[naraj]

I've never been to Florida in January, but I'm considering moving to Southwest Florida in the future, and I was just wondering if the trees lose their leaves in January in both the Sarasota and Naples area?

In other words, is Naples noticeably less "decidous" and more green in the winter, or are they pretty similar?

I want to live somewhere where it looks like summertime year round, if possible, and leafless trees are ugly to me.

I believe the cutoff point (as a general rule) for deciduous trees is somewhere around there, but I'm not sure exactly where coastal Southwestern Florida stops looking like coastal Northern Florida in the wintertime.

Thanks in advance for the info.

[doom1001]

I see trees that change color in the winter in Central Florida,South Florida doesn't get much of a change at all.I don't think the trees lose too many leaves if any at all,maybe closer to North Florida.

[ChrisA70]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No, they NEVER change... This is the most boring part of FL as far as trees go, PERIOD. Nothing here changes, ever. So you will love it here... Me being from New England, I think it is about boring and trees that never change to me are "ugly" too. The only thing here is we get a dry season and EVERYTHING dies, turns brown, and catches fire...

[tommy-105]

Most trees and shrubs keep their leaves and stay green year round down here in South Florida, But non-irrigated lawns and grassland will turn brown.

With all it's empty spaces Cape Coral is a good example of this. All the grass is nice and green in the Spring, or during the Summer rainy season, but things look very different over the winter.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by naraj

I've never been to Florida in January, but I'm considering moving to Southwest Florida in the future, and I was just wondering if the trees lose their leaves in January in both the Sarasota and Naples area?

In other words, is Naples noticeably less "decidous" and more green in the winter, or are they pretty similar?

I want to live somewhere where it looks like summertime year round, if possible, and leafless trees are ugly to me.

I believe the cutoff point (as a general rule) for deciduous trees is somewhere around there, but I'm not sure exactly where coastal Southwestern Florida stops looking like coastal Northern Florida in the wintertime.

Thanks in advance for the info.

I think Tampa/St. Pete is kind of the dividing line. Once you start going north from there it looks way less "tropical." Here in Sarasota it's lush and green all year, only a few trees turn color and drop. Away from the coast and inland and a bit north you will see more deciduous trees. Once you are about 30 miles north of Tampa, you can see quite a bit of color and leaf drop, depending on when they get the cold snaps.

Hope this helps.

[StreetSmarts]

No, leaves dont change color or lose their leaves really. A few leaves may fall off (lol), but it's not like north GA or NC or the northeast where they change into beautiful colors and then fall off.

[doggiebus]

OP - It depends on the tree, for the most part, no the trees do not change colors or lose their leaves. But there are a few trees that will lose their leaves. I have one right now that just started to lose its leaves, eventually they will all be gone, and then new ones will start growing. For the most part, the southern part of the state doesn't see much of a change. Come March, April the grass will usually turn brown, with the exception of the lawns that get watered. Then end of May the rain will start and the grass with get green.

[StreetSmarts]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

OP - It depends on the tree, for the most part, no the trees do not change colors or lose their leaves. But there are a few trees that will lose their leaves. I have one right now that just started to lose its leaves, eventually they will all be gone, and then new ones will start growing. For the most part, the southern part of the state doesn't see much of a change. Come March, April the grass will usually turn brown, with the exception of the lawns that get watered. Then end of May the rain will start and the grass with get green.

For the most part, the entire state doesnt see much change to be honest!

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by ComSense

For the most part, the entire state doesnt see much change to be honest!

That's not true. The northern half of the state has decent fall color from Turkey Oaks, Blackjack Oaks, Blackgum, Sweetgum, Red Maples, Hickories, Sugarberry, Cypress, etc. (Mockernut Hickory in the pic below)



Many of the native trees that would give color in central FL and urban areas have been removed and replaced with non-native palms and other evergreen plants. Unfortunately Live Oaks and palms are the only trees developers know to plant, and when tourists come down all they want to see is palms, palms, and more palms. All of those tall Coconut Palms people associate with south Florida aren't even from Florida, or the western hemisphere for that matter.

[StreetSmarts]

^^^ Pretty picture above. Thanks for sharing. I guess when I think of Fall color, I'm thinking more like this... (which obviously we dont have)... but the pic above is nice and better than no change at all.




Western North Carolina