Street Trees for Central Florida Street trees are an integral part of any into a grotesque shape urban landscape. Street trees are trees or it has to be removed. that are used along roads and highways. As a general guide, if Often this location encompasses the there are power lines area between the sidewalk and the road. overhead, it is Street trees provide needed shade around recommended not to hot, paved areas. They provide habitat plant a tree that will and sometimes food to urban wildlife. grow taller than 15 They can also help “green-up” an area feet. All these factors and improve aesthetics. Not all trees are limit which trees can suitable street trees. There are many be used smartly and factors to consider when planting street successfully along trees. Some can get much too large or streets. Below are some have damaging roots that can cause trees that can be used problems years into the future. Trees as street trees in along a street have to be able to tolerate central Florida. Some sometimes harsh conditions. Soil can be are strictly shade trees; limited and of poor quality. The soil others produce near a street often has a high pH level so ornamental flowers the tree has to be able to tolerate alkaline and provide color soil. Irrigation is sometimes not available during their peak season. Ceiba speciosa, the Floss Silk Tree, is a or adequate enough. Trees should be able Bauhinia x blakeana, the Hong Kong spectacular specimen that makes a great to tolerate periods of drought. High Orchid Tree, grows 20 to 30 feet tall. It street tree. It is fast growing, reaching pollution levels from vehicle’s exhaust on bears very showy orchid-like flowers from 30-50 feet tall. It bears large amounts of busy streets can cause problems to the autumn until late spring. These flowers large pink flowers in fall. The flowers trees. The height of the tree must be are reddish-purple in color and are slightly are variable from almost white to deep taken into consideration if there are fragrant. Hong Kong Orchid Tree is a pink. The trunk of this tree is usually power lines overhead. Too many times a fast grower and drought tolerant. It is a covered in large, ornamental spines but tree that will eventually grow too tall is hybrid between B. purpurea and B. individuals with smooth trunks exist. planted under or near power lines. This variegata. Both of these parents are The Floss Silk Tree is very drought causes maintenance problems in the common but are not recommended as tolerant and is native from Brazil to Peru. future. Too often the tree is then pruned they produce large amounts of seedlings It was formerly known as Chorisia and can become a nuisance. The speciosa. The related C. chodatii bears Hong Kong Orchid Tree is a sterile yellow flowers and C. insignis bears hybrid and will not produce seed. white flowers. C. crispiflora has pink Cassia leptophylla, or Gold flowers with narrow petals and usually Medallion Tree, is a native to south- flowers in summer. Many hybrids eastern Brazil. It is fast growing and between these four species exist. reaches 20-25 feet tall. It blooms Cordia boisseri, Ancahuita or White from late spring into summer and is Cordia Tree, is one of the best flowering covered in golden yellow flowers. trees for this area. It is fast growing, cold The individual flowers can be up to hardy, and bears white flowers throughout 3 inches across. The tree is very the year. It only grows 10-15 feet tall stunning when flowering. It is also and is native to southern Texas and fairly drought tolerant. This is an northern Mexico. It loves a hot and excellent small tree that deserves sunny location and needs little care wider use here. once it is established. Bauhinia X blakeana ‘Hong Kong Orchid Tree’ Cassia leptophylla close-up First of a two-part series this tree and the American Holly, I. native to southern Japan. It bears small opaca exist. These are commonly grown clusters of white flowers during the but are no longer recommended. A gall summer. The chief attribute that makes is killing many local trees, especially the this tree attractive is its trunk and bark. hybrids ‘East Palatka’ and ‘Savannah’. Several times a year the bark will Jacaranda mimosifolia, Jacaranda Tree, exfoliate and peel off. The grayish bark is a showy bloomer that bears small, reveals a smooth, coppery red trunk trumpet-shaped flowers that are blue- that is very eye catching, especially violet in color. These flowers appear in during winter when the tree is bare of spring making the tree a spectacular leaves. Japanese Crepe Myrtle is resistant sight. Jacaranda is native to Argentina to powdery mildew and is often used in and Bolivia. It grows 30-40 feet tall and breeding hybrids with the common is fast growing. It is also very drought Crepe Myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica. tolerant. The cultivar ‘Alba’ bears white Most of these hybrids have been named flowers. The similar J. cuspidifolia, from after Native American tribes and are southern Brazil and Argentina, bears commonly found in local nurseries. larger flowers that appear in the summer. Several of these make excellent specimens These flowers are usually more purple for street planting where power lines are than blue in color. present. Too often the wrong cultivars Juniperus silicicola, is known as the are used and have to be butchered each Southern Red Cedar. This native Florida spring too keep them from interfering conifer is an evergreen and grows 30 to with power lines. A couple of common 40 feet tall. Young specimens have a cultivars, ‘Muskogee’ and ‘Natchez’, can very tight and upright growth habit but grow 20 to 30 feet tall and are not loosen up as they mature. Older trees appropriate near power lines. A few that Elaeocarpus decipiens, Japanese have an open, spreading habit and some can be grown under the lines without Blueberry Tree, is a handsome evergreen have a gnarled and picturesque look to any problem include ‘Acoma’ (white), tree native to southern Japan, ‘Catawba’ (dark purple), southern China, and Taiwan. It has ‘Lipan’ (lavender), ‘Sioux’ a moderate rate of growth and can (dark pink), and ‘Tonto’ reach 30 to 40 feet tall. The leaves (hot pink). are dark green in color and turn red Liquidambar formosana, before dropping. It bears very small Formosan Sweetgum, is white flowers in summer, which are native to Taiwan, southern followed by inedible but ornamen- China, and northern tal bluish-black colored berries. Vietnam. It is an Asian Eucalyptus polyanthemos, the Red relative to our native Box Tree, is often called the Silver American Sweetgum, Dollar Tree. This name usually refers Liquidambar styraciflua. It to a related tree, Eucalyptus cinerea. differs in having a 3-lobed The Red Box Tree is evergreen with leaf instead of the familiar round leaves that are an attractive star-shaped leaf of the silvery green color. The tree is fast Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei ‘Tonto’ American Sweetgum. It is growing, reaches 30 to 50 feet tall, them. Southern Red Cedar is very also deciduous and the leaves often turn drought tolerant and native to eastern drought tolerant once established. They an orangish-red before dropping in Australia. produce small cones that are powdery winter. This tree is fairly fast growing Ilex cassine, Dahoon Holly, is a Florida blue and berry-like. and can reach 30 to 50 feet tall. native that grows 20 to 30 feet tall. It is Lagerstroemia fauriei, or Japanese evergreen and the female trees bear – Eric Schmidt Crepe Myrtle, is not widely used in bright red berries in winter. Dahoon central Florida. It is a tall growing tree CONTINUED IN THE SPRING ISSUE Holly can tolerate wet soil but is also that can reach 30 to 50 feet tall and is very drought tolerant. Hybrids between.