Trees play an important role in the landscape both aesthetically and functionally, trees are used for many reasons and in numerous places, big trees to screen and small trees to accentuate a particular location and a variety of reasons in between.

Where would Hamilton or any city be without trees, many avenues are highlighted by lines of trees, large expanses of land are planted with trees with a large canopy cover to give shade and large species are planted en masse to screen buildings etc. A versatile group of plants often treated with little respect as to their function and need. With a limited land mass Bermuda has over the years been divided into smaller lots for building thus reducing the need for the larger tree species, this is unfortunate but the price one pays for progress; it also shows the lack of forethought given to the development of the land being developed with large trees being removed when on occasion the trees could have been retained and the development designed around them, giving a mature appearance of the development.

An environmental ‘buzzword’ is invasive species, and I agree some plants are a nuisance, but others not necessarily so; land management has not been one of our greatest assets, undeveloped land has often been allowed to ‘naturalise’ allowing many self-seeded species to dominate the area. The more prolific species in this ‘classification’ are Fiddlewood, Casuarina and Jumbi Bean being the worst offenders and very prolific in their seed production and dispersal which thereafter continued the self-seeding and germinating regime of the species. Other species such as Mexican/Brazilian Pepper, Allspice, and Pride of India have also been maligned for their ‘invasiveness’, but I would suggest that much of the problem stems from poor landscape maintenance and identification of the ‘weed seedlings’. Mexican Pepper, a recent arrival in Bermuda, has proliferated rapidly and like anything neglected ends up being a problem, but sometimes it is worth giving a little extra attention to the maintenance to retain what is a very attractive plant during the Christmas period. Allspice has been around awhile and has been used for lobster pot making, in fences wooden arches; its attributes in the garden are I believe well worth its use. It has a wonderful bark configuration, is evergreen, has white flowers followed by black seed and is quite resistant to insect damage. Planted in groups they make a bold statement especially the bark and even more so at night when uplighting is used to highlight same. Pride of India is to my mind a very ‘architectural’ tree in most landscapes with its interesting bark, mauve flowers and seed and its silhouette outline in winter against a grey sky is stunning.

But back to ‘normal’ trees and their use in the landscape, whether the plot of land is small or large the first question to ask is why a tree and for what reason. Look at the plot of land and its surroundings and determine the factors that will improve the finished product, consider privacy from above or below, screening an eyesore or hiding a bare wall or rock face. Is the tree for aesthetic value as a stand alone or in a group, is shade required, should it be evergreen because of the location or would a deciduous tree still work? Whatever the decision made always remember the rationale for your selection and be sure as the tree matures to maintain its healthy growth and have it surveyed by a Certified Tree Surgeon who has the training to understand growth habits of trees and associated problems with diseases and pests.

For large properties — which are few and far between nowadays — the need having being determined, consider the following: always purchase a tree that has a good trunk height otherwise it becomes a ‘shrub’ like tree!

Albizzia lebbeck — Black Ebony, a deciduous tree relatively good in exposed areas, has yellow powder puff like flowers produced on a canopy head which is good for shade.

Delonix regia — Poinciana, another canopy headed tree with red flowers, not hardy even though deciduous, but is a good shade tree.

Lonchocarpus violaceous a tightly headed tree forming dense shade, with violet flowers, needs protection from wind.

Tabebuia pallida — White-cedar, attains a height to sixty feet, is almost evergreen with white flushed pink flowers, a vigorous grower.

Swietenia mahogany — Mahogany, can be defoliated in open windy areas, good shade tree, insignificant flowers followed by four inch seed pods.

Grevillea robusta — Silk Oak, upright habit, feathery foliage and orange flowers, is nit hardy.

Small to medium trees include:

Parkinsonia aculeate — Jerusalem thorn, semi evergreen small tree requires protection from wind, attractive ethereal like foliage, yellow flowers and spiny branches.

Lagunaria pattersonii — Norfolk Island Hibiscus, pink flowers on evergreen branches but needs protection from wind.

Sabinea carinalis — Caribwood, a delicate foliaged tree tightly knit branches but spreading habit with carmine red flowers.

Pimenta dioica — relatively hardy in protected areas; evergreen, white flowers followed by black seed, attractive trunk.

Plumeria rubra — Frangipani, smallish canopied tree deciduous with attractive fragrant range of flower colour especially from Hawaiian hybrids.

Olea europaea — Olive, has a more rounded compact habit with grey green foliage, a good contrast tree if maintained correctly.

Schefflera actinophylla — Queensland Umbrella Tree, sometimes maligned as an invasive but very effective as a screening if planted in groups.

Ficus rubiginosa — Rusty Fig, is one of the smaller Ficus species fairly tight branch habit, upper side of foliage green with brownish indumentum on underside, an interesting contrast.

There are species grown in Bermuda which personally I would stay away from, these include Araucaria heterophylla — Norfolk Island Pine, most of the Ficus species, Casuarina except in very exposed locations, as previously mentioned Citharexylum spinosum — Fiddlewood.

Whatever your choice, for successful growth remember, selection, installation and good maintenance will produce results.

Malcolm D Griffiths F. Inst. Hort.

griffm@northrock.bm