Showy Blossoms

• Flowering trees with showy blooms add color to the landscape. The fiddlewood (Citharexylum fruticosum) can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree. They grow to 40 feet tall and have very glossy foliage. The fiddlewood produces showy white blossoms in summer followed by yellow and black fruits. They are hardy in zones 10b to 11. Plant the fiddlewood in sites with partial shade to partial sun exposure and a range of soils, from sandy to loam.
  
  The jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) grows to 50 feet tall with a 30-foot spread. This tree is prized for its showy clusters of bright blue flowers that bloom throughout the year. Hardy in zones 9b through 11, the jacaranda thrives in full sun and well-drained, deep soil. Jacarandas tolerate drought but grow best with regular irrigation.
  
  

Alkaline Soil

• Soil with a pH level above 7.0 is considered alkaline. The orange Geiger tree (Cordia sebestena) is hardy in zones 10b to 12b. This heat-tolerant tree produces showy, orange flowers year-round, with the best display in early to midsummer. An evergreen, the orange Geiger tolerates salt and drought and thrives in full sun and well-drained, slightly alkaline soils.
  
  The gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) usually grows to 40 feet with a 30-foot spread, but can reach heights to 60 feet. A semi-evergreen, the gumbo-limbo has shiny, exfoliating bark and drooping branches. This tree is hardy in zones 10b to 11 and prefers full sun to partial shade. Gumbo-limbos tolerate drought and a variety of soils, from acidic to alkaline.
  
  

Clay Sites

• Not many trees tolerate clay sites, but some can tolerate it. The paradise tree (Simarouba glauca) has red foliage that turns to shiny, leathery green over time. This tree grows to 50 feet tall with a 30-foot spread. Paradise trees are hardy in zones 10b to 11 and have dense canopies that create shade. Plant paradise trees in full sun to partial shade and clay to sandy soil. Paradise trees tolerate drought and salt.
  
  The sweet acacia (Acacia farnesiana) blooms with puffy, yellow flowers almost year-round. This semi-evergreen has fine, feathery foliage and produces wildlife-attracting seeds. Sweet acacia are hardy in zones 9a through 11 and grow to 25 feet tall with a similar spread. They prefer full sun and tolerate a range of soils, from clay to sand.
  
  

Palms

• Palm tree grow in an upright form with most foliage concentrated on top. The paroutis palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) is hardy in zones 10a to 11. This multi-trunked tree has 2- to 3-foot-long green and silver foliage and produces black fruits on orange stalks in autumn. Paroutis palms grow to 25 feet with a 15-foot spread. They prefer full sun to partial shade and tolerate a variety of soils, from well-drained to very wet.
  
  The key thatch palm (Thrinax morrisii) has attractive green and silver foliage. This slow-growing tree reaches heights from 20 to 30 feet with a 10-foot spread. Key thatch palms are hardy in zones 10b to 11 and prefer full sun to partial shade. They tolerate drought and range of soils, from occasionally wet to well-drained.