S O U T H F L O R I D A W A T E R M A N A G E M E N T D I S T R I C T

Mark Twain once said, “Everyone complains about the weatherbut nobody does anything about it.” While you may not be

able to change Florida’s tropical weather, you can take stepsto design and maintain a flood- and wind-tolerant landscape.Then, in the event of a major storm, your landscape will be as

prepared as you are.

Before Hurricane Andrew struck southernMiami-Dade County in 1992, major stormswere infrequent events in modern-day Florida,and most of the state enjoyed a false sense ofimmunity to hurricanes. That changed in2004–5, with record-breaking, back-to-backhurricane seasons pummeling the entire penin-sula. Given the dramatic increase in stormactivity, many homeowners have developedhurricane preparedness plans, purchased gen-erators and armored their homes with shutter-ing systems. While protecting your home andfamily are certainly the most important prepara-tions you can make, you can also take steps toprepare and protect your landscape. Thisbrochure will show you how.

ON THE INSIDE

� How to prepare yourlandscape for a storm

� Plant maintenance beforehurricane season

� A list of plants that canweather the storm andthose that can’t

� Evaluating yourlandscape after the storm

Storm Wise South Florida LandscapesLandscaping in hurricane-prone southern Florida

Groups of well-pruned treesand shrubs also tend tosurvive better than solitarytrees because the roots forma “network” that stabilizes

the planted area

1. Plan your landscape with stormsin mindLiving in Florida means that you live withhurricanes. As you plan and design yourlandscape, keep in mind that there is noway to completely protect your landscapefrom storms. However, there are somethings you can do to minimize the damageif a storm strikes.

As with Water Wise landscaping (some-times called xeriscapingTM), the “RightPlant, Right Place” principle is key to suc-cess. Recent post-storm evidence indicatesthat native trees and shrubs with even-spaced, spreading branches, low centersof gravity and strong, deep penetratingroot systems fare best in hurricane-forcewinds. Species like sea grape and gumbolimbo quickly shed their leaves in hurri-cane-force winds, but the structures ofthese even-branched trees tend to remainintact, and the foliage quickly re-growsafter a storm. Native palms such as cab-bage and thatch palms are also highlyadapted to strong winds and are knownto survive virtually unscathed, even insome of the hardest hit areas of Florida.

In addition to wind tolerance, flooding tol-erance and local storm-surge potentialshould also be taken into consideration.These factors will vary based on your loca-tion in South Florida. If your neighborhoodis prone to inland flooding or portions ofyour yard collect water during heavy peri-ods of rain, plan your landscape with thisin mind and choose flood-tolerant species.Species like cypress, red maple and pondapple are able to survive a wide range ofwater conditions. These species can toler-ate both low-water periods in the winterand long periods of standing water instorm season. If you live close to the coast,know the potential for storm surge in yourneighborhood. Storm surge brings largeamounts of salt water inland. This saltwater can have a major impact on land-scape plants. There are many salt-tolerantspecies that can be used to minimize post-storm salt mortality. A table of recom-mended Storm Wise plant selections areprovided in this brochure.

While planning a Storm Wise landscape, itis also important to know the mature sizeof trees and shrubs to avoid future con-flicts with fences, buildings and powerlines. Mature tree height is extremelyimportant to consider under power lines.When trees are allowed to grow intopower lines, they pose a year-round main-tenance issue for the power company andincrease the chances that your powerservice may be interrupted for anextended period after a storm event.

While planning and evaluating your StormWise landscape, it may also be necessaryto remove or phase out problem treespecies in your design. Some species haveextremely low wind tolerance and/or shal-low root systems and should not beplanted in storm-prone areas. A table ofundesirable species is provided in thisbrochure.

When planting your new Storm Wisetrees, do not stake them tightly. This pre-vents the plant from gradually adjusting towinds. Always stake and tie the newlyplanted tree loosely so that the tree canbend and move with the wind. This helpsdevelop a stable root system that canadjust to occasional high wind events. It isalso not a good idea to overfertilize oroverwater newly installed trees andshrubs. This can increase the crown sur-face and/or decrease the root area, makingthe plant more prone to being toppled bythe wind.

