Showing posts with label salt tolerance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salt tolerance. Show all posts

Monday, November 29, 2021

King Tides and Your Trees

(Revised for November 2021) Trees face many challenges to their continued growth and survival including pressure from overdevelopment, climate change, exotic pests/diseases, storms etc. In much of South Florida, trees face the added challenge of exposure to salt water during King Tide events, which typically occur between August and November of each year. King Tides are the highest tides of the year and can cause saltwater flooding of low-lying areas. Their occurrence corresponds to specific phases of the moon and can be exacerbated by other factors, such as storms.

Increased saltwater flooding can cause tree impacts including premature leaf drop, leaf burn, tree instability and, in some cases, complete death of the exposed tree. To combat the effects of King Tides on trees, the following are highly recommended for trees in locations vulnerable to tidal flooding:
  • Planting of Florida native salt tolerant trees (i.e., Orange Geiger, Gumbo Limbo, Silver and Green Buttonwood, Southern Red Cedar);
  • Utilization of planting methods such as Mounded Planting which elevates the tree's roots above grade and reduces saltwater exposure (reference image below); and
  • Implementation of a tree maintenance plan that includes proper watering, pruning and fertilization to optimize tree health; and
  • Flushing of the tree(s) root-ball with clean water to help remove any excess salt buildup.
Trees that are salt intolerant and/or stressed due to improper planting and maintenance are often the first to succumb to saltwater flooding events. For additional information on how to protect your trees and prepare for King Tides, please visit the following websites:



Mounded planting which can help protect newly planted trees from flooding and future grade changes.

Some examples of Florida Native Salt Tolerant Trees

                                      
                                 Green Buttonwood                        Eastern Red Cedar


                                   Gumbo Limbo                         Silver Buttonwood

 

Orange Geiger

Friday, March 23, 2018

Trees, Salt Tolerance and Dunes

Trees provide many environmental benefits including habitat for wildlife, soil stabilization, shade, and removing pollution from the air.  Due to the effects from coastal flooding, king tides and sea level rise, non-salt tolerant trees are being negatively impacted with greater frequency leading directly to a loss of environmental benefits. In Fort Lauderdale, trees play a major role in urban forest sustainability and dune stabilization. As such, Fort Lauderdale is utilizing a more salt tolerant tree palette to enhance the resiliency of its trees; species such as Seagrape, Pitch Apple, Green and Silver Buttonwood and Gumbo Limbo do very well in dune/high salt environments, helping protect our shorelines from tidal events and storm surges. Incorporating more salt tolerant trees throughout the City's urban forest will continue to increase its sustainability and resiliency in the face of ongoing environmental challenges. To learn more about salt tolerant trees and the dune environment, please visit the websites below:
Image used courtesy of Broward County.
Image used courtesy of Land and Sea Marine

https://floridadep.gov/water/beaches
http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/landscaping-for-specific-sites/coastal-landscape.html