Florida Arbor Day Friday, January 19: The Best Time To Plant Native Trees

Though most of the nation celebrates Arbor Day in April, each state observes Arbor Day at the time considered best for tree-planting in its particular region.

In Florida, Arbor Day is the third Friday in January. In recognition of the annual designation, and to help establish a sustainable landscape, you might want to plant or replace trees.

Now, more than ever, it is important to understand the value of trees to our environment, Trees absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and keep cities cooler by providing shade for streets and homes. They reduce storm water runoff and help to keep natural bodies of water clean. They provide food and habitat for wildlife, and increase home values.

Horticultural Expert, Keith Fuller, gave our club an overview of the many benefits of trees:

1. Trees provide benefits to homeowners.
1. The provide cooling shade in the summer; as much as a 20-40 degree drop in temperature means our cooling bills will be lower.
2. The canopy can provide a relaxing place to sit when the sun is hot.  In a less stressful environment, human health can improve.
3. Landscapes with mature trees increase the resale value of property.
4. With a shaded yard, there is less need to irrigate.
2. Wind mitigation can abate property damage (if properly pruned and maintained, no such thing as a "hurricane cut").
3. Trees provide habitat for wildlife, including birds, and other insects that themselves provide enjoyment to humans and improve the ecosystem.
4. Trees mitigate air pollution and take up water and purify it.
5. Trees add oxygen and mitigate carbon dioxide.
6. Tree products are commercially valuable (longleaf pine, oak)

Arbor Day was founded in Nebraska in the 1870s, and spread throughout the nation before the end of the 19th century. Recognition ranges from searching for the biggest or oldest tree in a community, to Arbor Day block parties, to tree plantings.

To celebrate FFGC's centennial, our clubs plan to install one or more native trees that have high environmental value on January 19.  The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC) is helping our clubs acquire native trees appropriate for their planting environment.  FFGC is providing a list of such trees, as well as knowledgeable resources to allow clubs to choose their tree. Priority is given to large, hurricane-resistant, shade trees in keystone genera that feed more caterpillars and baby birds. This will achieve the grant’s aim to increase climate resilience and support biodiversity. They have acquired funding to allow each club to purchase their tree. Participating clubs are planning to install their selected tree on Friday, January 19, at 11AM.  We expect that many pictures will be taken and newspapers will describe the event.

The Garden Club of Switzerland chose to install a native cherry, also called a black cherry.  Our location will be at Alpha-Omega Miracle Home, a charitable organization that provides safe housing for moms and their children.  This year they received a grant to extend their campus to provide housing for the elderly.  They believe that the mix of families and the range of resident ages will provide a better community feel for the residents. Planting a tree is a symbolic celebration of this campus expansion.  

The native cherry tree, Prunus serotina, we'll install will allow residents to observe the cycle of nature between the plant and the animals that use it.  Its lovely white flower panicles provide nectar to a range of bees in the spring.  The flowers produce small cherry "drupes" (fruits) that nourish birds, both resident and newly-arriving from winter migration.  The tree is a host to the eastern tiger swallowtail and the red spotted purple butterflies.  The cecropia moth also lays its eggs on the tree leaves.  The emerging caterpillars provide protein sources for the newly-hatched birds.  Native cherry trees disburse themselves via seeds and suckering; suckers can be passed along to friends and neighbors, which gives everyone the opportunity to grow a tree from a seedling.  The bark was used by native peoples as an analgesic.  Animals and people, however should not consume the leaves or bark lest they ingest too much and get sick.

For more information on the native cherry tree see the information pdf, Make Birds Happy by Planting a Black Cherry Tree in your Yard.