List of temperate deciduous hardwoods of South Florida

[Jimbean]

This thread got me thinking.  It's a ridiculous article, but some of the comments in the thread were critical of certain temperate hardwoods growing in the Miami area.  Here is a short list of deciduous hardwoods native to South Florida. 

 

COMMON PERSIMMON

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3858

SUGARBERRY; HACKBERRY https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2866 RED MULBERRY https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3420 RED MAPLE https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2120 SCRUB HICKORY https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1263 These next two are typically shrubs WINGED SUMAC https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3543 CAROLINA WILLOW; COASTALPLAIN WILLOW https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=4040

[Jimbean]

These could probably also grow into the Miami area

SWEETGUM

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3559

AMERICAN ELM

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3530

WATER HICKORY

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3755

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Very few, if any, Landscape Architects would spec many of these.  The willow is routinely removed as a weed.

[Silas_Sancona]

17 minutes ago, Jerry@TreeZoo said:

Very few, if any, Landscape Architects would spec many of these.  The willow is routinely removed as a weed.

Yep,  Willow Roots are extremely invasive / water hungry as well..  

Sweet Gum is a nice tree, but grew up w/ them used as street trees for several blocks on the street i grew up on.. Would crack the sidewalks / curbs, many twisted ..and near twisted ankles on the seed pods, and ..when stressed for water, they were attacked by bugs / would break in " strong, but not extreme, ( by California standards ) " wind storms. 

That said, there is a neighborhood a little further out where the lots are bigger / planting area for street trees provides much more space. Sweet Gums in that neighborhood are HUGE and look spectacular ..and rarely have any issues ..except for the ankle twister seed pods. 

American Persimmon and Sugar Berry / Hackberry would probably be the least intrusive of those listed..  Mulberry.. of any kind, are also aggressive in the root department.  Had two out front when i first moved here.. Cut them down within a year. Roots were clogging / destroying the sewer pipe from the house to the street.  Never looked good either w/ our heat / not wasting water on them...

Curious why anyone would plant " Temperate " trees in some place like Miami?  There are a ton of more exotic looking locally / regionally native options down there that would be better suited.  That would be like planting  Aspen, Gambel Oak, or Pinyons  in downtown Phoenix..   The few pines that come from similar climates and can grow here have been dying off en masse across the valley / Tucson as it is.  Weird how Live Oaks seem to do alright here though..
 

[Jimbean]

1 hour ago, Jerry@TreeZoo said:

Very few, if any, Landscape Architects would spec many of these.  The willow is routinely removed as a weed.

Sweetgum, red maple, surgarberry, and American elm all could be put to use.  During the "winter" they would provide sunlight thus warming during the cooler months, and shade throughout the rest of the year. 

 

53 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Curious why anyone would plant " Temperate " trees in some place like Miami?  There are a ton of more exotic looking locally / regionally native options down there that would be better suited.

Well in the case of Miami Dade county the temperate trees would be the exotic choice since everything else is either tropical or subtropical.

55 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

That would be like planting  Aspen, Gambel Oak, or Pinyons  in downtown Phoenix..
 

You think so?

[Silas_Sancona]

On 10/24/2021 at 1:20 PM, Jimbean said:

Sweetgum, red maple, surgarberry, and American elm all could be put to use.  During the "winter" they would provide sunlight thus warming during the cooler months, and shade throughout the rest of the year. 

You think so?

Sugar Berry would be the best of the 4 ..at least until they get tall.. Had several dozen growing on a sort of embankment between my house in Bradenton, and the town homes behind us. Never caused any issues. Other than that, would use things like winter deciduous / semi- deciduous Tabebuia,  or other similar - types of trees that will stay within a reasonable size ..and do well.

American Elm isn't even available since it was pretty much wiped out by Dutch Elm Disease sometime ago.. Highly doubtful they'd survive in warm winter areas w/ out being stressed ( and susceptible to everything that attacks stressed trees ) anyway.   Lacebark and Siberian ( horrible tree ) are the only two commonly seen in the trade in warm winter parts of  FL, CA, AZ ( maybe Texas as well ).  American Elm would get wayyy too big for most residential landscape applications anyway. ( and though sited by Wikipedia, there are no American Elms anywhere here in Phoenix )

Yes,  None of those trees ( or any temperate tree really ) should be used where the climate isn't temperate ..unless you want to constantly be replacing trees ( and wasting tax payer money constantly choosing the same bad options ) In a warming world, the most durable options for the future will come from warmer areas, not where it is cooler or moister (  Trees adapted to drier conditions would apply here / in S. Cal. the most, compared to areas back east ).