Florida Native Trees - Gallery 3

Galleries 1 2 3 4 5

Click pictures to see full sized images

Pictures - Pond Apple fruit, Pond Apple tree

Name - Pond Apple

(Annona glabra L.)

Family - Annonaceae

Habitat - Swamps, Wet Forests, Edges of ponds and streams.

Description - Native tree to over 50 feet in height, typically smaller. Leaves leathery, alternate, simple with entire margin, shiny green with pointed apices (tips), generally reflexed upward forming a V from axis.

Flower - Creamy white to pale yellow, 7/8 inch, triangular bud on short stalks, flowering from spring through summer. Fruit is egg to heart shaped to 5 inches, yellow with brown spots.

Picture - Rusty Lyonia showing rusty brown new growth

Name - Rusty Lyonia, Staggerbush

(Lyonia ferruginea)

Family - Ericaceae

Habitat - Pine Flatwoods, Scrub

Description - Native shrub, small tree. Commonly 3 to 12 feet high, occasionally may grow to 20 feet or more. Crooked trunks with reddish brown, scaly, ridged bark. All parts of plant covered with a rust brown pubescence, particularly new growth and underside of 2-4 inch oblanceolate leaves.

Flower - Fragrant, white, urn or bell shaped in axillary clusters in spring, fruit is a five-sided ovoid brown capsule1/4 inch long.

Pictures - Paradise tree leaf structure, Paradise tree fruit

Name - Paradisetree, Bitterwood

( Simarouba glauca )

Family - Simaroubaceae

Habitat - Coastal Hammocks

Description - Native tree with sparsely branched straight trunk to 50 feet tall. Leaves stiff, alternate, pinnately compound, 11-12 inches long with 10 to 14 elliptic to oval leaflets. Dark shiny green above, grey underneath. New growth appearing red.

Flower - Yellow to cream colored, in profuse terminal and/or axillary clusters. Fruit a reddish oval drupe, just under an inch long, turning black when mature.

Picture - Red Mulberry leaf

Name - Red Mulberry

( Morus rubra )

Family - Moraceae

Habitat - Hammocks, Bottomland Forests, Upland Forests, Floodplains, Flatwoods.

Description - Native shrub or tree to 65 feet, typically with a low branching habit, irregular grey-brown bark sometimes orange tinged in young trees, bark becoming ridged in older trees.

Leaf form is variable, alternate, simple, margins serrate, may be un-lobed or deeply lobed, green above with a rough, scabrous texture, paler green and fuzzy on lower surface.

Flower - Pale green hanging catkins, 1-2 inches long. Fruit is a cylindrical, cluster of black drupes to 1 1/4 inch long, resembling blackberries.

Picture - Deerberry with fruit

Name - Deerberry

(Vaccinium stamineum L.)

Family - Ericaceae

Habitat - Pinelands, Hammocks

Description - Native shrub or small tree. 10-15 feet tall with an equal spread. Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptic to obovate with entire margins, 1-3 inches long, commonly increasing in size toward tips of branches.

Flower - White, campanulate, (bell shaped) from leaf axils on long stalks, with the numerous yellow stamens extending past the corolla. Fruit a berry, whitish blue to deep purple when mature.

Pictures - Chapman Oak leaf and close-up

Name - Chapman oak

(Quercus chapmanii Sarg.)

Family - Fagaceae

Habitat - Sand Pine Scrub, Oak Scrub

Description - Native perennial tree/shrub. Although it can occasionally grow to tree-like proportions (30-50 feet with a 8-10 inch trunk) is commonly found as a shrub in dry scrub. Leaves are alternate, simple, somewhat variable in form; elliptic to obovate or spatulate with entire or shallowly lobed margins. Upper surface dark green, shiny, lower surface slightly pubesent.

Flower - In spring - male flower a catkin, female inconspicuous, produced singly or in pairs.

