Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Right Plant, Right Place;

Integrated Pest Management; and Attracting Wildlife

John Pipoly, Ph.D., FLS University of Florida, IFAS/Broward County

Extension Education SectionParks and Recreation Division

jpipoly@broward.org

The Key to Landscaping Success

Proper planning and plant selection: affects everything else

you do in your landscape.

can save energy, effort, water, money, etc.

makes the landscape sustainable and more enjoyable.

For example, layered planting: miniature firebush (Hamelia patens)

bottom layer coco plum (Chrysobalanus icaco) next

shrub layer gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) tree NOTE: Understory shrub layer

missing only because of parking lot line-of-sight requirements

Plan First, Plant Once This is a process, not a one-time

event! Analyze your site. Use the Florida-Friendly Plant

Database http://floridayards.org/fyplants/index.php for your region to start selection.

Check each species’ geographic distribution in Florida via http://www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ Try to avoid species at the edge of their ranges (e.g., red maple for a planting in the Keys) as they may be acceptable but not OPTIMAL

Use http://plants.usda.gov to determine if a species is native if you need to know.

Find plants on Plant List or PlantFinder.com

Rhapidophyllum histrix, needle palm (Arecaceae) shade tolerant

Suriana maritima Bay Cedar, Surianaceae Great shrub for dry areas.

Analysis of Site Characteristics

Soil organic matter content,

including peat pH texture (sand, silt, clay) geological features

(limestone, coral, etc.) nutrient content soil testing is currently

very difficult

Light Exposure sun or shade

Sand

Silt

Clay

Light regime critical

FL karst

Analysis of Site Characteristics

Drainage wet vs. dry drainage patterns

Wind Patterns need for wind breaks partially enclosed areas

Screens privacy noise

Standing water: plant sedge and mow

Golden Bamboo Phyllostachys aurea privacy screenBamboo Garden

Sea Grape Coccoloba uvifera , in front of Live oak Quercus virginiana : as a windbreak

Analysis of Site CharacteristicsExisting Landscape

status of irrigation health, arrangement,

and maintenance requirements

power lines sidewalks /driveways buildings desirable wildlife

Hardscape Limitations

Circular drive overplanted- no plan

Stratify Your DesignLayers Increase HURRICANE Resistance

and Provide Shelter for WildlifeCanopy

Subcanopy or

Understory

Shrub layer

Herbs & Groundcovers• The greater the number of strata (layers)

• The greater the protection from hurricane damage and

• The greater the reduction in temperature at ground level

Know Your Plants What is the mature size of the

plant? Does it grow well in sun or

shade? Does it grow well in wet or dry

soils? Does it grow in salty conditions? Is it susceptible to pests that may

be difficult to control?

Helianthus debilisBeach Daisy

Selecting and Installing Plants Be familiar with scientific

names- they are key to information

Buy healthy plants. Look for new growth.Roots should be white and fibrous.Avoid pot bound plants.Avoid diseased or insect infested

plants. Prepare the soil.

Add organic matter to plant beds, especially compost.

Soil tests are not very reliable and UF cannot test ours if your pH is over 7.4 Master Gardeners shop

for Bay Cedar, Surianamaritima , in the rain.

Master Gardeners with lenses inspect plants

Trees in the Landscape… Provide shade. Attract wildlife; provide

shelter. Add color and texture. Increase property

values. Provide a framework

for the rest of the landscape.

Sequester and store carbon, mitigating greenhouse gases

Reduce heating/cooling costs if properly planted at 30’ from building

Quercus virginiana ‘Live Oak’

Palms are different! Palms have only ONE terminal

growing point. Palms do not increase in diameter,

annually, as they mature. Palm roots grow longer but do not

increase in diameter. Palms have a fibrous instead of a

tap root system Many palms are harvested from

native plant stands. Spring and summer are good times

to transplant palms. Palms depend on 8-2-12 +4

fertilizer Palms have many growth habits See palm websites for specialized

information

Sabal palmettoCabbage PalmshowingSolitary stem, with or without leaf bases “boots”

Selecting the Right PlaceConsider: Amount of sunlight Overhead power lines Presence of other trees,

structures, roads Underground utility lines Water table, drainage Trees should be planted

at least 15 ft from the foundation of a home!

Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola Southern Red Cedar

Shrubs and Understory Know the climatic

conditions of your property.

Proper planning is important.

