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Garden Club of Cape Coral: A bit of trivia

By JANETTA FOX 4 min read
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Orange blossoms.
PHOTO PROVIDED

Let’s play some trivia. Can you name Florida’s state wildflower, flower and tree? I must admit that, until recently, I was only aware of two out of the three, those being the state wildflower and tree. Not a bad number but, now that I know them all, I could easily ace the question should it ever be asked.

The Florida Legis-lature designated Coreop-sis, also known as Tickseed, the state wildflower in the early ’90s, primarily because the plants grew prolifically in the state, a result of their use in various projects undertaken to beautify roadways. A number of species grow in the state, the majority of which are native, including the most common one, Coreopsis leavenworthii.

As an attractor of bees and butterflies, Coreopsis spp. can be a welcome addition to butterfly gardens. Plants come in a variety of colors depending on species and boast delicate flowers that readily seed. Averaging a height and spread of three feet, they need a sunny location, well-drained soil are drought tolerant once established and, because they have delicate stalks, should be protected against the wind.

Beating out an array of beauties such as the camellia and gardenia, the blossom of the non-native orange tree, also known as Citrus sinensis, was designated the state flower back in 1909. The beautiful, white, clustered blooms provide an extremely fragrant citrus scent, attracting a variety of pollinators, including honey bees. In Southwest Florida, tree blossoms normally begin their fetching display in January and continue through March.

The native sable palmetto, also known as sable palm or cabbage palm, was designated the state tree in 1953. A question: Is the palm really a tree? You will find conflicting online opinions in this matter and varying definitions for “tree.” One reason you may wish to say “no” to the question is that, unlike a tree, the palm does not have “woody” bark; rather, the trunk is comprised of hardened spongy material. Additionally, the palm lacks a tree’s cambium layer that allows it to produce new wood/bark. Instead of “adding to” like a tree, the palm’s trunk (or stem) expands as it grows. Also, when wounded, a tree is capable of self-healing; the palm has no such capability.

Whether technically considered a tree or not, the sable palm is certainly majestic in its stance and worthy of recognition. These slow growers are capable of reaching 40-plus feet. Their drought tolerance is ideal for our Florida climate.

Some tips: Should you have a sable palmetto in your landscape, avoid the tendency to give the palm a “hurricane cut.” Removal of any fronds other than those that are brown and dying only serves to stress the palm.

Also, although native palms do not need fertilizer in their native settings, because of the soil composition in most Southwest Florida residential areas, palm fertilizer should be applied periodically throughout the year according to label directions. This type of fertilizer includes not only important macronutrients, but an array of micronutrients critical to the palm’s health and well-being.

If discovering a bit of information about our Florida state wildflower, flower and tree has piqued your interest, to find out about other designations, such as our state bird, butterfly and animal, visit dos.myflorida.com and search “Florida State Symbols.”

Until next time … Happy Gardening!

Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.

Sources:

Gilman, E. F. & Howe, T. (1999, October). Coreopsis spp. Tickseed, Coreopsis. UF/IFAS Extension. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/ FP/FP14300.pdf

Moore, A. (2021, April). Palm trees – not trees after all!. The Earth Connection. Retrieved from

https://www.theearthconnection.org/palm-trees-not-trees-after-all/

Munroe, L. N. (2021, October). Florida palm trees and pruning. UF/IFAS Blogs. Retrieved from

Florida Palm Trees and Pruning

Orange blossom approved a state flower. (n.d.). The Florida Historical Society. Retrieved from https://myfloridahistory.org/date-in-history/april-27-1909/orange-blossom-approved-state-flower