USEFUL PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA Compiled by Eric Toensmeier www.perennialsolutions.org TREES 50'+ source: Florda exotic pest plant council Clump Sun or Nitro Latin Name Common Name Form or Run Shade Water Edible Fix Nectary sun to mesic Acer rubrum red maple tree clump part to wet sap dry to fruit, nuts, Adansonia digitata baobab tree clump sun mesic leaves dry to Albizzia lebbek** tree clump sun mesic yes dry to Azidiracha indica neem tree clump sun mesic pink shower pods, Cassia grandis tree tree clump sun mesic sweetener yes ramon, Mayan dry to Brosimum alicastrum breadnut tree clump sun mesic fruit, nuts Coccoloba diversifolia pigeon plum tree clump sun mesic fruit Clumping sun to Dendrocalamus spp. Bamboos bamboo clump shade mesic shoots Enterolobium cyclocarpum Guanacaste tree clump sun mesic yes Erythrina poepipigiana tree clump sun mesic yes Ficus aurea strangler ig tree clump sun mesic fruit Inga edulis ice cream bean tree clump sun mesic pod pulp yes Lecythis pisonis monkey pot tree clump sun mesic nuts dry to Lysiloma latisiliqum false tamarind tree clump sun mesic yes Manilkara zapota** sapodilla tree clump sun mesic fruit wet to Pachira aquatica Guiana chestnut tree clump sun mesic nuts sun to wet to bayleaf or Persea borbonia redbay tree clump part mesic tea Pouteria sapote mamey sapote tree clump sun mesic fruit Sideroxylon spp. bustic tree fruit TREES 25-50' Clump Sun or Nitro Latin Name Common Name Form or Run Shade Water Edible Fix Nectary Acrocomia aculeata macauba palm palm clump sun mesic oil dry to Anacardium occidentale Cashew tree clump sun mesic nuts, fruit Arenga pinnata sugar palm palm clump sun mesic sugar, wine fruit, nuts, young Artocarpus heterophylla Jakfruit tree clump sun mesic leaves Attalea funifera piassava palm palm clump sun mesic oil Attalea speciosa babassu palm palm clump sun mesic oil clump fruit (multi (cooked), Bactris gasipaes peach palm palm stem) sun mesic oil sun to dry to Bursera simaruba gumbo limbo tree clump part mesic Butea capitata pindo palm palm clump sun mesic fruit Caryodendreon orinococense inche tree clump sun mesic fruit, nuts Casimiroa edulis white sapote tree clump sun mesic fruit Cinnamomum zeylandicum cinnamon clump sun mesic spice nuts, oil, Cocos nucifera* coconut palm clump sun mesic water sun to dry to Dalbergia ecastaphylla coin vine shrub part mesic yes American dry to Diospyros virginiana persimmon tree run sun wet fruit dry to Faidherbia albida applering acacia tree clump sun mesic yes sun to Gnetum gnemon bago, jointir tree clump shade mesic nuts, leaves Inga edulis ice cream bean tree clump sun mesic pod pulp yes Tahitian Inocarpus fagifer chestnut tree clump sun mesic nuts yes mesic Leucaena esculenta guaje tree clump sun to dry shell bean yes Macadamia integrifolia macadamia tree clump sun mesic nuts Mangifera indica mango tree clump sun mesic fruit Manilkara bahamensis wild dilly tree clump sun mesic fruit fruit, cooked Morus alba white mulberry tree clump sun mesic leaves Morus rubra red mulberry tree clump sun mesic fruit Canary island Phoenix canariensis date palm palm clump sun mesic sugar, wine Persea americana avocado tree clump sun mesic fruit Pimenta dioica allspice tree clump sun mesic spice dry to Pithecellobium dulce Manila tamarind tree clump sun mesic pod pulp yes Pouteria kampechiana canistel tree clump sun mesic fruit Quercus