Lights spiraling up palm tree trunks are a classic decoration for the holiday season in Florida. But did you know we have a native evergreen that makes a great holiday tree and supports wildlife?
Florida’s Christmas Tree
The Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is part of the cypress family, along with sequoias and redwoods. This fast-growing tree, reaching up to 40 feet tall by 20 feet wide, is ideal for hedges or privacy screens. The red cedar grows in full sun andcan tolerate salt spray and dry conditions once established—making it a great low-maintenance option in your landscape. Its natural form resembles a pyramid, and can be pruned into a traditional holiday tree shape. This native cedar was used as a holiday tree long before northern fir trees were brought into Florida. It’s a lovely, fragrant evergreen, with a natural range throughout much of the state.
These trees are either male or female, with bluish fruit found on female trees. A male tree in the vicinity is needed for the pollination of female trees to produce fruit. The fruit are soft cones that provide food for birds, such as the cedar waxwing.
As an evergreen tree, the Eastern red cedar also gives excellent year-round cover for birds and other wildlife. The birds making a home in these trees will be dining on lots of insects. Small songbirds might even be seen picking insects from leaves of veggies you might have in your yard or garden.
Celebrate the “Holly”-days
Holly is a traditional part of seasonal decorations—and Florida native hollies provide vibrant seasonal color and great wildlife value.
Upland forests in the Panhandle to central Florida are the natural habitat of American holly (Ilex opaca). Often an understory tree, reaching 40-60 feet tall, this holly can be grown in most of the state, in part to full shade. This tree has shiny green leaves with bright red berries in fall through winter, providing a good food source for birds. Small white flowers in spring are a pollen source for bees. Like most hollies, both male and female plants are needed for pollination for female plants to develop berries.
A smaller native tree, Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), grows throughout the state in habitats like coastal flatwoods and dome swamps. It reaches 20-30 feet tall by 10-15 feet wide, growing in sun or shade. Although it’s a wetland plant in its natural habitat, Dahoon holly can thrive in a variety of conditions. Birds and small mammals feed on the bright red berries and a variety of native bees find pollen in the tree’s spring flowers.
Gifting Natives this Holiday Season
This holiday season, why not give the gift of Florida’s natural beauty? Native plants support local wildlife and ecosystems year-round. They make meaningful, eco-friendly gifts that keep on giving!
We encourage you to shop for native plants at a local native plant nursery. They offer species that can thrive in your location and are a great source of information on selecting, planting, and maintaining native plants. You can also find native plants and support conservation when you purchase through our partnership with Garden for Wildlife, Inc. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Florida Wildlife Federation to help protect Florida’s lands, water, and wildlife. Give a gift that grows this holiday season!
