JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It's time to celebrate our Sunshine State's trees!
Friday, January 21 is this year's Florida Arbor Day. Florida has celebrated Arbor Day since 1886 and has one of the first Arbor Day celebrations in the nation.
While Arbor Day is celebrated nationally in April, many states recognize a state Arbor Day to coincide with the local tree planting season.
The weather today isn't the best for tree planting, but when the sunshine returns Sunday, bundle up and get out to plant a tree if you so choose!
Here are 10 tree-mendous facts about Florida's trees:
1. The sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) is Florida's state tree. It's the most widely distributed palm in Florida. It grows in almost any soil and has many uses, including food, medicine, and landscaping.
2. Trees help clean the air, conserve soil and water, moderate temperature and hold space for nature.
3. There are more than 460 native tree and shrub species in the state of Florida.
4. A live oak can grow up to 60 feet tall with a spread of up to 100 feet.
5. The six most common types of shade trees are Bald Cypress, Florida Maple, Live Oak, Loblolly Pine, Purple Tabebuia and the Yellow Tabebuia.
6. The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, located in East Arlington, encourages native plant species to grow and thrive on the land of a former strip mine.
7. The Treaty Oak is an octopus-like Southern live oak in Jacksonville, Florida. The tree is estimated to be 250 years old and may be the single oldest living thing in Jacksonville.
8. Banana trees thrive in the full sun of Florida’s subtropical climate.
9. Trees generally snap, or at least lose a few branches, when faced with hurricane-strength winds. Not palm trees. These staples of the tropics typically bend during gusty weather thanks to their anchored root and wiry trunk.
10. Trees hold more value than you may think!
- 1 Million Trees = $3.5 Million in Annual Stormwater Runoff Costs
- 1 Million Trees = $5 Million in Annual Air Pollution Clean-up
- 1 Million Trees = $10 Million in Annual Energy Savings
- 1 Front Yard Tree = 1% Increase in Home Sale Price
- Shaded Business District = 11% Increase in Business
“Florida has a variety of native tree species that play an important role in protecting our ecosystems. They not only make our neighborhoods more beautiful, but they can also reduce energy costs, store carbon, and help keep our air and water clean,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in a press release. “I encourage all residents to get involved in community tree planting and help protect the natural Florida we love.”
“Trees are a significant part of Florida’s landscape and infrastructure, from those lining our community streets to working forests managed by landowners across the state,” said Erin Albury, State Forester and Director of the Florida Forest Service. “We are proud to work with partners like the Arbor Day Foundation to ensure that these valuable resources remain available for generations to come.”
Did you know? Florida is home to 176 Tree City USA communities, a program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation that recognizes cities, counties, and military bases for their proactive efforts to expand and actively manage their public tree canopy. To learn more about Tree City USA and Florida Arbor Day, visit FDACS.gov/UrbanForestry.