Shade Trees That Grow Well in Mid Florida

Planting shade trees not only makes your property more visually appealing and enjoyable but can help reduce energy costs by helping to naturally cool your home or building. However, not all shade trees thrive in the hot and humid climate of Mid Florida. For some it’s the rainy season that brings too much moisture and for others, it’s the lack of a hard, deep winter freeze that challenges them.

There are, fortunately, some shade trees that do thrive in mid Florida.  Each offers its own unique look to your landscape.

There is the Bald Cypress. They have branches of soft, short green needles that hang softly from the trunk.  They are a coniferous tree that unlike other conifers, sheds its leaves (needles) in autumn. It can grow to about 50 feet tall but it has a smaller canopy, normally about 25 feet in diameter, which makes them a good choice for medium sized yards.  As they grow, they tend to develop an ovular or pyramid type shape.

The Florida maple stands up well to the hot Florida climate. This variety of maple is known for its lush reddish bronze color in autumn. Its new growth in spring also has a red tint.  Florida maples are a good shade tree for medium sized yards as they quickly grow to an average of 40 feet tall.

If you like trees that stay green year round, the Southern live oak meets that criteria.  This oak has small oval shaped leaves with a dark, furrowed bark.  Live oaks can grow upwards of 65 feet tall and offer a broad, sprawling canopy.  Live oaks do drop their leaves, but unlike most trees, they do so in the spring. Since new leaves on the Southern Live Oak start developing as soon as the old ones fall, your tree will never look bare.

Another tree that fares well in mid Florida is the Tabebuia, also known as trumpet trees. These trees produce beautiful, trumpet shaped flowers in the summertime. There are several varieties to choose from, each with its own unique colored blooms. Tabebuia are good for all yard sizes as well with varieties that grow as small as 25 feet while others can grow as tall as 160 feet.

These are just four of several species of shade trees that handle the special climate Florida is known for. Just imagine the beauty and the cooling shade you will enjoy when you take the time to plant one or more on your property.  To keep your trees thriving and looking their best, whether you need someone to prune, trim or perform any other tree maintenance, contact a trusted, licensed and locally owned company like  Mid-Florida Tree Service.  Their friendly and knowledgeable staff are ready to assist you in determining your tree’s needs.