loquat tree

Also known as the Japanese plum, the loquat is a small evergreen tree with a dense, rounded, dark green canopy.  It is a well-behaved little shade tree that grows moderately fast and reaches only 25 – 30 feet in shade with a 30 – 35 foot spread, but is often no taller than 15 feet…

crepe myrtles

Crepe myrtles are among trees with the highest wind resistance (“Wind and Trees: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes”). Here is a good article from Southern Living on how to prune a crape myrtle. Best time to prune is when it’s bare, in late winter. “Once crepe myrtles have bloomed and shed their first flowers, they will…

beautyberry

You’ve seen beautyberry if you’ve taken a summer walk in any of the parks around Pinellas or Hillsborough counties that have wild plants, or botanical gardens showcasing native plants: a shrub with fuzzy, light green leaves and clusters of bright magenta berries like living jewels. If you rub the crushed leaves on your skin, it’ll…

golden canna

The Latin name for this pretty plant is Canna flaccida. ‘Flaccid canna’? Really? Imagine going through the world being called flaccid. Poor canna. No wonder it’s a little less showy than its cultivar relatives. It has an inferiority complex. By Peter A. Mansfeld, CC BY 3.0, Link As it happens, though, wild golden canna is…