2. Perform proper maintenancebefore hurricane season startsHomeowners who have selected suitableplants, placed them properly and encour-aged healthy root systems will have littleto do to prepare their landscape for hurri-cane season. Landscapes are more likelyto survive a major storm intact if they aremaintained throughout the year. Thisincludes routine trimming of shrubs aswell as removal of dead limbs and thoselocated too close to a fence, house or autility line. This should be done early inthe year – well before hurricane seasonbegins on June 1. Piles of branches canbecome a hazard if waste disposal crews

Many South Florida trees and shrubs survivepost-storm flooding.

cannot clear them immediately before astorm.

Periodically check your landscape through-out the year, cutting back trees and weakbranches that could contact buildings.Assess the shape of your trees and shrubsand envision what they should look likebefore you begin pruning. Some trees,such as sea grapes, should have spread-ing, open canopies; pigeon plums are nat-urally columnar in shape and developcompact canopies. Regardless of thespecies, you should regularly thin foliageso that wind can flow freely through thebranches of trees and shrubs, decreasingthe chance that they will be uprooted instrong winds. This selective pruning rou-tine should start when the tree is young inorder to encourage a well-shaped, wind-hardy form.

In addition to the canopy, it is also impor-tant to keep the root systems of your treeshealthy to prevent unnecessary stormdamage. Over-watering and over-fertiliza-tion can lead to weak growth and shallow

root systems that easily “pop up” in windevents, especially if the soil is saturated.Encourage deep root systems by followingthe Water Wise principles, watering onlywhen needed and fertilizing sparingly, if atall.

Avoid cutting tree roots during construc-tion such as swimming pool installation orsidewalk replacement, as it will de-stabi-lize the tree in a high wind event.

Know your local waste disposal regula-tions, and be sure to follow disposalguidelines. Observe collection day sched-ules for vegetation and large items. Youshould check your yard for any items thatcould become missiles in a storm (rottedfencing, lumber, trellises or old lawn furni-ture) and place them at the curb on yourbulk waste collection day, well before hur-ricane season starts.

Periodically check your swales anddrainage system to ensure that there areno blockages to impede water from flow-ing away from your property.

STORM WISE HURRICANE KIT:

Items you will need to salvage your landscapeafter storm damage:

� Garden hose in the event your irrigation system is notworking due to a power outage

� Pruning tools� Ladder� Tree stakes/rebar� Biodegradable rope or strapping cloth� Come-along tool to right toppled trees and shrubs� Shovel� Burlap or blankets to protect exposed root balls if you are

unable to secure your landscape immediately; do not useplastic as it will trap heat

� Sharpened, fueled, gas-powered chainsaw� Hearing and eye protection� Bug spray and sunscreen

What to Expect:Category ONE Hurricane:Winds 74-95 mph. Storm surge generally4-5 ft. above normal. No real damage tobuildings. Damage primarily tounanchored structures (trellises andgazebos), unsecured or rotted fencing andextremely wind-intolerant trees and shrubs.Small branches, fruits and dead palmfronds blown. Newly planted trees may betoppled. Some coastal and inland floodingpossible.

Category TWO Hurricane:Winds 96-110 mph. Storm surge generally6-8 ft. above normal. Some roofingmaterial, door and window damage.Considerable damage to unanchoredstructures and fencing. Some trees blowndown, especially if wind-intolerant and/orimproperly maintained and pruned.Considerable damage to storm-intolerantspecies. Coastal and inland floodingpossible.

Category THREE Hurricane:Winds 111-130 mph. Storm surge generally9-12 ft. above normal. Some structuraldamage to small buildings. Damage totrees and shrubs with foliage blown offmost trees. Some large trees blown down.Trees with low wind-tolerance are mostimpacted, but some wind tolerant specieswill also be damaged, depending ongrowing conditions and location. Trees andshrubs growing in saturated soils are morelikely to be blown over. Unsecuredstructures and poorly constructed fencesare destroyed.

Category FOUR and FIVE Hurricanes:Winds 131-155 mph and greater. Stormsurge generally 13-18 ft. above normal.Some to many complete roof and wholebuilding failures. Many to all trees andshrubs sustain extensive damage, crowntwists; large trees uprooted and blowndown, especially when soils are saturated.Coastal and inland flooding probable,depending on tides and/or associated raintotals. Little vegetation survives highestwinds.

