🌿 A Warm Welcome to Keep Nassau Beautiful Residents! 🌿

Thank you for joining us at this tree give-away and for choosing to adopt these wonderful plants: Maple Summer Red, Firebush, Bald Cypress, Simpson Stopper, Tupelo Blackgum, and Southern Red Cedar. Each of these selections has been carefully chosen to bring beauty, sustainability, and long-lasting value to your landscapes.

Below, you’ll find planting instructions, care guidelines, and helpful tips to give your new trees and shrubs the best start so they can thrive for years to come.

🍁 Maple Summer Red (Acer rubrum ‘Summer Red’)

Mature Size:

Height: 35–50 feet

Spread: 25–40 feet
This fast-growing red maple variety forms a strong, upright canopy, making it excellent as a shade tree for yards, parks, or streetscapes.

Planting Instructions:
Plant in early spring or fall for best results. Dig a hole at least twice as wide as the root ball, keeping the tree at the same depth it was growing in the container. Backfill with native soil, tamp lightly to remove air pockets, and water deeply. Allow space for full canopy growth when choosing the planting location.

Soil:
Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils. Adaptable to a variety of conditions, but thrives in rich, loamy soil.

Watering:
Requires consistent moisture, especially during establishment. Water deeply 1–2 times per week during dry periods. Once mature, it tolerates occasional dry spells but performs best with steady soil moisture.

Sun/Shade:
Best planted in full sun for vibrant foliage color and strong canopy growth. Can tolerate partial shade.

Fertilizer:
Apply a slow-release, balanced tree fertilizer in early spring before new growth begins.

Pruning:
Prune lightly in late winter to remove dead, crossing, or weak branches. Shape young trees early to encourage strong branch structure. Avoid heavy pruning in spring when sap flow is strong.

Tips to Thrive:

Mulch around the base (2–3 inches) to conserve moisture and protect roots.

Keep mulch away from the trunk to prevent rot.

Provide supplemental water during hot summers or drought.

Known for its brilliant red new foliage that deepens to green in summer and fiery tones in fall, it offers three seasons of beauty.

🔥 Firebush (Hamelia patens)

Mature Size:

Height: 5–12 feet (can grow taller in frost-free climates)

Spread: 5–8 feet
This tropical shrub is prized for its clusters of bright red-orange tubular flowers that bloom almost year-round in warm climates.

Planting Instructions:
Plant in spring or early summer when soil temperatures are warm. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and at the same depth. Space multiple plants 5–8 feet apart to allow for mature spread and airflow.

Soil:
Thrives in sandy or loamy, well-drained soil. Tolerant of poor soils but flourishes with organic matter mixed in.

Watering:
Drought tolerant once established, but water regularly during the first year to encourage deep root growth. In extreme heat or prolonged drought, provide occasional supplemental watering.

Sun/Shade:
Best flowering in full sun. Tolerates partial shade but may produce fewer blooms.

Fertilizer:
Apply a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer in early spring. Light feeding every 6–8 weeks during the growing season can encourage more blooms, but excessive fertilizer is unnecessary.

Pruning:
Trim lightly after flowering to maintain shape. In late winter or early spring, cut back more heavily to encourage lush, full growth. Can also be pruned as a hedge or kept smaller in containers.

Tips to Thrive:

Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and pollinators with its nectar-rich flowers.

Performs exceptionally well in heat and humidity, making it ideal for Florida and southern landscapes.

Requires minimal care once established.

Protect from frost with mulch at the base or by covering; in colder zones, it may die back but regrow from the roots in spring.

🌲 Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Mature Size:

Height: 50–70 feet (can reach up to 100+ feet in ideal swamp conditions)

Spread: 20–30 feet
A majestic, long-lived tree known for its feathery, soft green foliage that turns a brilliant copper-orange in the fall before dropping for winter.

Planting Instructions:
Plant in early spring or fall in a moist location. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, keeping the tree at the same depth it grew in the container. Ideal for wet areas such as ponds, lakes, riversides, or irrigated landscapes. Space generously to allow for mature height and spread.

Soil:
Thrives in wet, swampy soils and is one of the few deciduous conifers adapted to standing water. It also adapts well to average garden soils if watered consistently, making it versatile for both naturalized and urban landscapes.

Watering:
Keep soil consistently moist during establishment. Once mature, Bald Cypress tolerates prolonged flooding, seasonal droughts, and average irrigation cycles, making it remarkably adaptable.

Sun/Shade:
Requires full sun for best growth and canopy development. Does not thrive in heavy shade.

Fertilizer:
Generally low-maintenance. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring if growth appears slow, though many trees thrive without supplemental feeding once established.

Pruning:
Minimal pruning needed. Can prune lower limbs when young to create clearance for walkways or structures. Avoid excessive pruning, as the natural form is highly attractive.

Tips to Thrive:

Extremely hardy and tolerant of both standing water and dry upland soils.

Known for its unique “knees” (woody projections from roots) that often form in wet sites, adding character to landscapes.

Provides excellent shade and habitat for wildlife.

Long-lived—many specimens in the U.S. are centuries old.

Striking fall color makes it a showpiece tree for large properties, parks, and waterfronts.

🌿 Simpson Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) — “Geode” Selection

Mature Size:

Height: 8–20 feet (can be trained as a large shrub or small tree)

Spread: 6–12 feet
Compact, evergreen, and versatile, the Geode selection of Simpson Stopper is prized for its refined form, fragrant white blossoms, and showy red-orange berries.

