Trees, Plants & Landscaping

Native Trees
Invasive Exotics
The Poisonwood:  A very bad tree
Lethal Yellowing
Sprout Your Own Coconut Palms
Rubber Mulch

Native Trees

Editor’s Note: The following text was excerpted from articles written by Merili McCoy, long-time Key West resident and a City Commissioner until her death in April 2005. An excellent source of information about native Keys trees and shrubs, including many photographs, can be found in J. Paul Scurlock’s Native Trees and Shrubs of the Florida Keys.

"The cultivation of trees is the cultivation of the good, the beautiful, and the ennobling in man."

This is a quote from the writings of J. Sterling Morton, a newspaper editor, and politician, who lived over 100 years ago.  Morton influenced our nation and many other countries with a very simple idea:  PLANT TREES.  He proposed a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees.
 
In 1970, this day became an official national day, Arbor Day. Because of differing weather conditions, many states have adopted their own Arbor Days, and the third Friday of April is Florida's official Arbor Day.

The virtues of trees are many.  I often refer to them as Nature's special housekeepers and recyclers.  There's that famous exchange of soaking up the carbon dioxide we create and all that oxygen they give back.  Their leaves are just about the greatest dust catchers we have, sound attenuators or noise absorbers, and the leaves they drop provide re-fertilization and water retention with the resultant mulch.
 
The web site of the National Arbor Day Foundation www.arborday.org/trees/index.cfm has some interesting statistics:  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that the net cooling effect of a young healthy tree is equal to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.  Trees can boost the market value of your home by six to ten percent, and landscaping with trees can increase the value as much as 20 percent.  The USDA Forest Service claims that trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent.
 
Another natural service trees provide, according to the USDA, is improved water quality due to reduced storm water runoff and erosion.  By retaining rainwater, trees promote recharging of the ground water supply.

Trees are good for your health, too!  Texas A&M University has discovered in laboratory research that visual exposure to settings with trees produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension.

The best trees for the Keys stand up to salt and wind.

The Florida Keys have evolved with plant life that deals with the harsher facets of coral islands, contrasted with beneficial frost-free warmth and sunshine.  This includes their ability to withstand the occasional intrusion of salt water, spray and air, and to use tropical storms and showers to deal with the inevitable dry spells.
 
In the small tree range the Geiger Tree, Cordia sebestena with its bright orange blossoms is the most well-known.  It grows fifteen to 25 feet and features a light, rough green leaf that is occasionally supper for a little beetle, but does no harm to the tree.  The White Geiger, a cousin, is an attractive, bushy tree with white blossoms.  You can see a pair of them by the Graveyard gate on Windsor Lane.

Strong Bark and my most favorite, the Wild Cinnamon, both grow compactly to 15 or 20 feet.  Strong Bark has a weeping profile with fragrant flowers and a good example can be found on United and Packard.  Wild Cinnamon is a little less salt tolerant. The flowers are small, but they grow in clusters with a maroon colored flower that appears in Spring and Summer.
 
The famous Stopper family gets its peculiar name from two sources. Pioneers brewed a tea from the leaves to stop diarrhea, and a growing pattern as an almost impassable front line of hammocks.  Early Conchs used it as a Christmas tree.  Its compact growth can reach fifteen or twenty feet.  The red or Simpson Stopper has small blooms that attract butterflies.  Stay away from the White Stopper; it tends to have a "skunky" smell.

The smallish Jamaican Caper gets to ten and maybe fifteen feet, pyramidal in shape.   Its fragrant flowers appear twice a year with a creamy white bloom that ages to pink and finally maroon.

Darling Plum, first of our mediums, and how can you resist a tree with a name like that, grows 20 to 25 feet, wide profile, with  dark purple fruit that brings numerous birds to your yard.
 
Crabwood's attractive bark attracts lichens, with no harm to the tree, giving us interesting patterns. Another one of those califerous trees, it is slow growing and can get anywhere from 15 to 30 feet.

The popular Black Ironwood has an open, upright canopy, reaching as high as 30 feet, but can average as low as 20 feet. Our Bubba trees adapt naturally to their location and settle at a height that can be sustained in their particular location. There is a good example at Flagler and Walton streets.

