Oh and I just went to 3 different websites to see what zone iam in via zip code and I got 3 different answers, 9b was the first, the second was a site that just said 9, they don't seem to bother with As or B's, and the third said 9a... So I don't bother too much with the zone (but I don't buy expensive plants either!) Good luck!

Pink tabs are a good choice in a warmer zone 9. They do really well in town Lakeland, but get burnt back in north Lakeland when we have our colder winters. This year, they are flowering right now and looking good even up here on the north side.

This site has a list of large and small flowering trees

Large Flowering Trees for South Florida

Small Flowering Trees for South Florida

Monkey, some iterations of the big USDA climate zone map shows A's and B's but I think more recently they dropped those designations. Could be wrong about that, but in any case, if you're in the main zone number, I think it's worth a try. After all, the supposed difference between say 9A and 9B could be easily encapsulated within someone's little microclimate somewhere.

I was thinking that too, the original poster even said they wanted to plant it between bamboo, so I am thinking maybe the bamboo would help with cold winds in the winter. It seems like some ppl just have that attention to detail and can grow so much more than what a zone says can grow ( I am not one of them) but I like to at least try and with living in Florida almost all my life I have learned no two winters are the same so very often a person can luck out and grow a plant to enough maturity that the year it is really cold the plant is hardy enough to suffer but rebound (but some years even the old faithfuls get zapped - or with our wet season drowned or just shredded by crazy high winds)

I think Florida presents some considerable gardening challenges. It's common for folks up here in the north to just picture the place as one of tropical ease, but in reality, you guys are subtropical, which means not quite tropical, and that's a whole'nother ballgame. Good luck!

LOL thanks for all your ideas. I did a lil more digging and found a something called a silk floss tree. Very pretty and unique looking, and I'm told its similar to a bougaville or whatever that annoying vine type plant is that's hard to kill in the way you don't have to do much with it once its established. Just sounds kinda pricey, found a nursery that has 7gal for just under 100.

Silk Floss trees are pricey, because they grow slowly. If you're looking for something for fast shade, you might want to go with something else.

Ah ok that makes sense. And no, don't need shade. Only color in the back part of the yard is the blue green bamboo so looking for pretty and unique. Actually like that it appears space at times to view woods to still see the nature. Did I research right tho that it will be an easier tree to care for?

Hi ellusionz

When I visited wallisadi garden, a previous poster I saw the huge silk floss tree and it is very pretty! I had seen it before in botanical gardens and I always like it.

Here it is in his garden

And I just planted this tree in my garden, I lost the tag but they told me it grows slowly and that is what I want for this area, flowers are more pink than what shows in the picture.

Silvia

Silk Floss tree is deciduous, even in zone 10. One of my favorite flowering trees, and it will grow in zone 9, is Cassia javanica, the Apple Blossom Cassia.

Saucer magnolia. my neighbor has one. it's pretty, works well in Wesley chapel.

Sure are a lot of amazing plants in genus Cassia!

I love the saucer magnolia too but it sounds like its more of a north florida tree :(

Floss Silk Trees grow very fast. Its best to purchase a smaller one without an overgrown root system in a container. That way it can get in the ground and develop a strong root mass. They can easily grow over 20ft in just a few years. But give them room as they do get a large root system.

Here are a couple links from Leu Gardens for articles on Flowering Trees for Central Florida that I wrote;

Pt. 1

http://www.leugardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/FLOWERING-TREES-1.pdf

Pt. 2

http://www.leugardens.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/FLOWERING-TREES-2.pdf

ellusionz, I am in Wesley Chapel, about 20 miles from USF. I saw my neighbor has a pretty one in their front yard. So, I bought one also. And I just plant it in my front yard. My plant it in north of my house, 5 feet to the wall. my neighbor plants it in south , but the location is tricky. here is google picture.

I would extend Eric's suggestion to start floss silk trees small, to most all trees you plant. Studies have shown repeatedly that if in a controlled set of conditions, a small transplant will often catch up to and then exceed in size a very large one, due to the latter's having to spend considerably more energy in getting reestablished in its new home. Plus, it truly is enjoyable-once the bug has bitten you-to watch young trees grow and develop. And unlike what you hear so often, trees do not grow slowly. Once you really become aware, it is amazing how fast they do develop.

FYI for anyone interested ... This place has the pink tabebuia trees for 50 bucks.

Check out their Facebook page for pictures and prices of them and other trees and flowers

http://www.duncheons.com/

Well I always do smaller trees anyway cause they cheaper LOL. I found one nursery that says they sell the 7 gallon tho for $45. We'll see if they get it in stock soon.

Thank you Eric for such a informative articles that you wrote! I will keep them for future reference.

Silvia

I know this is a little old, but you can grow cherry blossoms in central Florida. Okame Cherry Blossom and Prunus campanulata grow just fine in south Florida near Miami at the Morikami Japanese garden. I’d try those there. Redbuds will also certainly grow there as they are native to Florida