Planting Instructions:
Plant in spring or fall for best establishment. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, setting the plant at the same depth it grew in the container. Space 6–10 feet apart for hedges, or allow more room if grown as a specimen tree.

Soil:
Thrives in sandy, well-drained soils. Adaptable to a variety of Florida soil types, including limestone-based soils.

Watering:
Water deeply and regularly until established (the first 6–12 months). Once mature, Simpson Stopper is drought tolerant but benefits from occasional watering during long dry spells.

Sun/Shade:
Performs well in full sun to partial shade. Full sun produces denser foliage and more flowers, while partial shade is tolerated in hotter sites.

Fertilizer:
Light feeding in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer helps encourage growth and blooming. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this plant naturally grows at a moderate pace.

Pruning:
Prune lightly after flowering to maintain a desired shape. Can be clipped into a formal hedge, left to grow naturally, or trained into a small ornamental tree. Remove crossing or crowded branches as needed.

Tips to Thrive:

Native evergreen shrub that provides year-round structure and beauty.

Fragrant white flowers bloom in clusters, followed by bright red berries that attract birds and pollinators.

Naturally pest and disease resistant, making it a low-maintenance landscape choice.

Works equally well as a privacy hedge, specimen plant, or accent tree.

Responds well to pruning but also thrives when left to its natural form.

🌳 Blackgum / Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Mature Size:

Height: 30–50 feet (can reach up to 70–80 feet in ideal conditions)

Spread: 20–30 feet
A stately native hardwood, Blackgum is celebrated for its glossy green summer foliage and spectacular scarlet-to-crimson fall color. Its pyramidal form when young matures into a graceful, rounded crown.

Planting Instructions:
Plant in early spring or fall in moist, acidic soil. Dig a wide hole—at least twice the diameter of the root ball—and set the tree at the same depth as it grew in its container. Water thoroughly after planting. Choose a site with room for full canopy spread.

Soil:
Prefers moist, acidic, well-drained soils. While tolerant of clay and loam, it struggles in alkaline soils. Performs best in lowland areas or near natural water sources.

Watering:
Requires consistent watering, especially during establishment and the first few years of growth. Blackgum does not tolerate drought well, so supplemental watering is important in dry spells. Mulching around the root zone helps retain soil moisture.

Sun/Shade:
Thrives in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Full sun promotes denser growth and the most vibrant fall color.

Fertilizer:
Feed with a slow-release fertilizer formulated for acid-loving trees in early spring. Avoid over-fertilizing, as Blackgum naturally grows at a moderate pace.

Pruning:
Minimal pruning is needed, as the tree develops a naturally balanced form. Prune in late winter to remove crossing, damaged, or weak branches. Avoid heavy pruning.

Tips to Thrive:

Famous for its brilliant fall color display, ranging from bright red to deep purple.

Performs best near ponds, streams, or consistently moist sites.

Provides food and habitat for birds and pollinators with its small summer flowers and dark fall fruit.

Long-lived and strong-wooded, making it an excellent shade tree for large yards or naturalized landscapes.

Mulch generously to conserve moisture and maintain soil acidity.

🌲 Southern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola)

Mature Size:

Height: 30–40 feet (occasionally up to 50 feet)

Spread: 10–20 feet, forming a dense, pyramidal to columnar shape
This native evergreen is prized for its durability, fragrance, and versatility in the landscape. Its fine-textured foliage stays green year-round, while its dense branching provides privacy, wildlife habitat, and natural wind protection.

Planting Instructions:
Plant in early spring or fall. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than the container height. Choose a site with excellent drainage—Southern Red Cedar does not tolerate waterlogged soil. Space 10–20 feet apart, depending on desired density for windbreaks or screens.

Soil:
Tolerates a wide range of soils, including sandy, rocky, and nutrient-poor conditions. Performs best in well-drained, slightly alkaline to neutral soils.

Watering:
Provide moderate watering until well established (first year). Once rooted, Southern Red Cedar is highly drought tolerant and thrives on natural rainfall.

Sun/Shade:
Requires full sun (at least 6–8 hours per day) for dense growth and good form. Shade can cause thinning foliage and poor branching.

Fertilizer:
Apply a light, balanced tree fertilizer in early spring if growth is slow or foliage appears pale. Over-fertilization is unnecessary.

Pruning:
Minimal pruning required. Only prune to shape when young, or to remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches. Avoid heavy pruning, as cedars do not regrow well from old wood.

Tips to Thrive:

Excellent as a windbreak, screen, or privacy hedge, especially in coastal and inland landscapes.

Extremely salt-tolerant, making it a perfect choice for seaside plantings.

Provides shelter and food for birds—its small bluish berries are highly attractive to wildlife.

Naturally resistant to heat, drought, and pests once established.

Mulch around the base to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture, but keep mulch away from direct trunk contact.

Plants are proudly grown at Flowing Well Tree Farm, located at 1134 N. US 17 Pierson FL. All plants are grown from local seeds, cuttings and tissue cultures. We are open to public Mon-Fri 8am-4pm and Sat 9am-3pm. If you need further assistance with your plant or have any questions, please give us a call at 386-343-0312. We hope you enjoy your tree and wish you and your family a wonderful day!

Need more trees? Visit our website today at Flowingwelltreefarm.com