Category: Home Landscapes

This image shows the tops canopy of a live oak tree.

Summer and Fall Sumter County Urban Forestry and Landscape Professional Classes

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
June 15, 2026

Join us for a variety of classes this summer and fall! Connecting Florida-Friendly Landscaping(TM) Principles to Urban Forestry Date: 7/21/26 Time: 8:30am-5pm Location: UF/IFAS Sumter County Extension. 7620 State Rte 471 #2, Bushnell, ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Natural Resources
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Trees, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension, Urban Trees, Water Quality

Using Mulch Around Trees and Palms

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
April 30, 2026

While some think of mulch as simply an aesthetic component of a landscape, it is so much more. Mulch has a large impact on the health of your landscape plants, including your palms and trees. Selecting the correct mulch and the appropriate application ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Mulch, Palms, Trees, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension, Urban Trees
This image shows the tops canopy of a live oak tree.

The Job of Trees: How They Benefit Our Communities

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
March 26, 2026

Did you know that the trees and palms in your landscapes work for you? They provide several ecosystem services. What are ecosystem services? They are services that are freely done by the environment that would require us to create expensive ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension
This image shows extensive palm damage on a street lined with homes. Several palms have completely brown canopies.

Wait! Your Palm May Not Be Dead Post Freeze!

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
February 27, 2026

With the recent record-breaking freezing weather we have experienced, it can be tempting to jump into pruning and replacing plants. As tempting as that may be, you could be removing living plants or causing additional issues by pruning too soon. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Freeze, Freeze Damage, Freeze Damaged Palms, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension

Beautiful Buttonbush for Natural Areas and Landscapes

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
January 2, 2026

Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is an amazing plant for both natural area restorations and landscapes. Found naturally throughout Florida and much of the US and Eastern Canada  (zones 4-10A) in various wetland environments such as ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Button_bush, Cephalanthus Occidentalis

Japanese Blueberry (Elaeocarpus decipiens)

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
September 4, 2025

Are you looking to attract wildlife to your yard? Consider the Japanese Blueberry (Elaeocarpus decipiens). Although relatively new to the industry, this evergreen tree makes an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly yards throughout USDA ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension

Reviving Elms: Lessons from Dutch Elm Disease and Strategies for Healthy Urban Forests

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
August 27, 2025

The introduction of Dutch elm disease in the 1930s marked a turning point in American urban forestry. Millions of the once iconic elm trees across the U.S. were lost. The disease originated in Asia, where native elm species show some natural ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Tree Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension

Loquat Trees in Your Food Forest: A Sweet Addition to Central Florida Landscapes

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
August 26, 2025

As edible landscaping continues to gain momentum, many Central Florida homeowners are exploring the concept of growing a food forest. A food forest is a layered, productive forested containing various fruit trees in your own back yard. If you're ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Backyard Fruit, Fruit Forest, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension

The Longleaf Pine: A Keystone of Florida’s Pine Grassland Ecosystems

by Jamie Daugherty, Ph.D.
August 15, 2025

Keystone species are critical because entire ecosystems rely on their presence to remain balanced. If removed, the ecological structure may collapse. They differ from indicator species, which reflect the health and maturity of an ecosystem rather ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Longleaf Pine, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County, Urban Forestry, Urban Forestry Extension, Urban Trees

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