Drought Resistant Trees for Florida

For anybody going through a drought right now there is nothing more frustrating than watching your garden die. You struggle using what little water you're allowed, to keep what's barely hanging on alive. It's a constant uphill battle. If you live in Florida, you're in luck. Here are some drought friendly trees that you can plant in your area.

An American elm is always a good choice. This is a very versatile tree that is able to grow in different temperatures, soil conditions and rain conditions. It's a tough tree that will with stand many of mother nature's turns.

Another good choice is a bamboo palm. It's a pretty small palm (reaching around seven feet), that is easy to take care of. It also does well in a pot if you want something to decorate your home or office with. This is also an easy tree to find in stores. Most Walmart's or K-Mart's carry them.

Next we have the weeping elm. It grows to about ten feet but can reach up to fifteen. It originally comes from Scotland. It is a unique tree in that it's doesn't grow from a seedling. Be cautious when planting and growing this tree as Dutch elm disease is becoming a big problem.

The coral tree is not only great in drought conditions but it also attracts hummingbirds to its flowers. The flowers are a bright red color and very beautiful.These trees cannot withstand a frost and need to be planted in a frost free climate. It can grow up to twenty feet tall.

The myrtle oak is a good choice for a small evergreen tree. This tree does well in salt water and the closely surrounding sandy areas of the ocean. It sprouts and drops acorns which are very popular with the wildlife in Florida. It can grow up to thirty feet.

If you're looking for a palmetto, a good choice is the saw palmetto. It's branches grow pretty close to the ground and can get up to ten feet in length. The saw palmetto gets its name from their leaves that resemble a saw. On an off note, the tree has found to have something in it that reduces the occurrence of prostate cancer.

The yaupon holly is another easy tree to find, especially in Florida. It's also very tough and easy to take care of. This one can grow up to twenty-five feet in height. It's widely known for its odd looking trunks, sprouting quite a few from the base. Its leaves are dark green and leathery in feeling.

The last one I will suggest is the camphor tree, so named because it used to make the oil until laboratories found a way to make it. It's a great tree if you're looking to create shade. It can reach up to forty-five feet in height. It cannot with stand salt water so don't plant it close to the coast.

I hope this list helps keep some trees alive in your yard. Good luck!