Storm WisePlant List forSouth FloridaFollowing hurricane cleanup, you maywish to re-landscape your yard. A littlebit of planning can help reduce futurestorm-related problems. First, make cer-tain the plants being considered areappropriate for your area. Consult theSFWMD Water Wise plant guide forhorticultural details and xeriscape prin-ciples. In addition, consider the “stormhardiness” of the plant and plan for theapproximate mature size and shape ofthe tree. This will help determine whereto locate the plant to minimize pruningdue to interference with utility lines orbranches rubbing against fences, thehouse or other structures.

Sea grape that withstood a severe storm.

Plant Species

Paurotis PalmAcoelorrhaphe wrightii

Florida Thatch PalmThrinax radiata

Coconut PalmCocos nucifera

CypressTaxodium spp.

Live OakQuercus virginiana

Gumbo LimboBursera simaruba

Sea GrapeCoccoloba uvifera

Strangler FigFicus aurea

CocoplumChrysobalanus icaco

MasticMastichodendrumfoetidissimum

Cabbage PalmSabal palmetto

Dahoon HollyIlex cassine

Pond AppleAnnona glabra

Black IronwoodKrugiodendron ferreum

Stoppers spp.Eugenia, Myrcianthes

ButtonwoodConocarpus erectus

Red BayPersea borbonia

Royal PalmRoystonea spp.

Jamaican CaperCapparis cynophallophora

Mature sizeHxW

20’ x 5'

20'x3'

60'x5'

80'x25'

60'x40'

40'x35'

30'x25'

50'x50'

12'x10'

45'x30'

40'x5'

25'x15'

20'x15'

25'x10'

25'x10'

20'x25'

40'x30'

80'x7'

10'x4'

WindTolerance

High

High

High

Medium

High

Medium-High

Medium-High

High

Medium

Medium-High

High

Medium

Medium

High

High

High

Medium

High

Medium

Flooding(Inundation)Tolerance

High

Medium

Medium

High

Medium

Medium

Medium

High

High

Medium

High

High

High

Medium

Medium

High

High

High

Medium

Salt(Storm surge)Tolerance

High

High

High

Low

Low

High

High

Medium

High

Medium

High

Low

Low

Medium

Medium

High

Low

Medium

High

Comments

A clumping palm ideal for coastal and wind-prone areas. Withstands high winds, flooding and salt exposure. Suitable adjacent to power lines.

Slender-trunked palm that withstands high wind and salt conditions. Can withstand brief post-storm inundation. Suitable adjacent to power lines.

Although not native to Florida, this palm withstands extremely high winds and salty coastal conditions. Coconuts should be removed before storm season. Set back30' from power lines.

Bald and pond cypress both thrive flooded but also grow well in drained sites. Ideal for areas prone to occasional flooding. Moderate wind tolerance; survives highwinds; best planted in groups. Should not be planted in coastal salt spray zones. Set back at least 30' from power lines.

Extremely wind tolerant, especially when pruned properly. Breaks apart only in extreme wind events like tornadoes. Avoid planting close to buildings, sidewalks anddriveways as this restricts proper root system development. Set back at least 30' from power lines.

Very storm-hardy, sheds leaves and small branches in storm-force winds. Only withstands moderate post-storm inundation. High salt tolerance for coastal areas. Setback 30' from power lines.

Spreading, round tree does well in coastal areas. Naturally very sturdy with multi-stemmed trunk. Over-pruning into a single-trunked tree decreases wind stability.Leaves shed during the storm but re-grow quickly. Withstands only brief flooding but highly salt-tolerant, and survives storm-surge events. Set back 30' from powerlines.

Native fig tree that does not topple like the commonly planted exotic fig species. Very wind tolerant, especially if allowed to form natural buttresses and if pruned andthinned regularly to reduce the canopy’s wind-loading potential. Set back at least 30' from power lines.

Good shrub selection for mixed plantings. Red-tipped variety survives periodic flooding. Horizontal variety is highly salt-tolerant and a good choice for coastal plant-ings. Suitable adjacent to power lines.

