QuestionGood day
Searching for a 5 mini trees to beautify the front strip lot of a piece of land near a main road according to the following specs below.
- trees must be between 5 to 8 feet when fully matured and not exceed 8 feet
- tree must be able to survive in Tropical climate like Florida
- tree must require little maintenance and be very affordable
- tree should serve purpose to make a plain plot of land look attractive
Based on above specs what type(s) trees would you recommend.
Also are there any types of flowers or plants you recommend to plant in between. For this project I am searching for some of the most affordable types of trees, plants, flower since my budget is tiny.
AnswerTREES:
Dwarf Blue Corkbark Fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica 'Glauca Nana') 8 to 10 feet in 20 years
Degroot's Spire Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Degroots Spire') 6 to 12 feet
The Blues Weeping Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens 'The Blues') 5-6 ft. Very Irregular Growth
EVERGREEN SHRUB:
European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) Clumping, low profile. Relatively low maintenance
compared to other palms.
Florida Privet (Forestiera segregata) 7-15 feet, tree/hedge.
Abelia (Abelia spp. ?Many varieties: 'Edward Goucher' , 5? ht., 慡herwoodii', 5?ht.) Some varieties make a lovely, small, fragrant tree with delicate flowers. The least expensive and most widely available is the A. x grandiflora, which can get over 6+ ft. tall.
Florida is a beautiful and large state, spanning many USDA zones, from zne 8 (Crestview), to 11 (the Keys). Miami is in zone 10B. Another concern that Florida has is high salt/salinity. So something to be aware of. Here is a link that may help with the second part of your question, what to put "in between":
FLORIDA SPECIFIC:
http://floridayards.org/fyplants/
As to cost, if the ultimate bargin tree is what you are looking for, then most of these are probably *not* going to be at your local Home Depot/Lowes, but perhaps your local garden shop. The nursery tags should specify identify the mini-tree as "nana" or "compacta" so you don't plant a monster tree in your tight space.
Also, I'd stick with 5 of one type, as opposed to one of each, as one'sy-two'sy planting looks odd in a small space.
Hope it helps ~m