Florida is a tree lover's paradise with more than 300 native species growing in all regions. In addition to native species, the state has become home to a variety of exotic trees and plants that have made their way north. This Florida trees identification guide offers an introduction to just a few of the native trees growing in the state.
The state is home to two different varieties of sand pine. The Choctawatchtee version produces non-serotinous cones and grows primarily in the northwest region of the state. The Ocala variety is found in the northeastern and southern regions and has serotinous cones that do not open up unless exposed to extremely high temperatures. The bark of the Ocala variety is reddish-brown but turns gray with age. It has an open crown that can be round or flat.
The white mangrove is found growing on the shoreline of bays and estuaries, above the water level. Stagnant, wet soil best supports this type of tree. What sets it apart from other mangrove species is its lack of aerial roots. The elliptical leaves are light green in color and feature a pair of glands at the bottom.
The laurel oak is extremely adaptable and can live in multiple habitats. It can thrive in wet habitats as well as dry ones. This tree grows quickly making it popular with residential and commercial landscapers. The trunk may be four feet around and it can grow more than 60 feet high. The crown is usually oval or round and symmetrical. Small brown catkins sprout from its branches during the spring.
The myrtle oak lives on dunes and hammocks along the coast or in sandy soil in scrubland. It may grow up to 40 feet tall or remain short. Its leaves are approximately 1.5 inches long and grow downward along the edges. The leaves are usually yellowish to rusty in color.
The coastalplain willow grows along the shoreline in open wet forest, shrub swamps, rivers, ponds, lakes, and marshes. This tree is seen most often in Southern Florida. It is deciduous and has seven inch leaves with finely serrated edges. It can grow between 25 and 30 feet high.
The turkey oak is an important food source for various wildlife species, including deer, black bears, and turkeys. It gets its unusual name because the leaves are shaped like a turkey foot with a minimum of three lobes and a maximum of seven. It thrives in woodlands of oak and pine and in dry pinelands and can grow to more than 50 feet tall.
The swamp bay plays an important role in the ecosystem as a host for the larva of Swallowtail butterflies. This evergreen tree has leaves that often have galls and alternate. They are light green with reddish hairs on the underside and shiny on top. The fruit it bears is a slightly elongated drupe that is very dark, almost black in color.
The southern magnolia grows large, fragrant flowers that are white or off-white in color. This tree thrives in Mesic upland woodlands and bottomland forests and is another popular tree for landscaping. The cone fruit grows red berries attached to silky white threads during the summer months.
The state is home to two different varieties of sand pine. The Choctawatchtee version produces non-serotinous cones and grows primarily in the northwest region of the state. The Ocala variety is found in the northeastern and southern regions and has serotinous cones that do not open up unless exposed to extremely high temperatures. The bark of the Ocala variety is reddish-brown but turns gray with age. It has an open crown that can be round or flat.
The white mangrove is found growing on the shoreline of bays and estuaries, above the water level. Stagnant, wet soil best supports this type of tree. What sets it apart from other mangrove species is its lack of aerial roots. The elliptical leaves are light green in color and feature a pair of glands at the bottom.
The laurel oak is extremely adaptable and can live in multiple habitats. It can thrive in wet habitats as well as dry ones. This tree grows quickly making it popular with residential and commercial landscapers. The trunk may be four feet around and it can grow more than 60 feet high. The crown is usually oval or round and symmetrical. Small brown catkins sprout from its branches during the spring.
The myrtle oak lives on dunes and hammocks along the coast or in sandy soil in scrubland. It may grow up to 40 feet tall or remain short. Its leaves are approximately 1.5 inches long and grow downward along the edges. The leaves are usually yellowish to rusty in color.
The coastalplain willow grows along the shoreline in open wet forest, shrub swamps, rivers, ponds, lakes, and marshes. This tree is seen most often in Southern Florida. It is deciduous and has seven inch leaves with finely serrated edges. It can grow between 25 and 30 feet high.
The turkey oak is an important food source for various wildlife species, including deer, black bears, and turkeys. It gets its unusual name because the leaves are shaped like a turkey foot with a minimum of three lobes and a maximum of seven. It thrives in woodlands of oak and pine and in dry pinelands and can grow to more than 50 feet tall.
The swamp bay plays an important role in the ecosystem as a host for the larva of Swallowtail butterflies. This evergreen tree has leaves that often have galls and alternate. They are light green with reddish hairs on the underside and shiny on top. The fruit it bears is a slightly elongated drupe that is very dark, almost black in color.
The southern magnolia grows large, fragrant flowers that are white or off-white in color. This tree thrives in Mesic upland woodlands and bottomland forests and is another popular tree for landscaping. The cone fruit grows red berries attached to silky white threads during the summer months.
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