Feature Article -  for release January 4, 2009

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent 

 

2009 Florida Plants of the Year: Best of the Decade (part one)

 

Happy New Year!  For the past ten years, the Florida Nursery Growers & Landscapers Association has designated several Florida-Friendly plants each year.  This year marks the 10th anniversary of the program.  Launched a decade ago, the Plants of the Year program celebrates plants ideal for each of Florida’s three geographic regions.  They are nominated by people like you and me, then hand-picked by a jury of distinguished horticulturists.

FNGLA has named the best selections from the past decade as the 2009 Florida Plants of the Year. These plants include three flowering shrubs: one evergreen with pink flowers and guava-like fruit, one semi-woody butterfly attractor and the third, a low grower with masses of small white flowers. The remaining seven plants are a clumping fern, a flowering ground cover, a robust palm, a clumping native palm, a deciduous tree, a heat-tolerant perennial and a versatile houseplant.

Today's column will introduce five of these selections; a future installment will cover the rest.

 

Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana) is an evergreen landscape shrub or small tree 8’ – 12’ tall and wide, but can be kept lower with regular pruning. Adapted to all parts of the state, it finds use in Florida Yards as a background or a foundation plant, but can be sheared into a hedge or left alone as specimen shrub. Choose a site with full sun to partial shade.

 

Pineapple Guava is cold hardy and disease-resistant. Its leaves are grey-green on top and silvery with fuzz below.  Spring flowers have dark red showy stamens surrounded by pink and white waxy petals.  These pretty flowers produce guava-like fruit about the same size and shape as a chicken egg. Known as Feijoa, they are edible and have a slight pineapple flavor.

 

 

 

Perennial Peanut (Arachis glabrata) is a ground cover with flowers that can be used as a turf replacement in hard-to-mow areas. Perennial peanut adds great interest when in heavy bloom from late spring through summer and fall.  With rounded, bright yellow blooms, this drought-tolerant, evergreen ground cover works best in well-drained soil in sunny locations. 

 

As a member of the bean family, this plant has the ability to obtain nitrogen nutrients from bacteria found growing on its roots- it can be a “self-fertilizing plant.  Some forms of perennial peanut have been used as a pasture plant and is grown for hay in some areas.  The ornamental kinds crawl along the ground spreading as they grow.  When inter-planted with grass it can be mowed and is a possible turf replacement as it remains extremely low.  Some varieties are no more than 6” off the ground, while others may grow to a foot tall.

Perennial Peanut Cultivars can be used for hay, but these types are grown as groundcovers.  They form a tight-fitting sod and have the added attraction of yellow flowers.  Like other legumes, they also can make their own fertilizer.    Photos: UF/IFAS

 

Bismarck Palm (Bismarckia nobilis)  is a massive, robust, stout, symmetrical palm with a silver-blue color.  Their large fronds extend from a central trunk which becomes smooth with age.  Even young Bismarck palms appear massive as they sport full crowns of about 25 leaves and a full spread dominating the landscape. At maturity this palm reaches 30’ to 50’ in height and 10’ – 15’ in width;  be sure that enough space is available for this specimen palm.

 

Both sides of the leaf stems have a sharp edge.  Once established, this palm is drought tolerant and needs no additional water to sustain in the landscape.  Some of the larger wholesale growers in our area are producing this palm in their nurseries. They offer a tropical welcome to warmer Florida Yards where soil and sun are suited for this native of the African Island nation of Madagascar.

 

Bismarck Palm.  Photo: Ralph Mitchell, UF/IFAS Charlotte Extension Service

In 2003 I helped plant this Bismarck Palm in Vero Beach in memory of Master Gardener Michael Baker.  His wife helped pick this species as a favorite, as he liked palms and was proud of his German heritage. It has made out fine so far!  Photo: UF/IFAS Indian River Extension Service

 

 

Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)  Shady areas present challenges in Florida Yards.  This plant provides an excellent alternative that can be grown throughout the state.  Growing to a 2 foot height, this herbaceous perennial is best used as a mass planting in shaded areas.

Sometimes called Japanese Shield Fern, its young foliage is eye-catching bronzy-red that matures into a glossy, dark green. The best growth is achieved in a well-drained soil in light shade. Though water requirements are moderate, autumn fern will signal its water stress by wilting and changing its foliage’s color.

 

 

Landscaped bed with Autumn Fern. Photo: FNGLA

Closeup of Autumn Fern foliage. Photo: Wikpedia

Young growth of this fern is bronze colored.  Photo © Missouri Botanical Garden

 

Firebush (Hamelia patens) is a native semi-woody evergreen shrub or small tree.  In frost free areas it can expand to heights of 6- 10 feet, but typically maintained as a smaller shrub.  When frost hits established plants, they will come back with warmer temperatures.

Firebush finds use as a hedge, mixed border, stand-alone shrub, but is probably most popular as a butterfly garden plant. From March to November, Firebush exhibits its showy flowers which are a big attractor to butterflies and hummingbirds.

 

The leaves of this evergreen shrub are reddish for much of the year, turning green as the leaves mature. Its berries are black in color and are a good source of food for local wildlife, especially songbirds like cardinals.

 

The drought-tolerant Firebush thrives in full sun to partial shade and grows vigorously, particularly in spring. Dwarf varieties are available and are becoming increasingly popular.

 

Firebush produce flowers through much of the warm season.   Photo: UF/IFAS West Florida REC

Flowers of Firebush attract hummingbirds and many species of butterflies.  Photo: Vic Raimey,  UF/IFAS

Firebush flowers give rise to red-black berries that are attractive food for birds.  Note that cool weather brings on red colored leaves.  Photo Dan Culbert, UF/IFAS

 

A future feature article  will offer highlights of five more FNGLA plants of the decade.  More information is available on the award-winning Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu. If you need additional information on these plants, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons.  Happy New Year and, Go Gators! 

 

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Millie Ferrrer, Inerim Dean. Last update: 01/30/2009.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert