By Alice Jackson

I am writing this article about a recent trip to Apalachicola, Florida, and the interesting things I discovered about plants. Apalachicola is a laid-back fishing town with a lot of charm and so much nature surrounding it. You have the Apalachicola Bay for fishing, shallow marshes with a lot of wildlife, pristine beaches, and many nature sites to see with an abundance of flora and fauna.

Since I have been enrolled in the ACES. Edu Master Gardner program I have been more interested in learning the various varieties of trees, shrubs, and plants and what will grow successfully in my landscape. So, for this trip I wanted to focus on all things of nature. Except, for the many trips to the local oyster bars and great restaurants. While riding in the car on the trip down I was listening to a zoom class for my Master Gardener program. This particular topic was on tree, shrub and plant selection for your home landscape. It was quite interesting listening to the various types of tree selections that would or would not grow well in a home landscape and the reasons why. As I learned in class it is all about “Right Plant, Right Place”, or as they say in real estate, location, location, location. An example of right tree, right place is the Southern Live Oak. These majestic trees with their huge trunks and enormous canopies grow in warm coastal climates but would not grow well in colder climates. So, if you love these trees like I do, you need to travel south to coastal areas to admire their beauty.

On our first day there was a trip to the Dwarf Cypress Forest located in Eastpoint, Fl. not far from Apalachicola, but down a long bumpy remote road. Once there, a long boardwalk takes you to a look out over a crater of hundreds of dwarf white cypress trees. Local information states that some of these cypress trees have been growing there in this unusual habitat for 150 years or more. According to the information, these trees are dwarfed due to the sunken crater covered with a layer of hard clay soil which prohibits the roots from growing deep and therefore limiting the tree height to 6 to 15 feet. There was also a variety of wildlife to be seen, so it was worth the bumpy ride there to see this unusual but interesting site of nature. But these trees would certainly not thrive in my landscape.

The next excursion was a nature trail, densely populated with a variety of species. It was an easy trail and so quiet and peaceful; you couldn’t help but stop and admire all the various trees and plants, big and small. I began trying to identify several trees that were discussed on my zoom call. Like the large bald cypress trees, some very enormous and such a contrast from the dwarf cypress tress I saw the day before. Using a leaf identification article I identified the red maples, sugar maples, magnolias, and of course numerous palms. Since I have learned more about trees and shrubs, I have become more appreciative and inquisitive of what nature has provided.

In closing I want to leave you with a few landscaping and plant selection tips I learned. First, to do your research. Locate your plant hardiness zone by using the USDA plant harshness zone map. This will help determine which plants will thrive in your climate zone. If you know the type of plant you want to select, make sure you read the plant label. This will provide planting requirements such as the amount of light necessary, moisture requirements, pest susceptibility and other planting tips. You may want to have your soil pH tested to understand what type of soil you have. This can be done by contacting your local county extension office for information of the website www.Aces.edu. Remember, right plant, right place is the key for successful plant growth.

Alice Jackson, an intern in the Master Gardener 2022 Master Gardener Class. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymaga@ gmail.com