Picture - Marlberry tree with fruit

Name - Marlberry

(Ardisia escallonioides)

Family - Myrsinaceae

Habitat - Coastal Hammocks, Inland Hammocks, Thickets

Description - Native shrub or small tree to 20 feet or more in south Florida, more commonly 12-15 feet. Narrow crown, taller than broad, slender trunk and branches with thin, pale grey bark. Leaves are a shiny dark green above, paler dull green below, elliptic, alternate, 4-8 inches long, margins entire.

Flower - Fragrant, creamy white throughout the year, produced in terminal clusters. Fruit is a fleshy drupe, 1/2 inch or less, deep red to black.

Pictures - Coco Plum shrub, Coco Plum fruit

Name - Coco Plum

(Chrysobalanus icaco L.)

Family - Chrysobalanaceae

Habitat - Coastal swamps, coastal scrub, bay swamps, cypress domes.

Description - Native shrub or small tree up to 15 feet in height. Leaves are 2 -3 inches, evergreen, simple, alternate, broadly elliptical to nearly round with smooth entire margins on short petioles.

Flowers white, (may be pink tinged) 1/4 inch borne on short irregularly branched clusters near ends of branches. Fruit is 1 to 2 inches in diameter, dark purple to nearly black, waxy in appearance.

Pictures - Florida Hopbush leaf and fruit, Close up of fruit

Name - Varnishleaf, Florida Hopbush

(Dodonaea viscosa)

Family - Sapindaceae

Habitat - Coastal Strand, Coastal Hammocks

Description - Native small tree or more commonly a shrub to 10 feet high, occasionally taller. Leaves alternate, obovate, shiny yellowish-green and sticky, 3-6 inches long.

Flower - Yellowish-green in small terminal clusters, followed by green to pinkish winged capsules.

Picture - Dwarf Live Oak

Name - Dwarf Live Oak

(Quercus minima)

Family - Fagaceae

Habitat - Pinelands, Scrubby flatwoods, Wet flatwoods, Sandhill

Description - Native low growing shrub, sub-shrub, rarely exceeding 3 feet, common at 16-18 inches or less.

Leaves alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, variable size and shape, 1 to 4 inches long, shiny green above, lower surface (usually) pubescent.

Flower - Early spring, Male- Yellow-green catkins 2-3 inches long, Female - small, inconspicuous in leaf axils.

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Florida Native Trees - Gallery 3

Galleries 1 2 3 4 5

Click pictures to see full sized images

Pictures - Pond Apple fruit, Pond Apple tree

Name - Pond Apple

(Annona glabra L.)

Family - Annonaceae

Habitat - Swamps, Wet Forests, Edges of ponds and streams.

Description - Native tree to over 50 feet in height, typically smaller. Leaves leathery, alternate, simple with entire margin, shiny green with pointed apices (tips), generally reflexed upward forming a V from axis.

Flower - Creamy white to pale yellow, 7/8 inch, triangular bud on short stalks, flowering from spring through summer. Fruit is egg to heart shaped to 5 inches, yellow with brown spots.

Picture - Rusty Lyonia showing rusty brown new growth

Name - Rusty Lyonia, Staggerbush

(Lyonia ferruginea)

Family - Ericaceae

Habitat - Pine Flatwoods, Scrub

Description - Native shrub, small tree. Commonly 3 to 12 feet high, occasionally may grow to 20 feet or more. Crooked trunks with reddish brown, scaly, ridged bark. All parts of plant covered with a rust brown pubescence, particularly new growth and underside of 2-4 inch oblanceolate leaves.

Flower - Fragrant, white, urn or bell shaped in axillary clusters in spring, fruit is a five-sided ovoid brown capsule1/4 inch long.

Pictures - Paradise tree leaf structure, Paradise tree fruit

Name - Paradisetree, Bitterwood

( Simarouba glauca )

Family - Simaroubaceae

Habitat - Coastal Hammocks

Description - Native tree with sparsely branched straight trunk to 50 feet tall. Leaves stiff, alternate, pinnately compound, 11-12 inches long with 10 to 14 elliptic to oval leaflets. Dark shiny green above, grey underneath. New growth appearing red.