Large native shade tree, medium to high wind tolerance, especially if the canopy is thinned routinely. Withstands moderate post-storm inundation and salt spray. Setback 30' from power lines.

Florida’s state tree, extremely rugged and storm-hardy, survives hurricanes unscathed. Brown fronds should be trimmed before a storm. Trimming green fronds weak-ens most palms. Very flood and salt tolerant and can be planted in any area of the state. Set back 30' from power lines.

This upright, small tree has medium wind tolerance. Best if planted in a grouping of native trees and shrubs. Withstands extended flooding. Very little salt tolerance;should not be planted in areas that will be impacted by salt spray. Set back 30' from power lines.

Sturdy small tree when mature and canopy is thinned. Naturally occurs in flooded areas but grows well in drained areas. Ideal for areas prone to occasional orprolonged flooding. Low salt tolerance. Suitable adjacent to power lines.

Extremely strong wood lends this small, subtropical tree very high wind tolerance. Low frost tolerance. Canopy may be thinned to improve storm performance. With-stands moderate post-storm flooding and salt spray.

All of Florida’s native “stoppers” perform well in high winds. Securely anchored by dense roots, a good choice to use in groupings of trees and shrubs. Easily thinnedbefore hurricane season to decrease wind load. Only withstands moderate amounts of flooding and salt. All stoppers are suitable adjacent to power lines.

Native coastal tree/shrub useful throughout the landscape. Naturally multi-trunked, especially low frost tolerance. Well adapted to storm conditions. Canopy should bethinned periodically. Highly flood and salt tolerant. Silver variety is more compact and suitable adjacent to power lines. Green variety should be set back at least 30'from power lines.

Medium-sized native tree excellent for use in mixed plantings with occasional flooding. Not salt-tolerant. Set back at least 30' from power lines.

Extremely tall palm with large fronds. Well adapted to high winds. Survives especially well if brown fronds are removed before the storm. Do not remove green fronds.Withstands prolonged periods of flooding and moderate amounts of salt spray. Set back at least 30' from power lines.

Good shrub selection for mixed plantings in areas with occasional flooding. High salt tolerance. Suitable adjacent to power lines. Showy pink flowers.

e

ConsiderRemovingThe trees listed here are species thatperformed so poorly in recent stormsthat you should carefully reconsidertheir place in your landscape. It is notrecommended that you plant them aspart of a Storm Wise landscape. If thesespecies are already a part of your land-scape, you may want to considerremoving them and replacing themwith something that is storm hardy.

Australian PineCasuarina spp.

YellowTabebuiaTabebuia caraiba

Norfolk Island PineAraucaria heterophylla

Black OliveBucida buceras

Weeping FigFicus benjamina

Queen PalmSyagrus romanoffzianum

CarrotwoodCupaniopsis anacardioides

Royal PoincianaDelonix regia

Silk OakGrevillea robusta

Java PlumSyzygium cumini

Hong Kong OrchidBauhinia variegate

JacarandaJacaranda mimosifolia

Earleaf AcaciaAcacia auriculiformis

EucalyptusEucalyptus camaldulensis

Javanese BishopwoodBischofia javanica

Washington Fan PalmWashingtonia robusta

Extremely dangerous in high wind events. Thistree species can grow to heights of 100 feet, sowhen they do topple, they impact a large area.Roots tend to “tip up” and impact structures, roadsand utilities. Invasive exotic.

Unstable in any amount of wind. Extremely windintolerant, topples easily and should not be used.

Loses branches easily in high winds, and some-times topples. Far too tall for residential land-scapes.

Often breaks apart in moderate to high winds,especially if not maintained properly.

One of the most damaging trees in southernFlorida. Dense canopies act like sails in high windsand pull the large trees over, exposing large rootballs and doing extensive damage to sidewalks,roads, fences, structures and utilities. Invasiveexotic.

Shallow rooted, commonly impacted by butt rot,which makes this palm easily blown over in highwinds.

Umbrella-shaped canopy makes this tree specieswind intolerant. Invasive exotic.

Tall tree with a large canopy that is difficult to thin.Brittle wood breaks apart easily in high winds.

Short-lived, fast-growing tree with brittle wood anda shallow root system that breaks apart and top-ples easily.

Large, dense canopy makes this species wind-intolerant. Invasive exotic.

