1. Alternative plants to ficus Henry Mayer Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension November 14, 2007 http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu

2. Whitefly damage

4. Factors What is the objective of the hedge? Height and width Full sun or partial shade Flowers and color or evergreen Budget for installation and maintenance Soil characteristics: pH, moisture, OM One plant or a hedge design Others

7. Hedge height

8. Shade

9. Color

10. Why do you want a ficus hedge? Fast growing Cheap ($2.00/3g) Low maintenance ? Easy to find (400 NSY) Popular

12. Right plant in the right place! Check your soil Visit Fairchild or other Ask the Extension Service Look in books, website, etc.

17. Plumbago Blue and white flowers 3g / $4.00 Full sun or part shade Common pruned height: 4’-6’ Tolerates moderate drought Moderate salt tolerance Attract wildlife

18. Areca Palm 3g/$6.00 Low maintenance? Partial shade Drought tolerant Salt tolerant: none K deficiency

19. Silver buttonwood 3g/$4.00 Native Full sun Common pruned height: 4’-7’ or taller High salt and drought tolerant Tolerates poor drainage Sooty mold could be present

20. Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’ 3g/ $4.00 Full sun to partial shade Moderate draught tolerance Compact hedge Salt tolerance?

21. Schefflera arboricola ‘Trinette’ 3g / $4.00 Smaller than the first one Drought tolerant Full sun or partial shade

22. Schefflera arboricola Tolerate more shade Mature size: 8’ – 15’ Tolerate poor drainage Full sun or partial shade Drought tolerant

23. Oleander 3g / $5.00 Plant is poisonous Flowers: pink, white, red, salmon, etc Salt and drought tolerant Full sun and partial shade Caterpillars, witches' broom

24. Jatropha 3g/$4.00 Salt tolerance: moderate Drought tolerance: moderate Mature size: 10’-15’ Attract wildlife

25. Dracaena 3g/ $4.00 Drought tolerance: high Salt tolerance: medium Full sun and partial shade

26. Croton Many cultivars like ‘Petra’, ‘Mammey’, ‘Norma’, ‘Gold Dust’, etc. Foliage with colors Full sun or partial shade Drought tolerant Salt tolerant: moderate Attract wildlife Mature size: 3-8 feet

27. Surinam cherry 3g/ $4.00 Full sun or partial shade Salt and water tolerance: moderate Mature size: 8-20 feet Formal hedge

28. Bamboo 1,600 varieties 7g/$50.00 Full sun to full shade Resists cold Needs water Rapid establishment

29. Firebush 3g / $4.00 Full sun to full shade Tolerates poor drainage Attracts wildlife Native Drought tolerance: moderate Salt tolerance: none

30. Shrimp plant 3g / $4.00 Full sun to full shade Attracts wildlife Salt tolerance: none Drought tolerance: moderate Red color flowers

31. Acalypha Many cultivars with colors Mature size 8-12 feet Tolerates poor drainage Full sun or partial shade Salt tolerance: medium 3g / $5.00

32. Pruning

33. Chenille plant 3g / $5.00 Full sun or partial shade Salt and drought tolerance: medium Mature size: 6 – 10 feet

34. Podocarpus 3g / $6.00 Drought and salt tolerance: high Full sun or partial shade Mature size:30-40 feet Formal hedge

35. Ligustrum 3g / $5.00 Salt tolerance: high Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 8- 12 feet Drought tolerance: medium

36. Cocoplum 3g / $4.00 Drought and salt tolerance: high Native Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 10-*20 feet

37. Viburnum 3g/$4.00 Drought tolerance: high Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 20-30 feet Salt tolerance: low

40. Questions??