Flower - Yellow to cream colored, in profuse terminal and/or axillary clusters. Fruit a reddish oval drupe, just under an inch long, turning black when mature.

Picture - Red Mulberry leaf

Name - Red Mulberry

( Morus rubra )

Family - Moraceae

Habitat - Hammocks, Bottomland Forests, Upland Forests, Floodplains, Flatwoods.

Description - Native shrub or tree to 65 feet, typically with a low branching habit, irregular grey-brown bark sometimes orange tinged in young trees, bark becoming ridged in older trees.

Leaf form is variable, alternate, simple, margins serrate, may be un-lobed or deeply lobed, green above with a rough, scabrous texture, paler green and fuzzy on lower surface.

Flower - Pale green hanging catkins, 1-2 inches long. Fruit is a cylindrical, cluster of black drupes to 1 1/4 inch long, resembling blackberries.

Picture - Deerberry with fruit

Name - Deerberry

(Vaccinium stamineum L.)

Family - Ericaceae

Habitat - Pinelands, Hammocks

Description - Native shrub or small tree. 10-15 feet tall with an equal spread. Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptic to obovate with entire margins, 1-3 inches long, commonly increasing in size toward tips of branches.

Flower - White, campanulate, (bell shaped) from leaf axils on long stalks, with the numerous yellow stamens extending past the corolla. Fruit a berry, whitish blue to deep purple when mature.

Pictures - Chapman Oak leaf and close-up

Name - Chapman oak

(Quercus chapmanii Sarg.)

Family - Fagaceae

Habitat - Sand Pine Scrub, Oak Scrub

Flower - In spring - male flower a catkin, female inconspicuous, produced singly or in pairs.

Picture - Marlberry tree with fruit

Name - Marlberry

(Ardisia escallonioides)

Family - Myrsinaceae

Habitat - Coastal Hammocks, Inland Hammocks, Thickets

Flower - Fragrant, creamy white throughout the year, produced in terminal clusters. Fruit is a fleshy drupe, 1/2 inch or less, deep red to black.

Pictures - Coco Plum shrub, Coco Plum fruit

Name - Coco Plum

(Chrysobalanus icaco L.)

Family - Chrysobalanaceae

Habitat - Coastal swamps, coastal scrub, bay swamps, cypress domes.

Description - Native shrub or small tree up to 15 feet in height. Leaves are 2 -3 inches, evergreen, simple, alternate, broadly elliptical to nearly round with smooth entire margins on short petioles.

Flowers white, (may be pink tinged) 1/4 inch borne on short irregularly branched clusters near ends of branches. Fruit is 1 to 2 inches in diameter, dark purple to nearly black, waxy in appearance.

Pictures - Florida Hopbush leaf and fruit, Close up of fruit

Name - Varnishleaf, Florida Hopbush

(Dodonaea viscosa)

Family - Sapindaceae

Habitat - Coastal Strand, Coastal Hammocks

Description - Native small tree or more commonly a shrub to 10 feet high, occasionally taller. Leaves alternate, obovate, shiny yellowish-green and sticky, 3-6 inches long.

Flower - Yellowish-green in small terminal clusters, followed by green to pinkish winged capsules.

Picture - Dwarf Live Oak

Name - Dwarf Live Oak

(Quercus minima)

Family - Fagaceae

Habitat - Pinelands, Scrubby flatwoods, Wet flatwoods, Sandhill

Description - Native low growing shrub, sub-shrub, rarely exceeding 3 feet, common at 16-18 inches or less.

Leaves alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, variable size and shape, 1 to 4 inches long, shiny green above, lower surface (usually) pubescent.

Flower - Early spring, Male- Yellow-green catkins 2-3 inches long, Female - small, inconspicuous in leaf axils.

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