Trees with spiky seed balls are generally easy to identify. In late summer and fall, trees like buckeye, chestnut, and sweet gums produce spherical round seed balls covered with prickly spikes. In some cases, the spiked seed balls don’t do any harm. However, round seed pods with sharp spikes can be painful if you step on them barefoot.

Trees with long, slender seed pods are easily identified in woodlands and parks. The distinctive bean-like pods may look like a string of pearls, long flattened brown cases, or slender cylindrical seed pods measuring up to 24” (60 cm) long. Many of these trees with long seed pods are in the bean family Fabaceae and have similar seed cases containing several round or oval seeds.

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.