I always wanted to know where the name "Blolly" came from.  I am sure it was of Bahamian origin, as are many of our common tree names.  Blollys get compared to the northern Weeping Willow, though not related, but similar in growth.  This tree's 20 to 30 feet are worth any trouble you have in getting and planting it.  It's mainly grown for its shape, and has inconspicuous flowers.

The Autograph Tree, Clusia rosea (also called Pitch Apple, Balsam Apple, Signature Tree, Monkey Apple, Scotch Attorney and Copey) has large, thick leaves, supposedly used during the Spanish American war to carry messages.  The leaves can withstand names and initials written on them for the life of the leaf, and it is said the famous "Message to Garcia" was written on one of the leaves.  Easily shaped, the Autograph can get to 25 feet if you let it.  The pink and white waxy flower (which lasts for only one day) is spectacular, as well as the seed pod which is a favorite of decorators.  It takes the wind and salt well.

Our first large tree is the well liked Gumbo Limbo.  It is commonly called the Tourist Tree because of the peeling reddish bark, which produces a soothing tea for the skin.  Growing 35 to 45 feet with a nice canopy, it is not considered a slow growing tree, but it takes time to get to that size. It is very drought tolerant and medium salt tolerant.  An interesting facet of this tree is its ability to be planted upside down and still grow.  Locals sometimes call it "Quick Stick" – not to be confused with the Gliricidia, native to Tropical America and used in Cuba as a fence post on country roads.  The Gliricidia has great sweet pea type pinkish blooms and grows to about 20 feet.   There is a good example of a large Gumbo Limbo just inside the wall at St. Mary's inner parking lot.

Jamaica Dogwood, another of my favorites, grows steadily to reach a height from anywhere of 35 to 50 feet.  It has lovely pink to green flowers along its stems and is quite hardy.  There is a good example on Flagler between 19th and 20th.  There is also a nice one on 12th street, a block from Flagler.

Plentiful in the Caribbean and one of our top natives, the Mahogany makes a good shade tree, with a broad, dense canopy.  During hurricanes, all its leaves are lost, which protects it by reducing wind resistance.

The Key Lime, a native of Mexico, was planted by sailors to ensure their source of a scurvy cure. It is said to be the only citrus that grows true to seed.  Guavas, Bananas, Soursop, Sugar and Star Apples, Citrus, Egg fruit, Sapodilla, coconuts and date palms were just a few that our forefathers found would grow on our islands.  Grapes and sugar cane, many herbs like oregano and basil, grew well.  Cabbages, peas and yams were found in vegetable gardens. 

Invasive Exotics

Two invasive exotics that are common in our neighborhood are the Brazilian Pepper (also called Florida Holly) and the Australian Pine.  Monroe County encourages the removal of these trees, so if you find any on your property, you are advised to cut them down and kill the stumps to prevent re growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Poisonwood:  A very bad tree

Editor’s Note:  Although the poisonwood is considered to be endangered, it is very common and fast to grow in Keys hammocks.  Poisonwood trees grow along the roadsides of Ramrod, so be very careful not to touch the leaves or bark. The following story is excerpted from an article written by Kathleen McNary Wood. The entire article can be viewed at http://www.timespub.tc/Natural%20History/Archive/Fall%202002/bark.htm

 

BARK THAT BITES

by Kathleen McNary Wood

Deep within the tangled bush lies a menacing presence that strikes without warning. Annoying, if not debilitating to those who cross its path, the foe lulls its intended victim with a disarming beauty.

BEWARE THE BARK THAT BITES!

These hidden threats are, of course, not wild beasts but wily plants that have devised a means to protect themselves from those who would consume them. Unfortunately, their cleverly crafted defense mechanism works its art on innocent bystanders as well as the insect pests that it is intended for. While many plants may have a degree of toxins that can cause mild skin irritations, none can compare to the insidious devices of the Poisonwood and Manchineel trees. Fortunately, these vegetable adversaries are easy to spot, so with a little information, one can be armed against the dangers that lie within the bush.