Match the plants with the site!

Know the mature size of the shrub

Be sure to group shrubs according to watering and sunlight needs.

Serenoa repens Saw Palmetto

Keep It Simple

Don’t plant shrubs too close together. Space them according to how far they will spread.

Plant carefully with understory trees to install 3 layers above the ground and below canopy.

DIVERSIFY- the greater the number of species, the less likely you will lose a large portion of the landscape in the event of a disease or pest.

Blackbead Pithecellobium keyense

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LawnsMajor turf grass species in Florida

St. Augustine grass (70%) The most popular

Bahia grass Very drought- tolerant

Bermuda grass Used on golf courses

Centipede grass Common in the Panhandle New cultivars being evaluated by UF at

Hastings Zoysia

New cultivars of Zoysia matrella- Manila Grass- has texture of Bermuda and wears well for S FL

Bahia

Bermuda

St. Augustin

e

Turf AlternativesPERENNIAL PEANUT

Arachis glabrata

POWDER PUFF MIMOSA

Mimosa strigillosa

See EDIS pubs: “Guide to Using Rhizomal Perennial Peanut in the Urban Landscape” HS 960 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep135 and “Mimosa strigillosa, Powder puff Mimosa” ENH 1075 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep343

For residential use, turf areas should be functional and easy to maintain!

Alternatives to Turf

Landscaping beds require less effort and cost less to maintain than turf, when turf is not necessary for recreation or other uses of the space.

Consider low-maintenance ground covers, mulched beds with shrubs, pathways, etc. Remember to LAYER the landscape.

Native Plants A native plant must also be the

RIGHT PLANT in the RIGHT PLACE. Native plants are NOT better adapted than others in the right place once they are out of native soil.

Native species are NOT more drought tolerant than exotic species in the RIGHT PLACE.

The ONLY advantage of native plants is their food value to native and migratory fauna, and to feed native pollinators (bees, hawkmoths, hummingbirds).

Zamia floridana ‘Coontie’

Contact: Association of Florida Native Nurseries http://www.afnn.org;

A Few Natives

Rhapidophyllum hystrix ‘Needle Palm’

Passiflora incarnata “Passion Vine”

Calicarpa americana “Beauty berry”

Sambucus nigra var. canadensis “Elderberry”

Integrated Pest Management

John J. Pipoly III, Ph.D., Extension Agent

Aspects of Integrated Pest Management

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• Plant Resistant plant varieties• Rotate Crops• Destroy- mulch and compost crop refuse• Till soil and include compost• Variation in time of planting or harvesting• Pruning or thinning of perennials• Fertilization- only minimum amounts• Sanitation and water management• Planting of trap crops• Traps, physical removal of pests

Integrated Pest Management– Cultural Practices

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Integrated Pest Management– Beneficial Insects for Your Landscape

Beneficial Insect Picture Target Prey How to Attract Them

Ladybugs Larvae and adults feed

on aphids, scales, mites,

and other insect eggs

Pollen & nectar plants like dill,

goldenrod, Cosmos, Sweet Alyssum.

Provide water in pan filled with gravel

during dry periods

Hover or Flower

Flies

Larvae feed on aphids

and small caterpillars

Pollen and nectar plants, especially

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) (e.g., fennel,

carrots, celery, dill). Let Broccoli flower

& plant sunflowers.

Robber Flies Adults capture flying

insects. Larvae live in

soil and feed on soil

pests (e.g., grubs).

Flowering plants of any kind as a nectar

source.

Ground Beetles

(6-spotted Tiger

Beetle pictured

here)

Feed on snails, slugs,

cutworms and other

caterpillars, potato

beetles

Pollen-providing plants. Dense cover

crops and stone walkways between beds

provide cover.

Big-eyed Bugs Adults eat aphids, small

caterpillars, mites, turf

grubs, thrips and other

small insects.

Pollen & nectar plants like dill,

goldenrod, Cosmos, alfalfa, Sweet

Alyssum. Provide water in pan filled

with gravel during dry periods

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Integrated Pest Management– Beneficial Insects for Your Landscape

Beneficial Insect Picture Target Prey How to Attract ThemAssassin Bugs Adults and nymphs suck

fluids- killing small aphids and other small insects; larger assassins kill caterpillars.

Perennial flowering plants provide shelter.

