Feb. 23 is the City of Jacksonville's official Arbor Day. By planting a tree, you can contribute to a healthy ecosystem in your landscape. Many native trees provide food, shelter, and areas of reproduction for our native wildlife, including our sought-after bees, butterflies and birds. Trees also provide beauty in the landscape and help cool our homes during summer months, and allow sunshine through in the winter.
Two beautiful native trees that are also early spring bloomers are the fringe tree and the redbud. Both are deciduous.
In an article on the University of Florida's IFAS extension website, Dr. Edward R. Gilman wrote, "It is hard to think of a more beautiful, small tree than fringe tree when it is in full bloom. The upright oval to rounded form adds dark green color in summer, bright white flowers in spring. The pure white, slightly fragrant flowers, emerging just as the dogwood flowers fade, hang in long, spectacular panicles which appear to cover the tree with cotton for two weeks."
The fringe tree can grow 15-30 feet, with a spread of 8-20 feet. It is very slow growing, requires full sun for best flowering, but can grow in shade. It is drought-tolerant, requires little to no maintenance, and is resistant to pests. It has no salt spray tolerance. Fringe tree produces a small purple fruit that is attractive to birds and can be propagated via stratified seed (a process of cold and moisture and can best be understood by researching on the Internet). This tree is also the host plant of the rustic sphinx and waved sphinx moths in our area, and is said to attract bats.
Redbud trees can be seen blooming now, somewhat earlier than normal due to our mild winter. The color can be described as bright magenta and it blooms in profusion. Redbud is highly drought-tolerant once established, and requires some pruning to create and maintain a strong structure. It is fast growing and will grow in full sun to shade, with no pest problems. Redbud grows 15-30 feet with a spread of 10-5 feet. It has no salt spray tolerance.
In his book Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants, Gil Nelson said the redbud is "excellent as a flowering tree in lawns and along roadsides, as a small shade or specimen tree, or to offer height in a shrub border. Especially attractive when planted in a small group and in naturalistic settings." Propagation is from cuttings or from seeds. The redbud is attractive to bees and is the host plant of the Henry's Elfin butterfly and the Io moth in our area.
Both of these trees can be purchased at the 26th annual Greenscape of Jacksonville's flowering tree sale on Feb. 23 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Hendricks Avenue in San Marco. Those interested in specific trees, and also some shrubs, are advised to arrive early. There is a pre-sale for Greenscape members on Feb. 22 from 3-5 p.m. Sales are cash or check only and all trees and shrubs are sold in 3-gallon containers. An inventory will be listed on the Greenscape website closer to the date of the sale.
For additional information, visit www.green
scapeofjacksonville.com or email info@green