One of my favorite gardening books is a paperback I purchased 40 years ago when I first moved to Florida. Titled simply Dictionary of Trees , one sentence in the prologue says it all: There is nothing of which the finite mind can possibly conceive, which contributes so largely and continuously to the comfort and happiness of man as the majestic tree.
Florida has its share of big, beautiful trees. In fact, of the over 600 tree species native to the U.S., over 40% can be found growing within our borders. When you factor in dozens of species that have been introduced over the years, it’s easy to see why Florida has the distinction of having more tree species than any other state in the continental U.S.
The state champion boabab tree on the right is one of five planted in Young Circle in Hollywood in 1934. Photo by Tom Hewitt