Many different Florida wildlife pass through a home landscape daily in search of food. Possibly the most destructive animal to landscape plants in northwest Florida is the White-Tailed Deer. Extensive amounts of damage can be observed after they have passed through. This damage is not just to landscapes but also impacts agriculture crops at an economic level.
Deer walking through a landscape in Northwest Florida. Photo Credit: Stephen Greer, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
Deer are searching for protein that can be found in many forms that may include acorns from oak trees, ornamental shrubs, flowers, and soybeans. For this article, I will focus on landscape plants. Deer require a significant amount of forages as adults to amass 6 plus pounds per 100 pounds of body mass on a daily basis as they attain muscle and fat. Maintaining this level of growth is needed for quality reproductive rates and surviving the times of year, usually the winter, with less food available. Keep in mind damage is significantly lower from mid-spring to mid-summer with greater damage occurring from late-summer to late-fall.
Deer damage to a loquat tree. Photo Credit: Stephen Greer, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
How to make informed plant decisions before placing them in the landscape and protecting many of these plants is a big question. There are many articles out there on selecting plants that are deer resistant or tolerant. Resistant to deer browsing is often dependent on how hungry they are and the amount of availability of other plants they prefer near by out of your landscape. With deer populations increasing significantly over the last few decades it has increased contact with people and the environments in which we live. To deter feeding and other damage to the landscape, fences have been placed as barriers, offensive smelling sprays have been used, lights and sounds have been used. The attempt is to offend more than one of the deer senses. These tactics work for a while until they adjust to these events and find their way back.
A barrier placed over a raised bed garden. Photo Credit: Stephen Greer, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County.
Some of the favored plants for deer include hosta, daylily, holly, and maple leaves and many more. Plants they tend to avoid are poisonous plants that include foxglove, poppies or fragrant plants from sage, salvias and bearded iris. There are publications with extensive lists of plants not to plant as they are a preferred food for deer and much shorter lists of plants they do not prefer. Contact your local UF IFAS Extension office for more information.
Deer, like many of the wildlife, were able to acclimate to neighborhoods and traffic settings. This has created additional dangers for many wildlife animals and people. The point is they are an established part of our communities. Determining how to best manage these growing populations has and will continue to be a big topic of discussion from neighbor to neighbor, community boards, farmers, and the Florida Wildlife Commission.
Sometimes we just need a little privacy. This is especially true if you live on a busy road or just have annoying neighbors. There are a few things to consider when selecting a screen tree: 1) full-grown size; 2) speed of growth; and 3) aesthetics. With these three factors in consideration, let’s review some screen options for different situations.
Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana) hedge. Photo Credit: Daniel Leonard, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Calhoun County
Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana)
At one time this shrub was hard to find, but it is slowly becoming more available. Pineapple guava is native to South America, but it adapts well to the Florida Panhandle. This plant can reach 10 to 15 feet in height with an equal spread and has a moderate rate of growth, so it’s a great choice when you just need a small screen. Pineapple guava is moderately salt-tolerant and does well in coastal landscapes. As a bonus, the flowers and fruit are edible. It’s hard to find a more aesthetically pleasing large shrub. Pineapple guava is evergreen with leathery green leaves that have grey undersides. This plant can be grown as a large shrub or pruned to be a small tree.
A large ‘Emily Bruner’ holly at the Santa Rosa County Extension Office. Photo Credit: Matt Lollar, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County
‘Emily Bruner’ Holly (Ilex x ‘Emily Bruner’)
‘Emily Bruner’ holly is a cross between the Chinese holly (Ilex cornuta) and the lusterleaf holly (Ilex latifolia). This evergreen shrub has glossy green leaves. It has a pyramidal growth habit and is listed as reaching 15 to 20 feet tall by 5 to 8 feet wide, however the specimen at the Santa Rosa County Extension Office is about twice that size. ‘Emily Bruner’ holly prefers moist, well-drained soil. This holly has dense, prickly leaves so it does well keeping people out of your yard in addition to buffering sound. The flowers have a sweet scent and are a favorite of honey bees.
Dahoon holly foliage and berries. Photo Credit: University of Florida/IFAS
Dahoon Holly (Ilex cassine)
Dahoon holly is native to North America, is tolerant of wet, shady sites (but can also handle full sun), and displays some salt tolerance. This evergreen, small tree is somewhat shrubby. It can grow to be 25 to 30 feet in height with an 8 to 12 foot spread. Dahoon holly has nice light green leaves that are smooth, not prickly like ‘Emily Bruner’ holly. It has a moderate growth rate.
Bracken’s Brown Beauty as an accent tree in a lawn area. Photo Credit: Beth Bolles, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Escambia County
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
It’s hard to beat a majestic southern magnolia in the landscape. Why not utilize it as a screen tree? Now, not all southern magnolias are made equal. There are a few cultivars that do well as screens as well as on their own. ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’, ‘Claudia Wannamaker’, and ‘D.D. Blanchard’ are three that come to mind and are readily available in the trade. Southern magnolias can reach up to 80 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide depending on cultivar and growing conditions. Not only do these three cultivars have beautiful dark green, leathery leaves, their leaves also have brown undersides. These versatile trees can tolerate are variety of soil conditions and they are very wind resistant. And as another bonus, they have beautiful, fragrant flowers.