virginiana live oak tree clump sun mesic acorns mesic Sclerocarya birreya marula tree clump sun to dry fruit, nuts fruit (okay), Simarouba glauca paradise tree tree clump sun mesic seed oil mesic Tamarindus indica tamarind tree clump sun to dry fruit Terminalia kaernbacchii okari nut tree clump sun mesic nut TREES & SHRUBS 12-25' Clump Sun or Nitro Latin Name Common Name Form or Run Shade Water Edible Fix Nectary Acacia farnesiana needle acacia tree clump sun mesic dry beans yes Acanthocereus barbed wire dry to fruit, tetragonus cactus cactus clump sun mesic nopales Aleurites fordii tung tree clump sun mesic aquatic sun to to fruit Annona glabra pond apple tree clump part mesic (awful) Annona hybrid atemoya tree clump sun mesic fruit Annona muricata soursop tree clump sun mesic fruit Annona squamosa sugar apple tree clump sun mesic fruit Averrhoa carambola Carambola tree clump sun mesic fruit clumping sun- Bambusa spp. bamboo bamboo clump part mesic shoots Carica papaya* papaya shrub clump sun mesic fruit Peruvian hedge dry to Cereus peruvianus cactus cactus clump sun mesic fruit Citrus aurantifolia* key lime tree clump sun mesic fruit *Citrus aurantium sour orange tree clump sun mesic fruit (sour) Citrus maxima pummelo tree clump sun mesic fruit Citrus paradisi graprefruit tree clump sun mesic fruit Citrus sinensis orange tree clump sun mesic fruit Coccoloba uvifera sea grape tree clump sun mesic fruit Dacyroides edulis butterfruit tree clump sun mesic fruit Dimocarpus longan longan tree clump sun mesi fruit Asian Diospyros kaki persimmon tree clump sun mesic fruit Elaeis guineensis African oil palm palm clump sun mesic oil Eriobotrya Japonica loquat tree clump sun mesic fruit cooked lowers and dry to young Erythrina herbacea red cardinal shrub clump sun mesic leaves yes dry to Ficus carica ig tree clump sun mesic fruit sun to Flemingia macrophylla >lemingia tree clump part mesic yes dry to Gliricidia sepium Madre de Cacao tree clump sun mesic yes Kerrugiodendron ferrium leadwood tree clump sun mesic fruit sun to dry to YOUNG Leucaena leucocephala* leucaena tree clump part mesic LEAVES?? yes Litchi chinensis lychee tree clump sun mesic fruit Malphigia glabra acerola tree clump sun mesic fruit Mammea americana mammee apple tree clump sun mesic fruit quenepa, Melicoccus bijugatus Spanish lime tree clump sun mesic fruit giant Miscanthus giganteus miscanthus grass clump sun mesic leaves, dry to pods, oil, Moringa oleifera moringa tree clump sun mesic spice leaves, dry to pods, oil, Moringa stenopetala African moringa tree clump sun mesic spice Muntingia calabura strawberry tree tree clump sun mesic fruit Murraya koenigii curry leaf tree run sun mesic spice giant fruit, Musa acuminata banana herb clump sun mesic lowerbud giant fruit, Musa paradisica plantain herb clump sun mesic lowerbud Simpson's Myrcianthes fragrans stopper shrub clump sun mesic fruit wet to Myrica cerifera wax myrtle shrub clump sun mesic bay leaf yes Persea americana avocado tree clump sun mesic fruit, oil dry to Pilosocereus polygonus tree cactus cactus clump sun mesic frui dry to Pithecellobium keyense Keys blackbead shrub run sun mesic arils sweet yes Pithecellobium unguis- catclaw dry to cati blackbead shrub clump sun mesic arils sweet yes dry to Pongamia pinnata pongam oil tree clump sun mesic yes Psidium guaJava guava tree clump sun mesic fruit Reynosia serpentrionalis darling plum