| I used to think that trees were sort of boring – one looked pretty much like another, what with the same basics of roots, trunks, branches, leaves, etc.
All that changed when I started really looking at trees when walking about Florida parks and even on golf courses. I realized the amazing character these members of the plant family exhibit in varied sizes, shapes and color.
I soon realized trees that populated watery environs like cypress and others clustered mainly in higher elevations such as pines. Mangrove trees only inhabit saltwater areas, with their prop roots providing nurturing and protection for many marine species. Even the shrubbery surrounding certain trees and other growths like air plants revealed a pattern that's there for anyone to appreciate – if you really look.
While I can't recite the Latin names of this tree's class and that tree's family, the common names soon began to stick. Most you already know many of the more common types such as palm trees and oaks. But it's not a big leap for your vocabulary to include trees and shrubs such as birch, magnolia, mahogany, sopadilla, cedar and white addler. Florida boasts about 450 species of native trees and shrubs.
Once you become aware of trees and how they vie for sunlight and moisture, it's quite remarkable to see how nature provides a supporting cast of plants and animals. These latter elements actually take hold in layers, with certain types on the ground, midway of the trees and then the treetops. It amazed me to learn that more species inhabit treetops than at ground level – a fairly recent discovery by botanists and biologists.
On your next foray into the woods, it's cool to keep an eye out for wildlife. However, start looking more closely at trees and their supporting casts. Tune into that serendipity and, as I, you'll start appreciating so much more of an indispensable part of the outdoors. |