Middle-aged Juniperus virginiana ‘Burkii’: Burk Eastern Redcedar. Photo Credit: Ed Gilman, University of Florida/IFAS
Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)
If your looking for softer texture in your landscape, then you can’t go wrong with a cedar tree. Unbeknownst to its name, eastern redcedar can be found growing all over the United States. This evergreen conifer prefers well-drained sites in full sun. It can grow 30 to 40 feet in height by 10 to 20 feet wide. Eastern redcedars have good salt tolerance. These trees produce beautiful, blue-green foliage. One key to growing this tree successfully is to give it space. Plant trees 12 to 24 feet apart. If using as a screen, you may consider staggering this tree to give it the space it needs.
There are lots of good options when selecting trees for a screen. It’s important you select plants that fit the site. The University of Florida has an excellent plant selection tool found at the Florida Trees for Urban and Suburban Sites webpage.
Anyone spending any time outdoors in the Florida panhandle is bound to come across some of our local scaly residents before too long. With our high temperatures, high humidity, and high number of insects, we have a great climate for numerous reptiles to survive in. Some are native, some are not, and it can help to learn a little about them to understand the ecology we live in.
Here are some of the most common lizards you’ll see in our area:
Anoles
One of the most commonly seen lizards around, the green anole (Anolis carolinensis), is native to Florida. While it is named ‘green’, it is able to change color from green to brown. Despite this ability to camouflage themselves, they are not related to chameleons. Often active during the day, they eat a wide range of insects and other arthropods. Males can often be seen doing push-ups and flashing their dewlaps (colorful neck-flaps) as either a deterrent to predators or to attract a mate. This species favors living in trees, but can be found almost anywhere. These and many other lizards have the ability to lose their tails when pursued by predators. The tail may continue to move for some time after it detaches, which can serve as a distraction while the lizard itself flees from danger. The tail will regrow over a period of time.
A similar species is threatening our native populations of anoles. The brown anole (Anolis sagrei), also known as the Cuban brown anole, is highly invasive. They differ from the green anole in that they cannot change color, and often display a bold pattern on their skin. Introduced to the United States as stowaways on ships in the late 1800s, they compete with native species for food and sometimes even eat young green anoles. Brown anoles are typically found near the coast in the panhandle. While control of this invasive species is probably impossible at this point, you can help to avoid spreading them by cleaning equipment they may hide in (trailers or boats, for example) before transporting it, and inspecting ornamental plants for hidden anoles before moving them.
Skinks
At least two species of skinks share our habitat, the five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) and the broadhead skink (Plestiodon laticeps). The five-lined skink is mostly black with colorful accents, usually having a reddish head and blue tail. White or off-white stripes run lengthwise down their body. They are found in almost any habitat, and eat insects and other arthropods. The blue tail does not indicate any ability to sting, despite some local folklore.
The broadhead skink is one of the largest lizards in the area, growing up to a foot in length. Colored similarly to the five-lined skink, mature males fade in color and develop large, reddish heads with powerful jaws. They use these jaws to eat insects, invertebrates, and probably other small animals as well. Broadhead skinks prefer living in trees, but can be seen on the ground occasionally as well.
Fence Lizards
Sceloporus undulatus, the eastern fence lizard, loves dry, open woodlands. They often flee for higher ground when scared, climbing trees, stumps, or fences for protection from predators. Fence lizards have rough scales, usually patterened along their backs, with males sometimes displaying blue patches on their undersides. They, like other lizards, eat insects.
Geckos
Not native but commonly seen, the Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) is a nocturnal species that is found throughout Florida. Urban and suburban locations are their favored habitats. They are often attracted to artificial lights at night, or rather the insects that themselves are attracted to the lights. Mediterranean geckos are usually pale in coloration, with almost translucent white or grey skin. They have large eyes with slit pupils and wide pads on their feet, which help them stick to smooth surfaces.
Glass Lizards
Upon first sight, one might be forgiven for thinking that a this species is actually a snake. It is not. Ophisaurus ventralis, the Eastern glass lizard, is a species of legless lizard that can grow to more than three feet in length. They hunt for insects to eat during the day, but are shy and will quickly try to hide if confronted. They are quick to shed their tails when in danger from predators; their name refers to their being perceived as brittle and breaking easily, like glass. They are not venomous, and their jaws are not powerful enough to break human skin.
It’s hot, but the birds are still singing, the bees, including annoying yellow jackets, are buzzing, and the plants continue blooming. While many north Florida gardeners are hesitant to do much gardening in this heat, there’s plenty in the landscape to keep us entertained. One of the many benefits of gardening is observing all of the wildlife that visits, whether for pure enjoyment of watching nature or for keeping life lists of every bird, beetle, snake, or wildflower you’ve ever seen. However, many of us may not know exactly which bird, etc. that we’re looking at, much less hearing in the distance. Fortunately, there’s an app for that!
