Newly Planted Oak Trees in Front of Dyal Upchurch

[Lunican]

What type of trees should be used?

[reednavy]

What type of trees should be used?

Palms, apparently as they grow rather stright and have rather compact root systems.

It is sort of difficult when most native varities here have surface running roots systems due to the type of soil here. They have adapted to not really needing a deep tap root because more than enough rain is provided most years for regular growth. Trees are not really meant to grow with concrete covering most of their root system.

The trees being used are ok, but do not expect them to look how they should or past 30 years or so.

Give me a little bit, I'm trying to come up with a firm database.

[Keith-N-Jax]

So we dont have any streets downtown similar to those posted?

[reednavy]

Here is a list of trees good for downtown. I compiled this based on hardiness, drought tolerance, size, and overall characteristics good for the area.

Lemon bottlebrush
Dahoon Holly ( E. Palatka Holly), same type that is around BOA Tower
Laurel Oak, will likely not live over 30yrs and need replacement
Live Oak, will not attain full characteristics and optimum shade potential due to confinement
Crape/Creepe Myrtle
Southern Magnolia
Little Gem Magnolia, this is more optimal as it stays smaller and can tolerate smaller space
Saucer Magnolia, this is deciduous, not evergreen like two above
Oleander, toxic nature prevents many from planting it, but is extremely durable in urban environments
Sycamore, tolerable, but large leaves and seed pods can be messy
Chinese/Drake Elm, one of best due to fast growth and tolerable of urban environments

Outside of those, I'm not very sure about many more that can tolerate the heat and wetness of Florida summers. That is one of the biggest issues is that confines the availability of more trees.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Oleanders will not provide the shade most are looking for. I think they are best for highways and road side. Chinese/Drake are good and are native trees. River Birch trees maybe a good choice they are native also and there are a few planted along the riverwalk near the YMCA.

[reednavy]

Oleander can be trained into a small tree, but as said, I'm not thinking it would be a great choice, mainly due to the fact a handful of leaves will kill a small person.

River birch was given the name for that reason, it likes wet conditions. A downtown sidewalk is not a good location for them, unless irrigation sprinklers are installed.

[stjr]

We could plant fir/christmas trees and save on decorating for the holidays! 

[Keith-N-Jax]

Youre wrong about River Birch I have my Florida gardening book with me. It can tolerate drier soils.

[reednavy]

We could plant fir/christmas trees and save on decorating for the holidays! 

BOA did that with the Holly's they have. Hell, they're lit up all year long!

[reednavy]

Youre wrong about River Birch I have my Florida gardening book with me. It can tolerate drier soils.

It can, but it prefers regular water as any extended dry period, it starts dropping leaves like it is October.

My parents have two large River Birch trees in TN, and they were doing that when I was there early last month.

Quote: "River birch prefers moist, acidic soils. Once established, it does fine in normal garden soils, but may wilt under drought conditions."

[Jason]

Oleander is poisonous?  Only if you eat the leaves right?

[braeburn]

The entire plant is poisonous. Oleander (Nerium) and Foxglove (Digitalis) when synthesized are beneficial for the treatment of heart failure, but ingestion of the plant materials can be very lethal and numbing.

There are isolated times when pollen counts in Oleander are very high, and the pollen is so thick that it can create a "film" on the ground. Breathing in enough pollen particles in the air (unlikely... you'd have to be surrounded by an entire grove of the stuff for quite some time), or even eating honey where bees can collect ample amounts of pollen from the Nerium genus is dangerous. Breathing in smoke fumes when burning Oleander leaves, stems, etc. is also toxic.

On the flip-side, they are quite beautiful specimens, capable of handling salt spray and hot, dry conditions (perfect for a downtown environment or at the beach), and the flowers have a pleasant honey-like fragrance (as if anyone would want to get close enough to one after reading this!). The colors of the blooms and the branches / leaves give a very tropical or "oasis" look to the specimen, and the constant flowering characteristics make it an attractive choice for horticultural enthusiasts (garden geeks such  as myself). I have enjoyed growing these since moving to Florida, but would never grow them near fruits or vegetables, where the tiny seeds or pollen can get mixed in and end up being mashed and eaten unintentionally.

While I've never seen anyone downtown grazing on any plants that they come across along sidewalks... the main concern would be children or people who break the plants apart by the leaves or stems and absorb the saps through the skin into the bloodstream.

[Seraphs]

What type of trees should be used?

Besides the trees mentioned, the single trunk Natchez Crape Myrtle would be a good choice.

[DavidWilliams]

Which species are homeless pee (and do-do too) resistant?

[stjr]

Spanish Bayonettes and Briars

The century plant, pampas grass, and holly bushes do wonders too.  So nasty, you can't hardly trim them with tools.  Ouch!

Pampas grass: