Paraná pine is a primitive-looking conifer valued for its unusual horizontal branching, interesting triangular-shaped needles, and neat, symmetrical form. The primitive appearance of this evergreen tree results from its resemblance to and relationship with an ancient group of Araucaria-related conifers that dominated forests more than 145 million years ago. This tree once covered vast areas in southern Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Native Americans harvest the seeds for food. It was an important timber tree for European settlers, and it was logged extensively through the 20th century. Now one of the rarest trees in Brazil, Paraná pine is considered critically endangered due to habitat loss and exploitation. This evergreen conifer grows too large for most residential situations, but is best used as an accent or conversation piece in large-scale landscapes. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Gary W. Knox, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, November 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep509
Tag: Landscape Plant Selection — North Florida
Native Plants That Benefit Native Wildlife in the Florida Panhandle
The key to enhancing wildlife (and attracting it to your property) is to provide the resources wildlife need. This means supplying food, water, and cover within the space you own and manage. Because the needs of each wildlife species for food and cover vary from one season to the next, a mix of plant species is required to meet the needs of a species all year round. And because each species has different needs, attracting and maintaining a wide variety of wildlife year round requires a wide diversity of plants. A property owner interested in attracting wildlife should nurture a wide variety of native plants to ensure that there is a large assortment of food and cover options available all the time. This 8-page fact sheet was written by Holly K. Ober and Gary W. Knox, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, October 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw384
Alternatives to Invasive Plants Commonly Found in North Florida Landscapes (ENH1206/EP467)
Based on years of UF/IFAS research producing and trialing cultivars, this 3-page fact sheet lists native and non-invasive, non-native ornamentals as alternatives to invasive plants commonly used in Florida landscapes. Only plants considered to be generally available in the nursery trade are listed. Alternative plants are similar to respective invasive plants as much as possible in terms of size, habit, texture, and flower color.was written by Gary W. Knox, Sandra B. Wilson, Zhanao Deng, and Rosanna Freyre, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, August 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep467