ESURANCE TEMPLE TERRACE CLEAN UP AND TREE PLANTING PROJECT
32 volunteers planted 32 7-gallon Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) and 6 North Florida Slash Pines (Pinus elliottii) at the Esurance Temple Terrace Clean Up and Tree Planting Project on Saturday April 19, 2008.
This couple was the first to plant at the Esurance Temple Terrace Clean Up and Tree Planting Project event on April 19, 2008. Photo by Pat DiPlasco, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc.
The Longleaf Pines were made possible through the generous donation of T.R.E.E. Inc.'s primary sponsor, Esurance, the on-line auto insurance company, and the project was part of the nationwide Great American Clean Up. The project's co sponsor, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc. provided volunteers with bottled water, t-shirts, tattoos, work gloves and coupons.
This mother surveys how the planting hole her son is preparing is coming along. Photo by Pat DiPlasco, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc.
These three ladies proudly show off their newly planted Longleaf Pine! Photo by Pat DiPlasco, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc.
This project was the third project sponsored by Esurance to be held in Temple Terrace. Along with the cities of Winter Park, Dade City, Orlando and St. Petersburg, Temple Terrace has been one of T.R.E.E. Inc.'s finest tree planting partners and T.R.E.E. Inc. remains dedicated to assisting Temple Terrace in its Longleaf Pine Repopulation Initiative, now in its third year.
The brainchild of Temple Terrace resident Grant Rimbey, the Initiative is made possible through the distribution of free bare root Longleaf Pine seedlings offered to Temple Terrace residents during the city's Florida Arbor Day celebration. Additionally, container grown Longleaf Pines are planted on city owned parcels by volunteers in order to repopulate this native tree. Once the most common tree that defined the sense of place of Temple Terrace, this tree has suffered a precipitous decline in population over the past three to four decades due to human development, disease, old age, lack of natural fire regimens and natural disturbances such as lightning strikes, high winds and tornadoes.
An overview of the planting with the couple in the foreground shown planting one of the few North Florida Slash Pines of the project. Photo by Pat DiPlasco, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc.
This planting was held on a beautiful, clear and sunny morning on a city owned parcel west of the N. Riverhills Drive and E. Whiteway Drive intersection. Once the planting was completed, volunteers were treated to a delicious lunch prepared by Al Latina with the Friends of Temple Terrace Parks and Recreation Department. Al deserves a special thank you for his incredible effort!
Thanks of course also go to Temple Terrace Parks Planner Dana Carver who selected the planting site, provided picnic benches, a portable toilet, ice cold water and the transport and placement of trees to the site. Dana always goes above and beyond the call of duty and his dedication to public service is commendable. It is always an honor to work with Dana and his counterparts such as Lee Mackin in Winter Park, Julie Iooss in Orlando and Phil Whitehouse in St. Petersburg.
Lastly, it would be remiss to not recognize Ms. Pat DiPlasco with Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc. who is one of the finest motivators and "cheer leaders" that T.R.E.E. Inc. has had the pleasure to work with!
Taken at the close of the Esurance Temple Terrace Clean Up and Tree Planting Project event this is one of the best group shots of a T.R.E.E. Inc. project we've ever seen! Photo by Pat DiPlasco, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc.
In addition to the 32 wonderful volunteers, here are some of the behind the scenes people who deserve our thanks and recognition for helping to make this successful project possible:
- Joann Lee, Community Relations, Esurance
- Christine Commerce, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, Inc.
- Jennifer L. Moore, Public Relations Coordinator, T.R.E.E. Inc.
- Cliff Brown, Lifetime Member, T.R.E.E. Inc.
Be sure to read about T.R.E.E. Inc.'s previous three Esurance projects by going HERE!
FOUNDING MEMBER GREG HOWE LEAVES THE BAY AREA
by William Moriaty
I had just turned 23 years old when I met Greg Howe in February 1978.
I was the assistant outdoor garden shop manager at Store #1055 of the Montgomery Ward and Company retail operation located at the Clearwater Mall in Clearwater, Florida. The mall, built five years earlier was the former site of the Seville Peacock farm. The condominiums to the south of the present-day mall still bear the name Seville and when I lived back in the 70's and 80's at the Oaks apartments (now the Columns at Allen's Creek) about a mile south of there, descendent's of Seville's peacocks freely roamed our apartment complexes open spaces.
Okay, I know I digressed, so here it goes again.
One fine day in February 1978 I was bag by bag unloading a semi-tractor full of cypress mulch. My boss, Mr. Bert McCormick brought in a young man to help me unload the truck. The young man was dressed in a suit and tie and was obviously fresh from a job interview. This young man took off his tie and jacket, rolled up his sleeves and proceeded to get his nice outfit filthy helping me unload the mulch bags. His tailor may have ended up reading a riot to this young man, but this young man with a mission spoke volumes to me without uttering a word. Little did I know that one of the most important friendships in my life had been born that day.
Quickly shedding the suit and tie for jeans, Greg Howe (along with John Blechschmidt) ended up being one of the finest employees I had ever had the pleasure to work with. As Greg and I became close friends our love of trees and nature also grew stronger. As a matter of fact, Greg was so motivated by the environment that he became a leading member in the St. Petersburg Junior College Ecology Club and ended up getting a part time job with the City of Clearwater at the newly opened Moccasin Lake Nature Park in 1982.
By December of 1982, Greg, along with me. Bob Scheible, Greg Van Stavern and Nancy Buckley decided to take our years of "guerrilla" tree plantings to legitimacy under the advice of City of Tampa Parks Department Landscape Architect J. Michael Callahan. By February of 1983, Greg found himself a Founding Member and first Secretary of T.R.E.E. Inc.
December 24, 1983: Major winds of Change
On Christmas Eve of 1983, our boss Bert McCormick let us off early that day. Greg and I both noticed the strong warm winds buffeting the garden shop but didn't care much as we had a Christmas party to attend off of Moog Road in Holiday, Florida at fellow employee Phylis Carr's house.
To say that the temperature, coupled with those incredibly strong winds, was dropping precipitously that evening was an understatement. In little over an hour between the garden shop and Phyllis's it was getting down right chilly. We, like everyone else at the time, were totally unprepared for what was about to happen. At the end of the party, it was downright freezing outside, for a freeze of the century had barged into the Sunshine State on the rails of an "Arctic Express".
Before we parted ways to celebrate Christmas with our families, Greg gave me a hug good bye because he would not possibly see me for a while as he had enrolled at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida to take zoological studies. A major change was occurring that night. I was temporarily losing a best friend and by Christmas morning the most damaging freeze in modern Florida history had devastated the landscape from Orlando to Florida City. Mile upon mile of citrus groves were left lifeless in the course of less than a day. The majority of exotic tropical trees, palms and shrubs held in such high esteem by so many Floridians withered into a mushy pulp. And all of this occurring a little over a month from Super Bowl XVIII being held in Tampa.
This major freeze ushered in an increased awareness of the value of Florida's native plants and organizations such as T.R.E.E. Inc. and the Florida Native Plant Society suddenly found their knowledge of native plants in great demand.
August 1985: Greg Returns and Ushers in the Computer era for T.R.E.E. Inc.
Greg had returned to the Tampa Bay area in August 1985 and I found myself being the best man at his wedding. His love of the environment continued to grow as did his new found interest in the personal home computer. Taking this interest a step further in 1986, Greg named our newsletter Arbor Bio and along with this newly adopted name printed the first digital version of it from his personal home computer.
1988-1989: Greg Howe, President of T.R.E.E. Inc.
In 1987, Greg was elected to Preside over T.R.E.E. Inc. giving the organization the ability to conduct business during my absence when I relocated to Gainesville, Florida so that my wife could finish her education at the University of Florida. On May 14, 1988, Greg was the best man in my wedding and presided over T.R.E.E. Inc. from January 1988 to December 1989.
It was with both regret and joy that we see Greg leave. We regret not having him nearby any longer to join in on the fun of our plantings. We also regret seeing the City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay area lose such a hard working, talented and committed individual. But we are joyful that he has found what he considers a true home in the Ozark Mountains in the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas where he will be responsible for the City's urban forest.
Greg left the sandy sub tropical shorelines of Tampa Bay for the rolling hardwood hills of Arkansas on June 25, 2008, followed by his family. The trees of the Tampa Bay region have lost a true champion, but there will be allot of happy trees up in Fayetteville! Greg's impact on T.R.E.E. Inc. and on his many friends will be treasured as long as we're blessed enough to still draw a breath and still have the ability to remember.
Allot of heart left our area on June 25, 2008. Good luck and God Bless you Greg. We'll miss you. We love you.
PROJECTS PENDING:
GROWING TREES FOR T.R.E.E. INC.: LITTLE BAYOU WATERSHED PLANTING INITIATIVE
In the early days of T.R.E.E. Inc, former Pinellas County resident and Lifetime T.R.E.E. inc. member John Blechschmidt Jr. was kind enough to gather Red Maple (Acer rubrum) saplings from the swamp behind his house in Clearwater, container grow them for about one year and then donate them to T.R.E.E. Inc. Many of these Maples planted at the I-75/I-4 interchange in Hillsborough County are now 40' and 50' tall located at several of the interchange's infields. John named this growing endeavor "Grow Trees for T.R.E.E.!"
By the early 1990's, a former work associate of John's and also a former Pinellas County resident, Mark McClure began growing and then donating several varieties of native Oak (Quercus spp.) trees to T.R.E.E. Inc. Some of Mark's Laurel (Q. laurifolia), Water (Q. nigra) and Sand Live (Q. geminata) Oaks at the Hillsborough County Agricultural Extension Service grounds in Seffner and at the I-75/Lee Roy Selmon Expressway interchange now tower up to 60'!
Having thought that the "Grow Trees for T.R.E.E.!" had been abandoned for over 15 years due to relocations and life changes for its founder and his friend, the cycle appears to be turning this way once again. St. Petersburg resident Dave Markwood was so impressed by T.R.E.E. Inc.'s work at its Silver Anniversary planting at Little Bayou Park this past February, that he expressed an interest in growing trees for T.R.E.E. Inc!
T.R.E.E. Inc. President William Moriaty, who is Markwood's cousin, thought that the perfect tree to start David with would be guess what? The Red Maple! A low volume bubbler hose system with an electronic timer was set up in Markwood's back yard on May 10, 2008. 24 newly germinated 1-gallon Red Maples and 4 newly germinated South Florida Slash Pines (Pinus elliottii var. "densa") were fitted into the irrigation system and the Little Bayou Watershed Planting Initiative was born. The Maples were collected from seed in March 2008 in southern Pinellas County and the South Florida Florida Slash Pines were collected from seed in February 2008 from trees planted by T.R.E.E. Inc. at the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway/Gandy Boulevard interchange in Tampa in October 1999.
The Maples and Pines will be stepped up to larger containers over the next few years and then planted in the Little Bayou watershed. The watershed starts at Lake Vista Park and works its way northeast through the system of interconnected fresh water lakes, streams and culverts that drain into the Bayou's southern point at Little Bayou Park. In addition to Maple and Pine, Moriaty, along with St. Petersburg resident Ray Wunderlich III, plan to gather Sweetbay Magnolia (M. virginiana) seed to add to the watershed plant palette.
T.R.E. Inc. wishes to thank David Markwood for his fine contributions to our efforts, and we can't wait for the day that his "Trees for T.R.E.E." are planted along the Little Bayou Watershed in the Pinellas Point section of St. Petersburg!
CANDIDATE SITES FOR FUTURE TEMPLE TERRACE PLANTINGS:
On the other side of Tampa Bay in the rolling hills of Longleaf Pine and Sand Live Oaks, Temple Terrace community activist Grant Rimbey has been busy looking for candidate planting sites for the Longleaf Pines that T.R.E.E. Inc. is currently raising in its nursery for the City of Temple Terrace.
Immediately after the Esurance Temple Terrace Clean Up and Tree Planting Project on April 19, 2008, Rimbey spent the next 10 days compiling satellite images of up to 8 candidate planting sites.
Although Rimbey's roots to Florida go back several generations, Grant was born in Illinois and moved when he was a young boy in the late 1960's with his family to Temple Terrace . As the years have passed Grant has connected with this community north of Tampa and wants to share his love and passion of its identity, history and sense of place with all will listen.
An architect by profession, Rimbey is the President of the Citizens for the Revitalization of Temple Terrace, past President of the Temple Terrace Preservation Society, and when he finds the time in his busy schedule, is spearheading an effort to reconstruct a bat tower that was built for mosquito control along the banks of the Hillsborough River in Temple Terrace in 1924 that was inevitably burned down by vandals in 1979.
The reconstruction of the bat tower is slated to be built in Riverfront Park, an E.L.A.P.P.site north of the Florida College athletics field, and will be the focal point of a newly completed viewing pavilion designed and built by students of the University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Design.
Tax deductible donations for the Bat Tower Reconstruction Project are made possible by sending a check to the City of Temple Terrace referencing the bat tower and addressed to:
Mr. Al Latina
Friends of the Temple Terrace Parks and Recreation
7002 Doreen Street
Tampa, FL. 33617
It is indeed an honor to collaborate with such a civic minded visionary as Grant Rimbey and T.R.E.E. Inc. looks forward to possibly furnishing trees for the viewing pavilion's dedication this fall as a show of support for Grant's wonderful work in restoring this notable and unique part of Temple Terrace's history!
FRIENDS OF THE RIVER:
Several miles downstream from Grant Rimbey's Temple Terrace, the Hillsborough River is dammed at Rowlett Park in Tampa in order to be used as a source of potable water for Tampa's residents.
Immediately west of Rowlett Park the Hillsborough River meanders through the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa. The river is adjoined by several artesian springs and creeks that dot its course southward to Lowry Park.
In addition to the threat to the natural systems of the Hillsborough River that pollution from human activity has created, one of the most damaging threats to the river at this location has been the increase of salinity from Hillsborough Bay due to the City of Tampa not releasing enough fresh water from the dam to keep the salinity controlled at pre-dam historic levels.
The rise in salinity has resulted in the loss of fresh water dependent plant life and wildlife communities, leaving an almost dead river in its wake. To combat this environmental challenge, several Sulphur Springs residents banded together and formed the Friends of the River organization. This organization is concerned with promoting the good health and desirable environmental policies that will effect the quantity and quality of water of the lower Hillsborough River.
The primary focus of the organization has been to find ways to increase fresh water flow downstream from the dam at Rowlett Park. A compromise management plan of increasing fresh water flow by 20 cubic feet per second ("c.f.s.") and 24 c.f.s. during the spring when fish spawn appears to be heading into its first year thanks to the group's efforts.
The way that many varieties of trees can play a part in water quality is through their ability to attenuate erosion during rainfall. Foliage acts to reduce the impact of rain falling on the surface of the ground while tree roots aid in the stabilization of the soil. Minimizing the potential for erosion enhances water quality by reducing silt deposits into the water column.
After meeting with Friends of the River President Phil Compton at the Esurance Temple Terrace Tree Planting for Preservation in October 2006, T.R.E.E. Inc. set out to assist the efforts of this fine organization in the capacity described above made possible through the planting of trees. We are now currently growing Florida Elm (Ulmus americana var. "floridana") trees grown from seed collected this past spring from a specimen in Port Tampa. The trees will be donated to the Friends of the River for planting along the Hillsborough River at an as yet unknown location sometime between the fall of 2008 or winter of 2009.
For more information about the Friends of the River contact them by e-mail at friendsofriver@tampabay.rr.com or leave a phone message at 813-237-8497 or write to: Friends of the River, 1705 W. Sligh Avenue, Tampa, FL. 33604.
EGMONT KEY REFORESTATION INITIATIVE:
Inevitably the water flow from Grant Rimbey's Temple Terrace, Phil Compton's Sulphur Springs and Ray Wunderlich III's Little Bayou and all points in between flows through Tampa Bay past Egmont Key and out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Egmont Key is Tampa Bay's literal lone sentry located at the mouth of Tampa Bay, accessible only by boat. This island is home to a fully functional 150 year old 85' tall lighthouse, a national wildlife refuge, a state park, Tampa Bay's harbor pilots, and ruins from a fort abandoned 85 years ago.
In the book :"Florida Place Names", author Allen Covington Morris described Egmont Key as being a barrier island of "pines and palmettos". Most all of the island's former pines were probably South Florida Slash Pines, common to barrier islands from Honeymoon Island in Pinellas County southward to Big Pine Key in Monroe County. In addition, barrier island community trees such as Southern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana var. "silicicola"), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Redbay (Persea borbonia) and Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba) probably predominated the island until cleared prior to 1898 to make way for the building of Ft. Dade which was built in response to the Spanish-American War.
Abandoned brick street and the concrete footprints of the buildings and even a tennis court that once filled the island but are being taken over by a subtropical jungle are some of the remnants left of this once flourishing Fort that had up to 300 people living on it with its own water plant and theater!
Although Cabbage Palms (Sabal palmetto) grow plentifully on this small island surrounded by azure waters, recovery of the original pine and hardwood forest proved difficult due to the infestation of exotic nuisance trees such as Brazilian Peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius) and Australian Pine (Casaurina equisitifolia).
One of the best things to happen to Egmont Key this side of State Park Ranger Tom Watson is a citizen support organization called the Egmont Key Alliance. The Alliance is dedicated to protecting and preserving the natural, historical and cultural resources found on Egmont Key.
Weather permitting, the Alliance holds work days each third Saturday of the month where activities include maintenance of the lighthouse and supporting structures, protection of bird nesting areas during the nesting season, control of invasive and exotic plant species, clean up of brush and trash, and the planting of native plants and grasses in an effort to restore the original environment and control beach erosion.
In February 2007 T.R.E.E. Inc. teamed up with the Egmont Key Alliance and began the "Egmont Key Reforestation Initiative" by planting 1-gallon South Florida Slash Pines, marking the first appearance of this tree on the island in 110 years. Due to a massive invasive plant removal grant and a prescribed burn grant, additional plantings were not possible this past fall and winter. Hopefully a second tree planting attempt will be possible this upcoming fall or winter. Our 1-gallon South Florida Slash Pines would love to have this subtropical oasis as their permanent residence!
If you'd like more information about what the Alliance does, visit their web site, e-mail them them through the web site home page Contact information, or write to them at Egmont Key Alliance, P.O. Box 66238, St. Petersburg, FL. 33736.
PINELLAS POINT (HIRRIHIGUA) INDIAN TEMPLE MOUND, ST. PETERSBURG:
The earliest known human inhabitants of the Tampa Bay area were the Tocobaga Indians.
Primarily an agricultural people who were known to have cultivated maize, squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are presumed to have inhabited the Tampa Bay between 900 A.D. and 1500 A.D., residing in cylindrical shaped huts primarily along the shore lines of the Tampa Bay watershed from present-day Safety Harbor in Pinellas County and present-day downtown Tampa to the north, south to the present-day Pinellas Point, Maximo and Jungle Prada areas of St. Petersburg, present-day Tierra Verde in Pinellas County and present-day Ruskin in Hillsborough County.
Although the Tocobaga would occasionally venture inland in present-day Hillsborough, Pinellas and northern Manatee Counties in order to hunt for deer, bear, raccoon, and opossum, their primary food source consisted of fish harvested from the nearby waters of Tampa Bay or its contributing waters.
Much of the discarded fish bones and shells, as well as other unwanted items were placed in a designated area much akin to our modern day land fills. These dump sites are called middens.
In addition to middens, raised earthen, rock and shell mounds were also used for the burial of the Tocobaga dead. Known as burial mounds, these structures were generally placed outside of the Tocobaga villages.
Lastly, the largest in size of the Tocobaga mounds were ceremonial or temple mounds. Like the burial mounds, these structures consist of raised earth, shell and stone and in their original form were commonly 30' tall and over 100' long.
Most Tocobaga mounds that have survived the onslaught of human development and natural disturbances over the eons exist in the Pinellas Point, Maximo and Jungle Prada sections of St. Petersburg.. A large mound still exists at Phillipe Park in Safety Harbor.
In the heart of the suburbs of the southeastern tip of St. Petersburg known as Pinellas Point, exists one such mound known as the Pinellas Point Mound or Hirrihigua Temple Mound. It is located on Pinellas Point Dr. between 20th Street and Bethel Way, and is most easily accessed by taking Mound Place and entering the structure from the south. There have been efforts by the Greater Pinellas Point Civic Association over the past several years to preserve the mound, restore its structural integrity and highlight a more accurate history of the Tocobagan people.
From a botanical standpoint, the Tocobaga Indian Mounds hold a unique interest. Many of them contain varieties of vegetation not commonly found for another 100 miles or more south, such as Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba) and Marlberry (Ardisia escalloniodes) Some credit this to the mound's close proximity to the moderating climate of Tampa Bay's waters, while others believe that the plants may have served in a ceremonial manner, such as how Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) was used as a ceremonial stimulant and purgative for Timucuan Indian warriors.
Greater Pinellas Point Civic Association (GPPCA) member Ray Wunderlich III has worked diligently over the years to try to stem the erosion, vandalism and exotic nuisance plant infestation plaguing this archaeological treasure. In order to assist Ray and the GPPCA with his erosion control effort, T.R.E.E. Inc. is growing Coontie (Zamia pumila), Florida Privet (Forestiera segregata) and Marlberry (Ardisia escalloniodes). In addition, T.R.E.E. Inc. intends to donated a handful of trees typically found in such locales for the effort such as Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba), Jamaica Dogwood (Piscidia piscipula) and Southern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana var. "silicicola").
We look forward to working with the GPPCA in their noble undertaking. For more information on this site, link to the St. Petersburg Times at, the Official Travel Site for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area at and the Florida Public Archeology Network at
For more information, or if you would like to offer assistance in this effort, contact Mr. Claude Jenet, President GPPCA at cyjenet@knology.net.
TULIP POPLAR REPOPULATION PROGRAM ORANGE AND SEMINOLE COUNTIES:
Just as awareness has been growing about the benefits of the use of trees as part of a natural resource management tool in the watersheds that comprise Tampa Bay on Florida's west Coast, similar applications will continue to be made for the St. Johns river watershed in East Central Florida.
One of the most truly indigenous native trees to the St. Johns River watershed in Orange and Seminole Counties, Florida is the East Central Florida Eco-Type Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). T.R.E.E. Inc. intends to continue its long-standing commitment to proliferating the use of this true Florida native along with other native wetland trees and possibly some native upland trees, and where appropriate, ornamental flowering trees. These trees will be planted along various points the Lake Jesup chain of lakes that stretch from Orlando to Winter Springs, as well as possibly along various points in the Little Wekiva River watershed that starts the Pine Hills section of Orlando and ends in Altamonte Springs.
This latest phase in the history of this initiative will hopefully be a major late fall or early winter planting project possibly funded by our corporate sponsor Esurance and possibly involve the cities of Orlando, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs and Winter Springs. We will update our readers on this latest proposal as developments unfold.
OTHER NEWS:
FLOWERING TREE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA DISSOLVES:
It as determined in an e-mail of May 15, 2008 by Secretary/Treasurer Carole Johns that the Flowering Tree Society of Central Florida would be dissolved.
The organization was comprised of lovers of flowering trees suitable for Central Florida. Its rank and file read like a horticultural who's who with members coming from the Disney theme parks, Universal Studios, Holloway Tree Farm, Cherry Lake Tree Farm, Foster Conant, the cities of Apopka, Maitland and Orlando, Brevard County and H.P. Leu Gardens amongst many other notable professional, organizational and individual venues.
The mission of the Society was to provide educational information to the community and assist the plant industry with the introduction and development of new flowering tree species for use in our Central Florida region.
The Society educated the public about the beauty, function, versatility, care and maintenance of adaptable flowering trees through demonstration plantings and an annual sale of flowering trees held at H.P. Leu Gardens in Orlando.