From a human perspective, Poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum) is one of the most annoying species to be found just about anywhere. It ranks right up there with Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac, Poison Oak and the rest of them.

Adding to the annoyance factor is the fact that it is common. Found almost anywhere in the Turks & Caicos, it is also distributed throughout the Bahamas, Florida and the rest of the Caribbean. It is easily identified. The distinctive bark of the tree has a reddish hue and is often peeling and dappled with a black sap. The deep green leaves are compound and usually have from five to nine leaflets--always an odd number. These are almost always blotted with the telltale signs of the tree's toxicity--small black spots of the poisonous sap that blemish the leaves.

And that is not all that the sap blemishes. When human skin comes into contact with this sap, more often than not, painful and very itchy blisters will come up on the skin within 24 hours. The itching of these is enough to drive anyone crazy, but if that isn't enough, the tree has an even greater secret weapon. The sap is not water-soluble and cannot be washed off with simple soap. So when you scratch (and believe me you will), the toxins are transported on your fingertips to any other part of your body--or somebody else's--that you happen to come into contact with. Sometimes, you can even think that you are healing and then re-infect yourself with new blisters somewhere else.

An island remedy for this unfortunate situation is to immediately spray the affected area with WD 40. While this may seem to be an extreme measure, it does work. Any other oil dissolving substance will probably work as well. Just remember to clean the area before you scratch, or you'll be very sorry.

Lethal Yellowing

The rapid progress of Lethal Yellowing amongst our coconut palms is another result of the drought in the 1980s, which makes the palms vulnerable to the virus that kills them.  As soon as you have determined a tree is dying, cut it down. Be sure to clean your saws and clippers with alcohol, for they can spread the disease to other susceptible palms.  Native palms do not get the blight, and the Maypam and Malayan coconuts are resistant.  Another tip, hold off on your new planting until the rainy season comes.

Sprout your own coconut palms

by Catie Clark

Catie Coconuts Photo Page 61: Newly-sprouted Malayan Palms on Ramrod Key. Photo by Selwyn Malin

You can easily grow your own Malayan Dwarf Palm, the one that is resistant to yellowing disease. You start with a coconut that has recently fallen from a disease-resistant tree, and that already has a green bud, and follow these instructions:

1. Use 3-5 gallon containers (typical plastic plant pots) filled with a mixture of half potting soil and half of our native marl (screened to remove the larger stones)
2. Plant the nut so the bud faces up and bury it about halfway into the improved soil mix. Place the container in direct or filtered sunlight.
3. Water every 2 or 3 days until the sprout is over a foot tall (takes about 6 months)
4. Transplant the palm into a hole, and fill with a mixture of topsoil (or potting soil or compost), mulch and marl screenings. You can use “store-bought” mulch or make your own from seaweed that has been washed with fresh water.
5. Water regularly, and fertilize after 6 months. For fastest growing time, continue to water and fertilize on a regular schedule.

Be sure to keep your new palm away from weed killers and other chemicals. For more information about coconuts, contact the Monroe County Extension Service at 294-4501 or visit their web site. HYPERLINK http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu/

 

Rubber Mulch

by Marsha Van Duren

Many people have stopped to inquire about the mulch I recently put down around my house and garden at 71 West Indies Drive.  Yes, it’s rubber, made from old tires.  Every cubic yard represents 60 to 70 old tires, so it’s a good thing for the environment. Unlike organic mulch, it does not rot, does not float, does not blow away, and does not sink into the soil or provide a food source for termites and other pests.  Since the color does not fade, it looks like new long after you put it down.
 
Rubber mulch allows more water to flow to the soil and increases air to the soil.  New weed growth is drastically reduced.  It is virtually maintenance-free, and lasts for many years.  While it is initially more expensive than organic mulch (about $9 per bag plus shipping), you’ll save money in the long run because you won’t have to replace it every year.  I love this stuff!

It comes in a variety of colors, which you can view on the Everlast Rubber Mulch web site http://www.stopmulching.com/.  The site also includes many landscaping photographs, testimonials from customers, a cost estimator and a lot more information about the advantages of rubber mulch.