shrub clump sun mesic fruit dry to Ricinus communis* castor tree clump sun mesic oil Rollinia mucosa rollinia tree clump sun mesic fruit Saccharum ofNicinale sugar cane grass clump sun mesic sugar wet- fruit, Sambucus canadensis elderberry shrub clump sun mesic lowers yes Sapindus saponaria soapberry tree clump sun mesic dry to Sesbania grandilora sesbania tree clump sun mesic yes dry to Spondias purpurea hog plum, jocote tree clump sun mesic fruit fruit, Theobroma cacao cacao tree clump shade mesic chocolate Thrinax morrissii Key thatch palm palm clump fruit sun to Tithonia diversifolia giganton shrub clump part mesic yes Trema micrantha tree nettle tree fruit maybe Zanthoxylum fagara, Z. sun to dry to spice: leaf, Nlavum lime prickly ash shrub run part mesic fruit dry to Zizyphus JuJuba Chinese jujube tree clump sun mesic fruit dry to Zizyphus mauritania Indian jujube tree clump sun mesic fruit 6-12' HIGH Clump Sun or Nitro Latin Name Common Name Form or Run Shade Water Edible Fix Nectary Abelmoschus manihot Edible Hibiscus shrub clump sun mesic leaves dry to Acacia choriophylla cinnecord shrub clump sun mesic yes sun to wet to Alocasia macrorhiza Giant Taro shrub clump part mesic stem starch Bixia orellana annato, achiote shrub clump sun mesic spice pigeon pea, dry to Cajanus cajan gandul shrub clump sun mesic beans yes Calliandra calothrysus Calliandra shrub clump sun mesic yes sun to wet to tubers, Canna edulis Edible Canna herb run part mesic shoots wet to Chrysobalanus icaco Cocoplum shrub run sun mesic fruit Cnidoscolus dry to chayamansa chaya shrub clump sun mesic leaves Crotolaria longirostrata Chipilin shrub clump sun mesic (cooked) yes sun to Eugenia unilora stopper shrub clump part mesic fruit Simpson's dry- Harrisia simpsonii applecactus cactus clump sun mesic fruit dry- Jatropha curcas jatropha shrub clump sun mesic christmasberry, Lycium carolinianum native goji shrub run sun dry fruit tubers, cooked Manihot esculenta yuca, cassava shrub clump sun mesic leaves dry- Opuntia Nicus-indica tuna, nopale cactus clump sun mesic pads, fruit king grass, Pennisetum purpureum* Napier grass grass clump sun mesic sun to shoots Phytolacca americana pokeweed herb clump part mesic cooked sun to Psidium longipes mangroveberry shrub clump part mesic fruit sun to Sambucus canadensis elderberry shrub clump part wet fruit yes sun to Sauropus androgynous katuk shrub clump shade mesic leaves, fruit sun to dry to "cabbage", Serenoa repens saw palmetto palm run shade mesic fruit (bad) Solanum quitoense naranjilla shrub clump sun mesic fruit yellow dry to Sophora tomentosa neclacepod shrub clump sun mesic yes Synsepalum dulciferum miracle fruit shrub clump sun mesic fruit Tehprosia vogelii tephrosia shrub clump sun mesic yes sun to Trichanthera gigantea nacadero shrub clump part mesic narrowleaf shoots, root Typha angustifolia cattail herb run sun wet tips, lour dry to Yucca guatemalensis izote yucca succulent clump sun mesic lowers 3-6' HIGH Clump Sun or Nitro Latin Name Common Name Form or Run Shade Water Edible Fix Nectary dry to Acacia tortuosa twisted acacia shrub clump sun mesic yes dry to Aloe vera aloe succulent clump sun mesic dry to Ananas comosus pineapple succulent clump sun mesic fruit sun to wet to Borrichia arborescens sea oxeye daisy shrub clump part mesic yes dry- Bromelia pinguin wild pineapple succulent clump sun mesic fruit Capsicum annum var.