10 Best Small Trees for Front Yard in Florida

In this article, I am going to discuss the best small trees for front yard in Florida city.

Florida provides a mostly stable habitat and ample space for small trees to thrive, whether you are in the southern or northern part of the city.

Known for its year-round mild climate, plenty of sunshine, and reliable rainy season, Florida proves to be an ideal landing zone for a plethora of floral species to take root and grow!

Small flowering trees in the front yard bring exciting color to any Florida yard, large or small. Their smaller height less than 20 feet tall means you get to see more of the blooms since they’re closer to eye level.

They provide shade in small landscapes or beautify tight spaces like porches or patios. Most Importantly small trees are easier to manage than their larger counterparts.

Low-growing trees can be used as full-fledged trees in a small yard or as more of an accent in a larger one. Smaller trees in Florida can include shrubs trained to a single-trunk (called “standards”) or those with multiple trunks.

Just one of these plants in your yard can be the star of the show, a stunning and brightly colored landscape attraction. It can anchor a bed of low-growing flowers, or set off a butterfly garden with its height and blossoms.

The majority of the small flowering trees blossom on and off all year, though some more blooms are seen in warmer months. Some like parkinsonia bloom in spring and fall. Others have a heavy spring flowering with some blooms throughout the year.

Florida gardens will benefit from the addition of small trees to the landscape for various reasons. They can be planted to provide a manageable privacy screen against the fence, as an accent for the front yard, as a centerpiece for an awe-inspiring design, or even as a complementary pairing with other herbs and flowering bushes.

Small Trees for Front Yard in Florida

Here, are some of the loveliest smaller trees you can successfully grow in Florida.

• Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree (Musa Acuminata)
• Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia Indica)
• Japanese Fern Tree (Filicium Decipiens)
• Golden Dewdrop Tree (Duranta Erecta)
• Dwarf Poinciana Tree (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
• Oleander Tree (Nerium oleander)
• Powderpuff Tree (Calliandra haematocephala)
• Purple Glory Tree (Tibouchina Granulosa)
• Jerusalem Thorn (Parkinsonia Aculeata)
• Geiger Tree (Cordia Sebestena)

1. Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree (Musa acuminata)

There are many varieties of banana trees in Florida and all of them grow well. Banana trees grow in the full sun of Florida’s sub-tropical climate. You need to water them regularly and provide drainage so that the roots won’t rot.

Banana trees grow straight and tall, with long leaves bursting from the top. Each spring, bright stalks of flowers will grow. In late summer, these flowers blossom into fruit.

It takes between nine and 15 months for the banana tree to start producing fruits in ideal conditions. And once it does, you can expect it to produce nearly 100 bananas every growing season! The dwarf Cavendish banana has an average size of 8 – 10 feet tall and 6 – 8 feet wide at Maturity.

2. Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtles (Lagerstroemia Indica) are also known as Crepe Myrtle, Indian Crape Myrtle, and  Lilac of the South. They are sturdy, versatile, and colorful trees loved by many gardeners.

Crape myrtles thrive well throughout all Florida climates. Crape myrtles are small, deciduous trees with branches covered in green leaves. In spring, it blooms with white, pink, purple, or red flowers. These blossoms are soft and ruffled, giving the tree a unique look.

After the flowers fall to the ground in late summer, the leaves change to yellow, orange, and red. With a crape myrtle, you’ll get beautiful colors year-round.

They have an average size of 3-25 feet tall and 2-15 feet wide at maturity. The trees are mostly available at nature hills and fast-growing trees. The ability to transform this tree to best fit your space means it’s a must-have for any Florida yard.

The tree produces inedible fruits that make excellent editions to tabletop potpourris! In addition, the entire tree, including the seeds, roots, stem, flowers, and leaves, is safe for children and pets.

3. Japanese Fern Tree

If you are looking for some extra shade near your porch, the Japanese fern tree would work perfectly.

The Japanese fern tree (Filicium Decipiens) grows best in Southern Florida, where it’s quite a bit warmer all year round. This is a low-maintenance shade tree that won’t take over your yard. It’s great to use near your patio for extra shielding from the sun.

The leaves on the Japanese fern tree look like traditional fern plants, so it adds interest to your yard compared to standard leaves. The tree loves full sun and needs well-drained soil, so you have to place it accordingly.

4. Golden Dewdrop Tree (Duranta erecta)

Golden Dewdrop (Duranta repens) is also known as Pigeon berry, Sky flower tree, and berries.

Golden Dewdrop trees are tropical broadleaf evergreen trees that you can grow in the ground or containers. Golden Dewdrop trees are most successful in areas with plenty of direct sunlight.

They thrive in warm weather, making them perfect for the hot Florida climate, and they prefer their soil moist but not soaked.

The tree produces round or oval leaves with a vibrant green color and gorgeous clusters of light-blue, white, or violet blossoms.

The Golden Dewdrop also grows drooping clusters of berries in bright orange or yellow hue. The berries are toxic to humans and pets, however, they are loved by birds! They have an average size of 10 – 20 feet tall and 5 – 10 feet wide at maturity.

