Week of December 29

For partly shaded areas in Florida Gardens, the COONTIE  is widely used as an exotic addition, in the form of a bush with fern-like leaves and bright orange seeds that come from red cones.  The local variety of coontie is rather hardy and will come back from the roots after a light freeze.  They are actually members of the cycad family, which includes the Sago Palms.  Our coontie (Zamia integrifolia) is lining the walk to the front door, as well as filling in fringes of the garden under the sweet gum tree and the redbuds.  One nice aspect of living in Gainesville is the Agriculture Students’ plant sale, where you can pick up things not found in the commercial nurseries.  From this source, I have three other Zamia species in the back yard, under the canopy to protect them from frost.  A somewhat common Florida landscape plant is the cardboard plant, a Zamia with broad, paddle-like leaves (Z. Furfuracea).  Another large species is Z. Iacandora, with only one or two fronds extending up six feet or so.  A smaller species is Z. Neurophyllidia, with fronds of rather wide and shiny leaves.  All Zamia seem to be slow growers but they add interest to our Florida garden with plants not often seen outside of Florida and the Georgia coast.