Over the past three years, T.R.E.E. Inc. has grown and donated East Central Florida Eco-Type Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), "St. Luke's" Purple Leaf Plum (Prunus cerisifera var. "atropurpurea") and "Martha Jane" Double Flowering Red Leaf Nectarine (Prunus persica) to assist this wonderful organization in fulfilling its mission.
We are saddened to hear of the passing of the Flowering Tree Society of Central Florida but will always remember the positive impact that its work will have on the landscapes of Central Florida for the decades to come.
Otilia in action planting a Baldcypress tree at Little Bayou Park on February 9, 2008
OTILIA CANTER: BLOOMING WHERE SHE'S PLANTED
When you've participated in over 300 volunteer tree plantings projects spanning a quarter of century like we have, you can quickly judge when someone's heart is into planting trees and can get the work done without out any supervision needed.
The hard work of Otilia Canter has not gone unnoticed. She not only planted her heart out at Egmont Key in February 2007, but was a one person army at removing Coin Vines (Dalbergia ecastaphyllum) and Brazilian Peppertrees (Schinus terbinthifolius) shortly afterward. She wasn't afraid to go into the thicket to tame a tropical paradise and help it return to its native beauty.
The last Baldcypress is planted! All have survived and have sported a good amount of leaves and growth since that day! Photo by John Blechschmidt
At our Silver Anniversary planting at Little Bayou in St. Petersburg, Otilia (whose name was inadvertently mis spelled in our previous edition of Arbor Bio of which we apologize) once again proved her mettle by drudging into the swampy muck of Little Bayou's fresh water pond alongside 4th Street South to plant Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum).
But there is something even more remarkable that you probably don't know about Otilia Canter that you should. This hard working and courageous native of Chisinau, Moldova, who speaks and writes in five languages fluently, stood alongside 1,600 other people on May 13, 2008 to be sworn in as a citizen of the United States.
Otilia Canter being sworn in as an American citizen on May 13, 2008: Photo by John Blechschmidt
Otilia upon hearing that she is now officially an American citizen: Photo by John Blechschmidt
Otilia proudly shows off her citizenship documents: Photo by John Blechschmidt
We are so very proud of what Otilia has done in her hard earned efforts to try to have a better life in the nation that is still the envy of the world. We also believe that Otilia's efforts deserve our praise and support so we have extended to her a one year free Individual Membership retroactive on May 13, 2008.
We are honored to call her a fellow American and fellow T.R.E.E. Member.
Welcome home Otilia!
TEST TRIALS:
LOW CHILL TEMPERATE FLOWERING TREE EVALUATIONS: Status: Completed
EXCELLENT:
"St. Lukes" Purple Leaf Plum (Prunus cerisifera var. "atropurpurea"): Has exhibited predictable light pink single spring blooms each year since 1998 and has held its red leaves better than any other Purple Leaf Plum variety in the Tampa Bay area. It grows fast, up to 3' or more annually, and the test specimens in Plant City, the presumed home of origin of this cultivar, have had no disease or insect problems in the past ten growing seasons. These test plants, both now 15' tall, were grown from air layers and have been heavily pruned to half of their mature height twice in the past ten years with no ill effects. This is definitely the perfect Purple Leaf Plum for Central Florida! Plant in full sun only in dry to moist soil.
GOOD:
"Martha Jane" Flowering Nectarine (Prunus persica): Fast growing, up to 5' annually, "Martha Jane" produces bright pink double blooms with dark red to purple leaves. A stunning color show in the early spring when bloom and foliage contrast against one another. Bloom has been predictable in Plant City, and after eight growing seasons, it appears to have reached a mature height of approximately 10'. "Martha Jane" does not appear to have disease or insect problems, but its rapid growth appears to produce an abundance of dead wood which needs to be trimmed out about every five years. In many ways this is even more reminiscent of the flowering cherry trees of the North than the low-chill Taiwan Cherry (Prunus campanulata) and appears to have less problem with leaf scorch that P. campanulata, but does not appear to be as tall a plant at maturity. Great for patios or small spaces, plant in full sun in dry to moist soil.
