Planters
Suspect that planters change according to this cycle:
Step 1: Plant random plants; provide little or no care
Step 2: Let plants die or be destroyed during events; let weeds take over
Step 3: Clean out planters
Repeat
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Suggestion: Plant with native plants and care for them until established. If plants are repeatedly destroyed during events, remove/preserve plants during events and re-purpose planters as trash cans, then replant. Otherwise consider alternate street decor.
Step 2: Filled with weeds
Step 3: Planters cleaned out; public re-purposes as ashtrays
Step 3: Cleaned out; re-purposed as advertising
Step 1: Plant with new plants
Step 1: Plant with new plants
"Native alternatives will require less overall maintenance, will recover faster from extreme conditions and provide a similar appearance as non-native plants," says Renee Ludeke of New Moon Landscapes.
Renee has kindly compiled a list of the February 2017 plants in the planters and provided native alternatives that are similar.
Planted February 2017
Bottle brush (Callistemon ridgis)
Croton (codiaeum variegatum picyum)
Dwarf Varigated schefflera (Schefflera arboricola)
Juniper (Juniperus sp)
Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinese)
Norfolk island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
Red fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum)
Robelinii palm (Pheonix Robelinii)
Varigated shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)
White bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai)
Native Alternatives
Chapman's Senna (Cassia bahamensis)
Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco)
Coontie (Zamia Pumila)
Firebush (Hamelia Patens)
Florida Privet (Forestiera segregata)
Florida Silver Palm (Coccothrinax argenata)
Gulf Croton (Croton punctatus)
Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Sand Pine (Pinus clausa)
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera)
Silver buttonwood (Conocarpus erecta)
Wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara)
Yellow necklace pod (Sophora tomentosa)