Lacewings (Green and Brown)

Larvae (top) eat aphids, scales, thrips, mites, immature whiteflies and eggs of some pests

Plant dill, sunflowers, caraway, Cosmos, Sweet Alyssum and goldenrod.

Tachnid Flies Larvae are parasites of squash bugs, cutworms, Japanese beetles and many caterpillars.

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Carrot or Dill Family, Sweet Alyssum and spearmint

Parasitoid Wasps adults inject eggs inside larvae, caterpillars, or pest eggs; wasp larvae eat host

Pollen & nectar plants in Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Family, mints and other fragrant herbs. White clover and other legumes also attractants. Broccoli and radishes in flower provide nectar.

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Integrated Pest Management– Organic Alternatives to Pesticides

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Integrated Pest Management– Chemical Controls

Examples:1. Systemic Pesticides-- Neonicotine compounds like

Imidacloprid, used as a drench for plants NOT pollinated by honeybees.

2. Naturally Occurring Pesticides– Plant extracts with pyrethrins, isolated from plants related to marigolds in the genera Tagetes, Tanacetum, Matricaria, and other species in the Helenieae Tribe of the Asteraceae or Sunflower Family.

3. Citrus oil- especially from oranges.4. Eucalyptus oil.5. Garlic, onion and cayenne pepper spray.6. Sprays from fermentation processes, such as Spinosad

Attracting Wildlife to your Florida-Friendly Landscape

John J. Pipoly III, Ph.D., Extension Agent

• Total Animal Species > 17,117• Vascular Plant species > 4,200 (

http://www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ )

• 480 species of birds (FFWCC)• 96 species of mammals (UF-IFAS-Kern)• 177 species of turtles and snakes (UF-IFAS-Kern)

and 3 crocodilians (FLMNH)

BackgroundFlorida’s Biological Diversity

• 111 species of amphibians (FLMNH)• 250 species of freshwater fish• More than 1,000 species of marine fish

(FFWCC)• Given that more than 4,675 species of beetles

and that beetles typically comprise 1/3 of the total insects in an area, UF experts estimate that there are over 15,000 species of insects in the state (W. Kern, UF-IFAS)

Florida’s Biological Diversity

Wildlife Needs

Shelter (Large plants or snags to hide in); protection from inclement weather; safety from predators and

disturbance; to live and raise young

Food

Water

Space sufficient to permit a range or territory for foraging, hunting and mating

Tips for Landscaping for Wildlife

• Remove Invasive Exotic Plants

• Provide Bird/Bat houses and Bird Feeders

• Manage Pets

• Reduce Pesticide Use

• Expand the Scale of Habitat

• Limit the Amount of Lawn

• Increase Vertical Layering

• Provide Snags and Brush piles

• Provide Water

• Plant Native Vegetation

Hummingbird Feeder Maintenance

• Do not clean with soap.

• Do not use sugar substitutes or honey, red dye in nectar substitute

• Do not use insecticides in area

• Do clean regularly with vinegar

• Do change solution every 3-5 days

DON’T FORGET WATERWAYS(Lakes, Ponds, Canals, Rivers)

Submerged (submersed) wetland plants grow entirely underwater and cannot survive out of water. Some species are rooted in the soil and some are rootless.

Floating or Floating-Leaved wetland plants include plants that are rooted in the ground with leaves floating on the surface and species that float free on the surface with roots dangling in the water.

Emergent (immersed) wetland plants are rooted in the ground with the lower portion of the plant growing below and the upper portion growing above the water. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FA/FA00700.pdf

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™:A Collaborative Effort

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Contact Information

NatureScape Broward ProgramFor yard certification, visit http://

www.broward.org/NaturalResources/NatureScape/Pages/HowToGetCertified.aspx

, then contact NatureScape@Broward.org

Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards & Neighborhoods ProgramFlorida Master Gardeners of Broward County

UF-IFAS/ Broward County Extension EducationParks and Recreation Division

954-357-5270MasterGardener@Broward.org

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™

A SERVICE OF THE BROWARD COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Broward county programs are open to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Disabled individuals are requested to notify program two days prior to

program for auxiliary aids if assistance is required. Disabled parking space and wheelchair ramp are available.

”The Foundation for the Gator Nation, An Equal Opportunity Institution” 

This public document was promulgated at a cost of $126 or $1.26 cents per copy to inform the public about Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM, NatureScape, and how to conserve water and reduce nonpoint source pollution.