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Old 10-29-2012, 01:14 PM
 
Location: Miami, FL
525 posts, read 753,835 times
Reputation: 133

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Quote:
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed View Post
seems like the northern limit for coconut palms corresponds with zone 10a. Remember as well, most of the "tropical" vegetation in south florida was imported from somewhere else. Native south florida looks like louisiana, with lots of mangrove forests, sawgrass prairie, and swamps everywhere. Look at pictures of the everglades, that's the real florida, not some manicured, coconut palm tree lined beach or yards.

exactly ! GREAT POINT.


The tropical wannabes in Miami try to make the beach are all glamorous. THE EVERGLADES reveals the TRUE VEGETAIUON of that area.

Puerto Rico's wilderness is TROPICAL unlike Miami's.
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Old 10-29-2012, 03:18 PM
 
650 posts, read 1,620,363 times
Reputation: 307
Quote:
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed View Post
Seems like the northern limit for coconut palms corresponds with zone 10a. Remember as well, most of the "tropical" vegetation in south Florida was imported from somewhere else. Native south Florida looks like Louisiana, with lots of mangrove forests, sawgrass prairie, and swamps everywhere. Look at pictures of the Everglades, that's the real Florida, not some manicured, coconut palm tree lined beach or yards.
The everglades and western south florida is much closer climatically to Louisiana and central Florida than eastern coastal South Florida.

November-February average low temps in WESTERN and CENTRAL SOUTH FLORIDA
(eastern south florida, but not as coastal) Kendall: 54
(eastern south florida, but not as coastal) Homestead: 57
(eastern south florida, but not as coastal) West Perrine: 56
Naples: 55
Oasis Ranger Station: 56
Moore Haven Lock: 53
Flamingo Ranger: 58
Devils Garden: 51
Canal Point USDA: 55

^^^^^ Alot of those territories are around the Everglades area, or in the Everglades. Now here are the low temps for coastal eastern South Florida, which are far less proned to cold spells:

November-February average low temps in COASTAL EASTERN SOUTH FLORIDA
Miami: 62
Miami Beach: 64
Fort Lauderdale: 60
West Palm Beach: 59
Hialeah: 61

Furthermore, Miami/Miami Beach has a higher plant hardiness zone than Western and Central South Florida (excluding the Keys) Miami has a 10 B/ 11 A plant hardiness zone and Miami Beach has a 11 A plant hardiness zone.

Last edited by canefandynasty; 10-29-2012 at 03:29 PM..
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Old 10-29-2012, 03:28 PM
 
Location: Katy, Texas
1,440 posts, read 2,523,506 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trackstar08 View Post
Coconuts can be found as far north as Melbourne Beach on the East side.
Coconuts are also found around Merrit Island/Cocoa Beach...there are also some that survived the coldest freeze in over 20 years in the south tip of Texas (which many people on this forum said was impossible)...don't know why aren't planted more often as they are relatively common in freeze prone areas of Florida like St. Petersburg...
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Old 10-29-2012, 03:36 PM
 
650 posts, read 1,620,363 times
Reputation: 307
Quote:
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed View Post
Seems like the northern limit for coconut palms corresponds with zone 10a. Remember as well, most of the "tropical" vegetation in south Florida was imported from somewhere else. Native south Florida looks like Louisiana, with lots of mangrove forests, sawgrass prairie, and swamps everywhere. Look at pictures of the Everglades, that's the real Florida, not some manicured, coconut palm tree lined beach or yards.
There are some vegetations in South Florida that would not thrive in Louisiana (i.e. geiger trees) and vice versa (i.e magnolias). To compare Louisiana to real tropical territories like coastal eastern south florida is ridiculous. I agree the everglades isn't a tropical area, even in south florida, but Miami is.

Miami climate =/= Everglades climate. Everglades climate gets much cooler in the winter, and much hotter in the summer. Stop comparing most of Miami's climate to the everglades. The everglades do not represent the climate in South Florida. Most of people's South Florida habitat is in the metro Miami area, NOT the Everglades.
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Old 10-29-2012, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Brno
152 posts, read 225,778 times
Reputation: 90
Miami is 2C above the 18C mean for the coldest month that a place needs to have to be considered tropical. Unless you can somehow show that Miami is at least 2C cooler in winter than the stats say, you have no choice but to admit it's tropical.