Umbrella shape makes tree easy to topple. Woodis brittle and breaks apart easily. Invasive exotic.

Brittle wood leads to split trunks and twistedcanopies.

Extremely brittle wood, limbs break apart in low tomoderate winds. Invasive exotic.

Brittle wood breaks apart in storm conditions.Invasive exotic.

Dense canopy gives this tree species low wind tol-erance. Brittle wood breaks apart. Can easily up-root especially in moist soils. Invasive exotic.

Tall, shallow-rooted palm that topples in storm-force winds.

Black olive tree propped up.

Tabebuia propped up.

Plant Species Comments

3. Prepare when a storm is forecastto strike your area

• Mow your yard before the storm.This chore may seem inconsequential, but itwill make debris easier to clear and it givesyou one less thing to worry about post-storm.

• Brown fronds and seed pods onpalms should be removed. If you havenot already done so, remove coconuts fromcoconut palm trees and harvest items (e.g.,fruits) from other trees that are matureenough to be picked.

• Bring in all potted plants and lawnornaments. If they cannot be securedinside, lay them on their sides.

• Stake small trees and tall gardenplants with wood, plastic or othersturdy stakes driven at least 8 inchesinto the ground. Masses of heavy vinesgrowing on fences pull fencing over in highwinds. If the mass of vines is extensive,you may want to trim and remove it fromfencing. You can also lay arches and trel-lises on the ground to protect vines grow-ing on them. Anchor them with rope orwire to keep them grounded.

• Remove items of value in areas ofyour yard where water accumulatesor flows through. Remember that stormssometimes bring flooding and storm surge.Make a last-minute check of your surround-ing drainage system to ensure there are noblockages that may prevent water fromproperly draining in high rain events.(While it is important to check this when astorm is approaching, it should also be apart of your routine maintenance plan.) Ifyou have waited until the last minute totrim large branches, store them in yourgarage or other safe place so trimmingsdon’t become a windblown threat.

• If you own exotic pets such as rep-tiles or birds, be sure to bring theminside or secure them to preventescape. Exotic animal populations are amajor environmental problem in SouthFlorida. Escapes during storms are a com-

mon source of these nonindigenousanimals, which can sometimes breedin the wild.

4. Evaluate your landscapecarefully post-stormDon’t make any hasty landscapingdecisions immediately following thestorm. Secure and/or remove hazards,but put off pruning and removingdesirable trees and shrubs for as longas possible while you repair otherareas of your home. The damage toyour landscape may look severe in thewake of the storm, but wind-whipped treesand shrubs often look dramaticallyimproved in just a matter of months. Youmay decide later that the damage was notas severe as you thought.

In addition to wind damage, you may alsobe faced with flooded areas of your yard forseveral days or weeks. Flooded conditionscan seriously impact water-intolerantspecies, leading to fruit drop, wilting androot rot. Check your drainage system toensure there are no blockages. In mostcases, there is little you can do to immedi-ately alleviate post-storm standing water.Some of the symptoms of waterloggingmay not appear for more than a year. Beaware of this, and if you choose to removeplants from this area of your yard, replacethem with flood-tolerant species.

Carefully assess the immediate damage.Factors to consider in making post-stormdecisions include:

• Extent of damage• Location• Species• Value it adds to property

Split trunks, broken branches or looselyattached branches are obvious safety con-cerns and should be taken care of as soonas possible. If the majority of the mainbranches of the tree are gone, or if thetrunk has vertical cracks, the tree has littlechance of recovering and should beremoved. Once you make the decision toremove a tree, think about your long-termplans for the area. If you are going to leave

the stump, cut it flush with the ground. Ifyou plan to replant another tree in the samelocation and need to remove the stump,leave four feet of the trunk in place.Removal is easier if the stump can bepulled rather than grubbed out of theground.

If a tree is basically healthy and not creat-ing a hazard, it can generally recover ifgiven post-storm care. Decide whichbranches must be removed at this time, andcut the damaged branches at the nearestlateral branch or main stem, not in the mid-dle of the branch. Branches smaller than 3-inch diameter can be removed using eitherpruning shears or a pruning saw. Be sureto make a clean cut, careful not to crush ortear the bark. Use a sharp manual saw or achainsaw to cut larger branches. If a chain-saw is used, safety rope, a harness, eyeand hearing protection are essential.

Tattered fronds should not be removed fromsurviving palm trees immediately after thestorm. Storm-hardy palms have the abilityto “mine” nutrients from damaged fronds.Allow the injured fronds to stay on yourpalms until they turn brown.

Branches hanging over power lines aremajor safety hazards. Do not attempt toprune these branches yourself. Contact thepower company or an arborist trained inelectrical line clearance to have thesebranches removed. This can be extremelydangerous even if the lines are not “live.”With proper planning and maintenance,your landscape plants should not interferewith utility lines, but sometimes lines arepulled down by neighboring trees.

Queen palms have poor storm tolerance.

The South Florida Water Management District is a regional, governmentalagency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state. It is theoldest and largest of the state’s five water management districts.

Our Mission is to manage and protect water resources of the region by balancingand improving water quality, flood control, natural systems and water supply.

EN01/09/06

South Florida Water Management District 3301 Gun Club Road West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 561-686-8800 • FL WATS 800-432-2045 www.sfwmd.gov

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680

DID YOU KNOW?

� Hurricanes and drought in theearly to middle twentieth century,combined with efforts to populatethis “new frontier” in Florida, ledthe U.S. Congress to adoptlegislation in 1948 creating theCentral and Southern Florida FloodControl Project (C&SF).

� SFWMD’s Emergency Management,meteorological staff and fieldoperations are constantly trackingstorms during hurricane season.

� In preparation for the summerrainy season and hurricaneseason, many parts of the regionalwater management system arepurposefully lowered – to createadditional room to safely storestormwater and provide floodprotection.

� SFWMD’s regional flood controlsystem works in concert withsmaller systems, which aremanaged by communities or localgovernments such as cities,counties or water control districts.Each part of this network has acrucial role to play in avoidingcatastrophic flooding, whilepreserving navigation, watersupplies and environmental values.

� Trees should be trimmed andpruned by early June. Manymunicipalities have “amnestydays” before hurricane season,when homeowners can set outmore than the allowable limit ofyard debris for city pick-up. Calllocal municipalities for moreinformation.

If trees and shrubs have been toppled and uprooted, and you would like to try to savethem, you must cover exposed root material immediately and keep it moist. Cover therootball with burlap or soil, and water daily until you are able to upright the tree orshrub. Do not use plastic as it will trap heat and further damage the roots. Prune thetoppled tree just enough to balance root losses. Cut broken or dead branches before youpull the tree into an upright position.

It is best to attempt to right downed trees while the ground is still moist. If necessary,remove some soil from beneath the root mass so it will be even with the existing soilgrade when pulled upright. You may need to use rope and a come-along tool, depend-ing on the size of the tree or shrub. Once it is back into position, tamp in the originalsoil around the rootball, fill airpockets and water thoroughly. Stake the tree for the firstyear to prevent the tree from falling again. Do not use rope, wire, wire in garden hose orany narrow band of material to tie around the tree, as these items can injure the trunk. Itis better to use a broad strap, biodegradable rope or other fabric at least one-inch wideand to move the strap periodically over the next year to minimize impacts to the bark.You should continue watering every other day for at least two weeks. Do not fertilizeimmediately following the storm as it can damage sensitive new roots that are trying togrow.

Turf and groundcovers should be cleared of debris and mud as soon as possible toallow them to recover. If your landscape had saltwater exposure (via salt spray or stormsurge), hose it down thoroughly with fresh water as soon as possible to reduce thepotential for salt damage. Periodic flushes of fresh water are critical if your landscapehas many salt-intolerant species. Waiting for the symptoms of salt damage to appearcan result in irreversible damage to your landscape.

For further reading:Nelson, Gil. 2003. Florida’s Best Native Landscape Plants. Gainesville: University Pressof Florida.

Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A Gardener’s Guide to Florida’s Native Plants. Gainesville:University Press of Florida.

Waterwise South Florida edition. Landscaping to Promote Water Conservation Using thePrinciples of XeriscapeTM. Free publication of the South Florida Water ManagementDistrict, West Palm Beach. 1-800-432-2045.