Taiwan Flowering Cherry (Prunus campanulata):
Taiwan Flowering Cherry (Prunus campanulata): Fast growing up to 5' a year, Taiwan Flowering Cherry is the only flowering Cherry tree to predictably bloom each spring in Central Florida's low-chill climate. Single bell shape light pink to almost cerise-red blooms are reminiscent of a hot-pink looking Redbud while in bloom. Bloom occurs early, between late January or early March. In Central Florida best growth comes about with partial shade and adequate moisture. Sun scald is a problem in full sun sandy locations this far south. The tree can grow up to 25' tall here and produces sometimes stunning yellow to orange fall foliage.
FAIR:
"Forest Pansy" Redbud (Cercis canadensis): In its two year test trials at Brooksville and Plant City, "Forest Pansy" did not produce the striking purple spring leaf blush that it exhibits further north. For that matter leaves never produced any color beyond a dull green with only hints of a purple hue. Growth exhibited more suckering than the typical native variety and overall had an appearance of what would be considered an unhealthy specimen. Colorful examples of "Forest Pansy" can be found further north in Inverness and Orlando, but in the Tampa Bay region, performance was less than stellar.
POOR:
"Gulf Coast" Pink Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida):
In its first year test trial in Brooksville and Plant City, "Gulfcoast Pink" Dogwood proved to be a poor performer. The Brooksville specimen died the first spring of planting and the Plant City specimen produced no more than three leaves on an 8' tall plant that was watered thoroughly the entire growing season. Native selections are still the best bet as well as the "Weaver White" cultivar from Gainesville.
2008 SUNSHINE SKYWAY EXPERIMENTAL SITES: Status: To be discontinued Summer 2009 (Five Year Evaluation)
The following results have been documented as of June 1, 2008:
EXCELLENT:
Bay Cedar (Suriana maritima) Note: Plant accidentally treated with herbicides in December 2007 and has since died. Over a four year period this variety consistently demonstrated excellent performance.
Florida Myrsine (Rapanea punctata)
Golden Creeper (Ernodea littoralis)
Indigoberry (Randia aculeata)
Jamaica Dogwood (Piscidia piscipula "Pine Island" race)
Jamaica Dogwood (Piscidia piscipula typical race)
Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani)
Necklace Pod (Sophora tomentosa)
Red Tip Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)
South Florida Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii var. "densa")
Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea)
Sweet Acacia (Acacia farnesiana)
Wild Sage (Lantana involucrata)
GOOD:
Fiddlewood (Citharexylum fruticosum)
Lime Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum fagara)
Redbay (Persea borbonia)
White Stopper (Eugenia axillaris)
Yellow Elder (Tacoma stans)
FAIR:
Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba)
Wild Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)
Varnish Leaf (Dodonaea viscosa)
POOR:
Cherokee Bean (Erythrina herbacea): Died
Christmasberry (Lycium carolinianum): Died
Firebush (Hamelia patens): Died
Hercules Club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis): Died
Holywood Lignumvitae (Guaiacum sanctum): Died
Jamaica Caper (Capparis cynophallophorum)
Pigeon Plum (Coccoloba diversifolia)
Soapberry (Sapindus saponaria)
Spicewood (Calyptranthes pallens): Died
T.R.E.E. Inc. Board of Directors
President and Treasurer: William Moriaty
Vice President: Bob Scheible
Secretary: Rick Strickland
Lifetime Members
William Moriaty (Founder)
Bob Scheible (Founder)
Greg Van Stavern (Founder)
Greg Howe (Founder)
Sheryl Bowman
Cliff Brown
Debbie Butts
Dade City Garden Club
Alice Earle (deceased)
Dr. Sylvia Earle
Ross J. Ferlita
Hugh Gramling
Horticultural Alliance, Inc.
Harvey A. Hunt, P.E.
William Jonson
Brightman Logan
Revello Medical Centers
Rick Strickland
Barbara Waddell (deceased)
Dr. Richard Wunderlin
Richard A. Bailey (Honorary)
John L. Blechschmidt Jr. (Honorary)
Nancy Buckley (Honorary)
Bob Der (Honorary)
Kathy Caffentzis (Honorary)
Steve Graham (Honorary)
Gary L. Henry, R.L.A. (Honorary)
Susana Thompson (Honorary)