It looks like Ficus benjamina. Here is a link that might be useful: Ficus benjamina

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/visualguidesaladgreens Here is a link that might be useful: Mesclun greens

There are NOT baby "water moccasins" (Cottonmouths). Your friend clearly doesn't know much about snake identification. This is a hatchling of either the Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) or possibly the Eastern Coachwhip (Coluber flagellum) (the babies are difficult to distinguish from just the head. These snakes are harmless lizard eaters. The Southern Black Racer is one of the most common snake in Florida and that is the way I would lean on this one based on this photo. This post was edited by FHFchrish on Mon, Sep 16, 13 at 8:25

Looks like ficus nitida. You can keep them trimmed as a large hedge, or they can be "limbed up" and allowed to grow into a very large tree. Beware of the invasive roots. If you want a hedge, keep up on the trimming or the plant can get away from you (become too large). Ficus in SoCal has also been ravaged by a fungus disease which is killing a lot of ficus. Keep the cutting tools disinfected before trimming.