This latter group we call invasive species. Some non-natives, however, can survive in a wild environment, and a subset of those that have naturalized may do so to a spectacular degree, out-competing and finally displacing natives. Most non-natives do not do well in a new environment their seeds may escape to the wild but they are not adapted to the amount of precipitation, the soil characteristics, or the presence of herbivorous animals. Non-native species, also called exotics or aliens, are those that have evolved in a different part of the world, often on a different continent, and have been transported to Florida, typically by the actions of people, whether intentional or not. With a notebook for recording observations, a small hand lens for the finer details, and a bit of patience, the intrepid naturalist will be well on the way to becoming an expert in tree study. If a hardwood, are the leaves simple or compound and what shape are the leaves or leaflets? Are the leaves toothed or not? Are flowers or fruits present? Are there any noticeable characteristics of the bark or the overall growth form of the tree? If a palm, are the leaves palmate or pinnate? Does it have a crownshaft? If a pine, how many needles are in each fascicle and how long are the needles? How long are the cones? Here are just a few typical questions to ask when studying an unknown specimen: Identifying trees is a skill like any other, practice and perseverance pays off. The guide will also be useful along the coasts, to at least as far north as Clearwater on the Gulf and Titusville on the Atlantic. The area covered in this guide are the Florida counties that lie south of Lake Okeechobee – Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties. Some trees may be easily identified by just a single notable feature – Sea Grape ( Coccoloba uvifera), for example, has large, rounded leaves – most trees, however, will require a bit more sleuthing, two or more characteristics will be needed for a positive identification, yet this is an aspect that makes the whole process so compelling and rewarding for the field naturalist. Representative trees of each species are shown, and explanations of the differences between younger versus older specimens are included. Trees tend to be variable in form, for example, young trees may have different characteristics compared to more mature specimens, and a tree growing in the pinelands may have a different growth form than the same species growing in a hammock. Although most technical terms have been left out, a glossary of the basic botanical terms used in this guide is included and with a little practice their use becomes second nature. Within each category the trees are grouped in alphabetical order by plant Family – this allows trees with similar characteristics to be more easily compared.īotany has its own language, and it makes sense for those who would engage in tree identification to become conversant with its basic terminology. The naturalist should first place the tree into one of the basic leaf form categories and view the pages of that section to find the specimen. Leaf form is accented as the first feature to view when attempting an identification flowers and fruits are also obviously useful features and the times of the year when they will typically be present are noted. Characteristics of leaf and twig, bark, flowers, fruits, habitat, and general growth form are described. Descriptive text is paired with color photographs of the key features of each tree, all on the same page. This guide is for those who wish to identify the native tree species of south Florida, as well as several of the more common or important non-natives. This flora includes a mix of native North American and native West Indian species, as well as non-native trees that have escaped from cultivation, that is, have become naturalized. Subtropical Florida has a tremendous diversity of trees.
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