You're right in that the natural vegetation of Florida is different from the Carribean islands. That doesn't make it not tropical. FYI there are various kinds of natural habitats in tropical climates, tropical doesn't equal tropical rainforest.
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Old 10-30-2012, 12:22 AM
 
25,040 posts, read 27,797,751 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by canefandynasty View Post
There are some vegetations in South Florida that would not thrive in Louisiana (i.e. geiger trees) and vice versa (i.e magnolias). To compare Louisiana to real tropical territories like coastal eastern south florida is ridiculous. I agree the everglades isn't a tropical area, even in south florida, but Miami is.

Miami climate =/= Everglades climate. Everglades climate gets much cooler in the winter, and much hotter in the summer. Stop comparing most of Miami's climate to the everglades. The everglades do not represent the climate in South Florida. Most of people's South Florida habitat is in the metro Miami area, NOT the Everglades.
The EVerglades DOES represent the climate of south Florida, considering that the Everglades make up the majority of south Florida and the Everglades extended onto the southeast coast BEFORE the developers drained the swamp. South Florida is tropical as it meets the definition of it. Just because it looks like a swamp doesn't mean the rest of the southern peninsula isn't. Even Naples is tropical (Aw) as it meets the definitions.
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Old 10-30-2012, 10:14 AM
 
Location: Mid Atlantic USA
12,623 posts, read 13,843,929 times
Reputation: 5883
Quote:
Originally Posted by Asagi View Post
Coconuts are also found around Merrit Island/Cocoa Beach...there are also some that survived the coldest freeze in over 20 years in the south tip of Texas (which many people on this forum said was impossible)...don't know why aren't planted more often as they are relatively common in freeze prone areas of Florida like St. Petersburg...
I think they are not widespread in S. Texas is maybe because the soil temps do not stay above 60f all winter (bad for the roots of the tree), and that weakens the tree for severe cold fronts. Also, it is a very dry climate compared to Florida, and would probably need to be watered often and more cared for than in Florida where it is wetter. I think the dryness is a major cause. That area of Texas gets less than half the rain of Florida.
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Old 11-17-2012, 07:52 PM
 
14,256 posts, read 26,799,942 times
Reputation: 4560
Quote:
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed View Post
The EVerglades DOES represent the climate of south Florida, considering that the Everglades make up the majority of south Florida and the Everglades extended onto the southeast coast BEFORE the developers drained the swamp. South Florida is tropical as it meets the definition of it. Just because it looks like a swamp doesn't mean the rest of the southern peninsula isn't. Even Naples is tropical (Aw) as it meets the definitions.
It's not about what grows native to the area, it's about what CAN grow big and tall in the area. While coconut palms aren't native to South Florida, they grow well in South Florida. They don't grow particularly well anywhere else but Hawaii, where they're actually an indigenous plant to the area. INLAND native South Florida looks like Louisiana, coastal South Florida does not.

Louisiana doesn't have the same amount of native palms that grow in Florida. You can see Royal Palms in photos of South Florida as far back as the late-1800's. Louisiana being on the gulf, also has alot of muck and silt on their beaches, as opposed to South Florida's more white and brown sand beaches. While alot of palms on Miami beach might've been imported, it's not like South Florida was void of any tropical plants before all of the post-World War II development. The water, and sand are all natural.

Also, the water in South Florida has more of a clear bluish hue that's characteristic of the Caribbean and Latin America. You have to remember how close South Florida is to The Bahamas and the Caribbean. South Florida is quite far South of Louisiana. What you see in South Florida isn't all manicured and dolled up.
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Old 11-17-2012, 07:59 PM
 
14,256 posts, read 26,799,942 times
Reputation: 4560
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickSantos View Post
exactly ! GREAT POINT.


The tropical wannabes in Miami try to make the beach are all glamorous. THE EVERGLADES reveals the TRUE VEGETAIUON of that area.

Puerto Rico's wilderness is TROPICAL unlike Miami's.
I can understand your argument for vegetation, but the water temps, the sand on the beach, and the color of the water aren't man-made. It's all natural.
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Old 11-17-2012, 11:45 PM
 
Location: Katy, Texas
1,440 posts, read 2,523,506 times
Reputation: 830
A lot of plants from the Caribbean and the tropical Americas reach their northernmost natural distribution in the Everglades such as mahogany, Ficus spp., gumbo limbo, red mangroves, royal palms, etc. Don't know why people are comparing the Everglades to Louisiana...a lot of the vegetation in the Everglades would not last very long in Louisiana...
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