Sabal Palmetto

This is a native Florida palm and one of the most common. These trees can grow to a height of 65 ft or 20 m. The trunk can be smooth or have bootjacks, the lower part of the palm branch remaining on trunk. This palm is an abandoned field that is occasionally used as a cow pasture. Click on the image for a larger view.

Invasive

The Pacara earpod tree gets its name from its distinctive and prolific seed pods. A native of Costa Rica, this shade tree has made its home in Florida. The large crop of seed pods allows it to colonize the landscape in groves. Birds also carry the seeds, making single specimens sprout. Click on the image for a larger view.

Merritt Island, Part 1

Merritt Island is Florida’s largest barrier island. It is home to the Kennedy Space Center and the 140,000 acre Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The mangroves can give the illusion of it being more land than water. although the very still heron in the background illustrates the water is not deep. Click on the image for a larger view.

Abandoned Orange Grove

The remains of an orange grove. Orange trees can produce fruit for up to 50 years, making them one of the most productive fruit trees. The sandy soil and climate in Florida makes citrus an ideal crop. I do not know the history of this particular grove, but, from the area of land it occupies, it must have been fairly large. Click on the image for a larger view.