You may already be familiar with the many online tools, but here are a couple that are easy to use, assuming you know how to download an app on your smartphone, and go beyond an id based on visual similarity to other online photos with no consideration of your location.
We’ll start with my favorite app for plants, insects, and other critters you can easily capture with a camera – iNaturalist. Once you set up your account, you can begin to upload “Observations” with saved photos or directly with your phone’s camera. iNaturalist does have the option for uploading sound “Observations” as well, which I’ve used to upload frog calls. It uses your location to provide you with a list of potential species, and which one it feels is the most likely. The great thing about iNaturalist is someone else, often someone with experience identifying that organism, follows up to confirm or suggest another option. When enough identifiers agree, your “Observation” is considered research-grade. Another great feature of iNaturalist is that once the “Observations” are considered research-grade, biologists around the world can use the app to learn more about plant and animal population dynamics. Turning you into a research assistant/gumshoe naturalist. iNaturalist should only be used for wild populations, nothing planted or domesticated. They have a slimmed down version called Seek that can be used for identifying landscape plants.
List of “Observations” in iNaturalist. Credit: Mark Tancig, UF/IFAS.The INaturalist user interface when uploading a new species. Credit: Mark Tancig, UF/IFAS
Another easy-to-use app from our land-grant friends, and bird lovers, at Cornell University is the Merlin Bird ID app. The great feature of this app is the ability to record bird chatter and let the app figure out the bird species present. Once the recording is over, you can save it and even dial in on the different species and the call it made. With the touch of a finger, you can then learn more about each species. The Merlin Bird ID app also utilizes your location data and allows for uploading pictures and/or using a step-by-step guide to help figure out what you may have seen.
The Merlin Bird ID app allows you to record bird species by sound, photo, or with a step-by-step ID. Credit: Mark Tancig, UF/IFAS.The results of a sound recording from my backyard. Credit: Grace Diez-Arguelles.
The heat may be miserable, but the sounds and sights of the garden can be quite a treat this time of year. Once you learn more about the critters that share your landscape, hopefully you’ll be encouraged to provide them more of the things they need to thrive – water, shelter, and food, in the form of a diverse landscape. Maybe it will give you ideas for more plantings later, when it cools off a bit!
I should highlight that both apps are free with no obnoxious ads that pop up while you have them open. They both also allow you to make lists and keep track of your observations. When visiting a new part of the world, they also let you explore what species may be near and new to you.
Humans and wildlife find Chickasaw plums delicious. Photo credit: University of Florida/IFAS
There are many trees that can be a great addition to your space that will provide one of the four essential elements food, water, cover, and space. Persimmon thrives in a wide variety of conditions from wet or sandy soil to lowlands or uplands. Deer actively seek out persimmon trees, eating every fruit that is within reach as well as leaves and twigs in the fall and winter. Other wildlife that enjoys the persimmon trees are squirrel, fox, bear, coyote, raccoon, opossum, and various birds including wild turkey. The nectar from flowers provides a significant food resource for pollinator species like bees. These trees are either male or female and at least 3 should be planted together to ensure pollination. Live Oak is a solid tree that many people in this area said survived Hurricane Michael. It provides acorns for food and deep shade. Black Cherry is a host plant for Red-Spotted purple and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Bitter fruit matures during the summer to fall and is used for jams, jellies, or liqueurs. Fruits are highly prized by birds and other wildlife. Wild cherry cough syrup is made from the reddish-brown, fragrant and bitter inner bark. Yaupon Holly is another tree that birds and wildlife feed on the berries throughout the winter when food is scarce. Leaves have the highest caffeine content of any other plant native to North America. Some other trees to consider are Basswood, Red Cedar, Florida Hop tree, Elderberry, Slippery Elm, Sassafras, Chickasaw Plums, and the Toothache Tree.
While yard work is important to maintain an attractive lawn, if done successfully, the resident can spend quality time in other pursuits like watching the wildlife from the front porch.
There are many plants that for the longest time I thought were only a nuisance to the everyday gardener, but I truly learned the phrase “Right Plant, Right Place” with these next few plants that I am going to mention. Smilax is a vine with thorns that is nearly impossible to get rid of and gets into our shrubs and landscape. But in the right place smilax provides shelter and food for wildlife. It has a blue-black berry in the spring and provides medicine, food, and dyes for humans. There are 2 species of smilax that are only found in the panhandle. Dog Fennel is native to fields, woodland edges, and roadsides and can be used as an insecticide and antifungal. It has feather like leaves that are very aromatic. Blackberry can grow wild and it is an all-around amazing plant for vitamins. It’s fruit can help fight cancer and decrease cardiovascular disease. Leaves and bark are useful medicinally and leaves can be used as a tea. The last plant I must mention is the Beauty Berry. It is known for its late fall bright purple fruits called drupes, not berries. This plant attracts birds for food in the fall time in North Florida. The drupes can also be used for jams and jellies. Other plants that are great for attracting wildlife are Spiderwort, Dewberry, and Spanish Needle.
