Magnolia trees are prized in Florida gardens for their showy, fragrant white or pink flowers and leathery leaves. The most common magnolia tree species in Florida is the native southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). It’s an evergreen tree with extremely fragrant creamy-white flowers, smooth leathery evergreen leaves, and large rose-red conical seed pods. However, other magnolia varieties and cultivars thrive in North, Central, and South Florida.

Red berries that grow on trees add a dash of color to any garden. Trees with edible red berries have the bonus of providing tasty, healthy fruits. After all, who can resist eating sweet red cherries? However not all red berries are edible, and it’s essential to distinguish between edible red berries and poisonous berries.

Palm fronds are the foliage or leaves of palm trees. The most common types of palm fronds are fan-shaped and feather fronds. However, some rare palm tree types have bipinnate fronds resembling fishtails. Other palms have fronds called entire leaves. These lack the characteristic slender, pointed leaflets of common palm tree fronds.

Hawaii is home to several species of exotic palm trees, including the stunning native Hawaiian palm—Loulu (Pritcharia spp.). Palms are a part of Hawaii’s coastal and mountainous skyline. Tropical palm trees like coconut palms, foxtail palms, and Florida royal palms grace many of Hawaii’s sandy beaches, and their silhouettes look stunning in sunsets. In addition, many native Hawaii palms grow in the mountains at high elevations, giving the unique landscape a distinctly tropical appearance.

The perfect shade tree can enhance the beauty of your Florida garden landscape. Some of the best shade trees that thrive in Florida are the weeping willow, Shumard oak, river birch, American sycamore, and red maple. These medium to tall trees add to your yard’s aesthetics and help keep your property cool during hot, humid summers.

Oak tree leaves are characterized by their deep, rounded, or pointed lobes. By examining the shape, size, and lobe tips, you can easily differentiate between the red oak family and the white oak family. Furthermore, the identification of oak leaves can assist in determining the specific species of the oak tree.

Helicopter seeds are the winged seeds of several species of deciduous trees. These papery, winged seeds are named helicopter seeds because they fall to the ground in whirling motion—just like a helicopter’s rotor blades. The primary types of trees producing helicopter seeds are maple, ash, elm, and sycamore trees. The wind can then disperse spinning helicopter seeds far from the host tree, helping the trees to flourish in a woodland landscape.

An acorn or oaknut is the nut of the oak trees. Each acorn contains one or two oak seeds and it is enclosed in a tough protective shell. Acorns have a distinctive oval shape with a scaly or warty cap called a cupule. The edible acorns usually take between 6 to 24 months to mature.

Palm trees evoke thoughts of tropical sandy beaches, warm sunshine, or beautiful colorful sunsets with silhouettes of tall, slender palms with crowns or arching feather-like fronds. However, many types of cold-hardy palm trees grow in cold climates and can even withstand freezing temperatures. Also, many dwarf palm trees have shrubby growth and only grow a few feet above the ground. Additionally, a wide variety of palm trees produce fruit in the form of coconuts, dates, drupes, and berries.

Palm trees are a common sight in the California skyline. Tall, majestic palms with crowns of arching fronds look spectacular against beautiful sunsets along the coast of the Golden State. From the native California palm tree to king palms, slender Mexican fan palms, kentia palms, and date palms, it seems that palm trees are prevalent throughout the state of California.