tree growing 10 to 15 feet Japan. It grows 20-25 feet tall and bears tall and bears pendulant purple small pink flowers amongst the bare flowers with yellow stamens during branches in early spring. It likes full sun. the warmer months. The flowers Prunus persica ‘Martha Jane’ is a Flowering fade to white after several days. Nectarine that grows well here in central Ebenopsis ebano, Texas Ebony, is Florida. It grows 10 to 15 feet tall and an evergreen tree that grows 10 to bears double pink flowers in early spring. 15 feet tall. It bears small, creamy Prunus campanulata Several of the trees previously white flowers several times during mentioned in this article are drought the warmer months. These flowers are garden shops. Others are more difficult tolerant and can handle periodic dry very fragrant. It was formely known as to locate. A good source to find the conditions. There are several flowering Pithecellobium flexicaule. Erythrina more rare trees and for information is tree choices that are extremely drought crista-galli, Coral Tree, is native to a large the Central Florida Flowering Tree tolerant and are excellent choices for dry area of eastern South America. It grows Society. They meet every other month areas. These trees can survive on their to about 20 feet tall. It bears pendulant here at Leu Gardens. Another source is own with normal rainfall once they are clusters of dark red flowers in summer. the Spring Plant Sale at Leu Gardens. established. They also can grow well in The Jerusalem Thorn, Parkinsonia Some of the more unusual and rare an irrigated landscape as well. Acacia aculeata, is actually native from southern specimens can be found for sale at the farnesiana, Sweet Acacia, is a spiny tree Arizona and Texas to Argentina. It is a assortment of vendors. growing 10-20 feet tall. It bears bright spiny, deciduous tree that grows 10-15 – Eric Schmidt yellow, round flowers that are extremely feet tall. It bears small fragrant. It flowers heavily in spring and yellow flowers in summer sporadically during the warmer months. and the narrow foliage It is a Central American native. A. gives it an airy look. stenophylla, the String Acacia, is a graceful Pithecellobium brevifolia weeping tree that grows 10-20 feet tall. is a native of northern It has very narrow but long foliage that Mexico. It is a small tree is blue-green in color. It bears small, reaching about 10 feet creamy colored flowers in summer. This tall and bears small, tree is hardy and is becoming common white flowers during the out west in places like Las Vegas, Tucson, warmer months. Thevetia and Phoenix. It is native to eastern peruviana, Yellow

Dichrostachys cinerea with purple and white flowers