pq fall pdf pages.qxp - City of Plantation

COUNCILMAN
EDWARDS RESIGNS
The City of Plantation regretfully
announces the resignation of Councilman
Bruce Edwards from Plantation City
Council.
Bruce Edwards was first elected to
Council in 1997, and was recently
reelected for a third term in March 2005.
He is a Plantation native and is the first
elected official to be born in the City. In
addition to being President of his familyowned
and operated business,
Councilman Edwards served on the
Board of Trustees of Plantation General
Hospital, is a past Chairman of the
Plantation Police Retirement Board, and
is a Trustee on the Plantation Volunteer
Firefighter Retirement Board. He was the
driving force behind bringing the
Provider Pals program to two City schools
and the City’s sponsorship and participation
in several National Conference for
Community Justice (NCCJ) programs and
events.
“Bruce Edwards was a valued, integral
part of our team of elected officials,”
stated Mayor Rae Carole Armstrong.
“Throughout his three terms in office,
Bruce was a strong supporter of a
number of initiatives that will serve to
promote Plantation in the years to come
as a great place to live, work and play. He
enthusiastically pushed for the Plantation
Equestrian Center and the acquisition and
development of Plantation Preserve Golf
Course & Club, and was supportive of our
economic development initiatives, particularly
in the Gateway area.”
Mr. Edwards’ commitment to Plantation
was unwavering, and his decisions were
based on what he believed would have
the greatest positive effect on the needs of
Plantation’s residents, students and
businesses. Throughout his terms, he has
received numerous commendations and
accolades from the public and his peers
for his leadership and conviction. The
City of Plantation wishes him the very
best.
A City of Plantation Special Election will
be held on August 30 to fill this position.
Don’t forget to VOTE!
Plant of the Quarter
SOUTHERN RED CEDAR (Juniperus virginiana silicicola)
Patrice Sonnelitter, Associate Landscape Architect
With the exception of the Bald Cypress, Taxodium dictichum, we haven’t talked about conifers (those
plants that bear cones) in our Plant of the Quarter series. Conifers are an interesting group of plants
characterized by needle-like or flat scale-like foliage. The
foliage of the featured Plant of the Quarter, the
Southern Red Cedar is scale-like (overlaps like the
shingles on a roof) and soft to the touch. The
Southern Red Cedar is a member of the
Cupressaceae (Cypress) family. It is a native
of the southeastern United States and a variety
of the Eastern Red Cedar, whose wood is
cherished for its use for cedar chests and
aroma that keeps moths at bay. Silicicola
refers to the Latin name meaning growing in
sand. Junipers vary in their habit from low,
sprawling and sharp to the touch to tall, conical and soft to the touch. The Southern Red Cedar is a large
Juniper with a large, loose, somewhat open conical shape that looks at home in an open natural
landscape.
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THIS SPECIES:
HABIT/ HEIGHT/ SPREAD The Southern
Red Cedar can reach a magnificent stature of 50’
but it is more likely will be found as a medium
sized evergreen conifer reaching 25 to 30’. It has a
feathery, fine texture and Christmas tree shape
when young maturing to a more irregular conical
shape with drooping upper branches. It width can
easily match its height. Its density and shape are its
most distinguishing features.
FOLIAGE/ FLOWERS/ FRUIT Its evergreen,
overlapping, scale-like leaves are 1/32 to 3/16
inches long. They are arranged opposite and
whorled along the branches. The foliage is fragrant
and ranges in color from bluish-green to yellowgreen.
In the winter separate sex plants
(dioecious) produce inconspicuous flowers. Conelike
male flowers are green. Female flowers are
yellow-green which produce round, 1/5-inch
powdery blue-green berries. The Southern red
cedar is one of the most valuable trees for wildlife,
which uses it as a major food source and shelter
for birds.
BARK AND WOOD The wood is reddish
brown and peels in strips. The wood, as well as the
foliage, is fragrant and repels insects.
HORTICULTURE It is accepting of a wide
range of soil types and pH ranges. It prefers dry,
sandy soil (silicicola), full sun and well-drained
soil. Once planted, it prefers not to be disturbed
or transplanted. It is salt and drought tolerate
and often seen as a volunteer in disturbed areas.
Plant in a fertile area if possible and water until
established.
LANDSCAPE USE Because of its shape and
density, it is more valuable for its screening ability
than its ability to produce shade. It makes an
excellent wind break or privacy hedge as tall
hedges when planted in a staggered row. Set as a
background tree it will make an excellent specimen
plant. This plant could be placed on the perimeter
of a medium to large sized lot. A number of
Southern Red Cedars are being planted on the
Plantation Preserve Golf course to provide a
naturalized look.
PROBLEMS/ PEST Bagworms, spider mites,
cedar-apple rust and Juniper blight.
PURCHASING AND PLANTING When
shopping for any tree, remember not to be tempted
by a tree that does not demonstrate good branch
structure or that has girdled roots (roots that
encircle the root ball and run around the edge of
the container). Keep looking. Look for a straight,
single trunk and evenly spaced branches around
the whole tree. Always plant to expose the root
flare. It is common with nursery grown plant
material to have extra soil over the root ball. Before
planting, carefully scrape away the excess soil and
small surface roots until you expose a definite flare
at the base. This is where you will find the beginnings
of the true roots. Create an earthen ring
about six-inch high and several feet from the trunk
to retain extra water until the tree is established.
Apply two to three inches of mulch to retain
moisture, to discourage weed growth and to keep
that nasty string trimmer that loves to bite into its
tender bark. Don’t allow the mulch to touch the
bark. The trunk does not do well with the extra
moisture and the mulch encourages insects to
nest there.
12 Plantation Quarterly Fall 2005
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BOTANIZING!