They are very fast-growing trees, which makes them a perfect choice to quickly fill up a bare spot in your garden or courtyard. Golden Dewdrop trees also tend to work very well as privacy screens, especially in a climate like Florida, where they will be able to thrive all year round.

5. Dwarf Poinciana Tree (Caesalpinia Pulcherrima)

Dwarf Poinciana also known as Barbados Flower Fence, Barbados Pride, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Peacock Flower, Pride of Barbados. This is a deciduous tree that produces a mix of gold, orange, and burgundy flowers in the summer, and in the fall, tiny inedible green fruits replace the flowers.

The tree’s green fruits contain seeds that are poisonous and shouldn’t be ingested. Native to Mexico and Costa Rica, the Dwarf Poinciana is an incredible addition to your space, and its miniature size makes it a perfect accent tree. They have an average size of 10-20 feet tall and 6-12 feet wide at maturity.

If you’re designing a theme garden and would like to invite butterflies and hummingbirds, the Dwarf Poinciana tree is your best choice and option.

6. Oleander Tree (Nerium oleander)

Oleander trees known as Kaner, Oleander, Rosebay, and Rose Laurel are hardy, ornamental flowering trees perfect for the hot Florida climate. These unique plants start as shrubs before developing into multi-trunk trees. 

The Oleander is a beautiful sight to behold every spring and summer. Depending on the variety you bring home, the Oleander produces fragrant cream, gold, orange, salmon, lavender, burgundy, and white flowers. Oleander trees can appear in Pink, Deep Pink, and white color

Oleander can be moved indoors during winter and makes an excellent container for plants. In ideal conditions, they can grow anywhere between one and two feet (or more!) per year.  They have an average size of 6-20 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide at maturity.

7. Powderpuff Tree (Calliandra haematocephala)

Powderpuff Tree (Calliandra haematocephala) also known as Red Powder Puff is closely related to the Mimosa family. The tree produces lush, round, feather-like red flowers that are toxic if ingested. While the tree can be containerized, they’re very picky when it comes to soil and fertilizer.

Even in ideal conditions, the Powderpuff tree doesn’t have a long lifespan, with 10 to 15 years considered standard. The tree should be pruned to limit its width if you’re dealing with extremely tight spaces.

They have an average size of 6-15 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide at maturity.  The Powderpuff tree adds a hint of character and a dash of personality to your outdoor space. While the tree blooms all year round, it peaks in autumn and winter.

8. Purple Glory Tree (Tibouchina granulosa)

The Purple Glory is indeed a sight to behold in spring and summer when deep green glossy leaves set the stage for beautiful purple flowers. Purple Glory tree is also known as Tibouchina (Pleroma urvilleanum) Tree and Royal Purple Flowers and can grow an average size of 10-15 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide at maturity in its natural habitat!

Blooming throughout the year, the tree can be trained to grow upright against a wall or on a trellis or arbor to grow as a vine. This tree can be containerized and it is not very difficult to maintain. The Purple Glory prefers full sun and thrives in moist, well-draining, and high-fertile soils.

9. Jerusalem Thorn (Parkinsonia aculeata)

Jerusalem thorn also known as Parkinsonia Tree, Palo Verde, Jelly Bean Tree, Palo de Rayo, Retama, Horsebean, or Lluvia De Oro is native to some parts of the United States America and Mexico, the Jerusalem Thorn produces fragrant yellow flowers with bright orangish-red pistils in spring that last through summer. Not only does this tree grow fast, but it also tolerates a wide range of soil structures.

The Jerusalem Thorn is thorny and attracts many beneficial insects and birds to your garden, including birds and butterflies. That said, the tree is short-lived and, even in ideal conditions, would live between 15 and 20 years.

In addition, the leaves of this tree contain hydrocyanic acid, which can be toxic if ingested. They have an average size of 15-20 feet tall and 8-15 feet wide at maturity.

10. Geiger Tree (Cordia Sebestena)

The Geiger tree is also known as Scarlet Cordia, it is native to Florida and West Indies, and the tree blooms all year round, but in the summer, the blooms increase, painting your landscape sunset red!

In late summer, the tree produces tiny white edible fruits that don’t taste pleasant. The Geiger tree is an excellent landscape plant that can breathe life into any space.

The best part about this tree is that it’s wind, salt, and drought tolerant, making it perfect for busy families. The vivid flowers are most commonly a bright orange color, but they can also be yellow or white.

The bright tones of the flowers provide a gorgeous contrast to the deep green of the foliage. The Geiger tree has an average size of 10 – 30 feet tall and 10 – 15 feet wide at maturity.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many beautiful small and dwarf trees for your Florida property. Whether you’re looking for something with dense foliage, like the Parkinsonia tree, or something with large,  vibrant flowers, like the purple glory tree, you have a variety of superb options.

Whichever small or dwarf trees you decide to plant, remember to care for them properly and provide them with the best possible growing conditions.

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