1. 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 Section
Parks and Recreation Division

2. 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

3. Plan First, Plant Once
This is a process, not a one-time event! Analyze your site.
Use the Florida-Friendly Plant Database for your region to start selection.
Check each species’ geographic distribution in Florida via 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 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.

4. 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
Light regime critical
FL karst
Sand
Silt
Clay

5. 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
Sea Grape Coccoloba uvifera , in front of Live oak Quercus virginiana : as a windbreak
Golden Bamboo Phyllostachys aurea
privacy screen
Bamboo Garden

6. Analysis of Site Characteristics
Existing Landscape
status of irrigation
health, arrangement,
and maintenance requirements
power lines
sidewalks /driveways
buildings
desirable wildlife
Hardscape
Limitations
Circular drive overplanted- no plan

7. Stratify Your Design Layers Increase HURRICANE Resistance and Provide Shelter for Wildlife
Canopy
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

8. 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 debilis
Beach Daisy

9. 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 with lenses inspect plants
Master Gardeners shop for Bay Cedar, Suriana
maritima , in the rain.

10. 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’

11. Palms are different! Palms have only ONE terminal growing point.
Sabal palmetto
Cabbage Palm
showing
Solitary stem, with or without leaf bases “boots”
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 fertilizer
Palms have many growth habits
See palm websites for specialized information

12. Selecting the Right Place
Consider:
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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Lawns Major turf grass species in Florida St. Augustine Bahia Bermuda
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
St. Augustine
Bahia
Bermuda

16. Turf Alternatives Powder puff Mimosa Perennial Peanut
Mimosa strigillosa
Perennial Peanut
Arachis glabrata
See EDIS pubs: “Guide to Using Rhizomal Perennial Peanut in the Urban Landscape” HS and “Mimosa strigillosa, Powder puff Mimosa” ENH

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

18. 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.

19. 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

20. A Few Natives Passiflora incarnata “Passion Vine”
Calicarpa americana
“Beauty berry”
Passiflora incarnata
“Passion Vine”
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
‘Needle Palm’
Sambucus nigra var. canadensis
“Elderberry”

21. Integrated Pest Management
John J. Pipoly III, Ph.D., Extension Agent

22. Aspects of Integrated Pest Management

23. Integrated Pest Management– Cultural Practices
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

24. Integrated Pest Management– Beneficial Insects for Your Landscape
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.
goldenrod, Cosmos, alfalfa, Sweet
Alyssum. Provide water in pan filled
with gravel during dry periods

25. Integrated Pest Management– Beneficial Insects for Your Landscape
Picture
Target Prey
How to Attract Them
Assassin 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.

26. Integrated Pest Management– Organic Alternatives to Pesticides

27. Integrated Pest Management– Chemical Controls
Examples:
Systemic Pesticides-- Neonicotine compounds like Imidacloprid, used as a drench for plants NOT pollinated by honeybees.
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.
Citrus oil- especially from oranges.
Eucalyptus oil.
Garlic, onion and cayenne pepper spray.
Sprays from fermentation processes, such as Spinosad

28. Attracting Wildlife to your Florida-Friendly Landscape
John J. Pipoly III, Ph.D., Extension Agent

29. Florida’s Biological Diversity
Background
Florida’s Biological Diversity
Total Animal Species > 17,117
Vascular Plant species > 4,200 ( )
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)

30. Florida’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)

31. 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

32. Tips for Landscaping for Wildlife
Limit the Amount of Lawn
Increase Vertical Layering
Provide Snags and Brush piles
Provide Water
Plant Native Vegetation
Remove Invasive Exotic Plants
Provide Bird/Bat houses and Bird Feeders
Manage Pets
Reduce Pesticide Use
Expand the Scale of Habitat

33. 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

34. 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.

35. Florida-Friendly Landscaping™: A Collaborative Effort

36. Florida-Friendly Landscaping™
Contact Information
Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program
Florida Master Gardeners of Broward County
UF-IFAS/ Broward County Extension Education
Parks and Recreation Division
NatureScape Broward Program
For yard certification, visit then contact

37. 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.