The Neighborhood Gardener
July 2026
National Mango Day is July 22. | Sign up for our e-newsletter
The Ethnobotany of Some Native Trees
For centuries, people have been in a constant relationship with nature. Plants specifically have provided many uses for humans, and their importance is embedded in cultures across the world. Plants have been used historically and presently for food, fiber, medicine, shelter, fishing, hunting, religion, transportation and more. This relationship between plants (botany) and people/cultures (ethno) is described as ethnobotany. A new article from Gardening Solutions highlights a few of Florida’s native trees that play an important part in our natural and cultural history.
Datil Peppers
Datil peppers are prized in gardens throughout Northeast Florida for their sweet, fruity tanginess paired with a spicy heat. They’re especially popular in the St. Augustine area, where they’ve been grown since the 1700s and can be found in hot sauces, chowders, popsicles, desserts, jams and jellies. Widely grown in home gardens, datil pepper is also grown commercially and bottled hot sauces can be found in grocery stores and area restaurants. A great option for the summer vegetable garden, heat-tolerant datil pepper can be grown throughout the state.
Firecrackers for the Garden
Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis) can have an explosive impact in your garden, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. This sprawling shrub has a weeping form with slender, tubular flowers that appear throughout the year. Clustered in long sprays, the red blossoms resemble little firecrackers. You can plant firecracker plant year-round in zones 9-11. It grows in a range of soils as long as they are well drained, and is moderately salt tolerant as well. For best flowering and fullest growth, plant your shrub in full sun.
Wendy’s Wanderings
You know you’re a Floridian when you’ll drive around a parking lot twice looking for a shady parking space. You’re even more of a Floridian if you glance up into the canopy first to make sure there aren’t any dead limbs hanging over your car! Truth is, there’s no better time than the heat of summer to appreciate everything a shade tree does for us. A well-placed shade tree can make the difference between a landscape that feels inviting and one that sends you running back indoors.
Plant of the Month: Mango
Mango trees bear juicy, sweet fruit so beloved across the globe, it’s called the “king of fruit.” But mangos can also be enjoyed straight from your South Florida yard. With hundreds of cultivars available, this tropical evergreen can be grown with great success in zones 10a-11. Mango (Mangifera indica) is adapted to many soil types, as long as they are well drained, and needs full sun in order to produce a healthy harvest. Buying a grafted tree will ensure quick and reliable fruit. Mango can grow quite large, so regular pruning is necessary to keep the tasty fruit in reach.
July in Your Garden
We are truly in the depths of summer by July. Add cheerful color with heat-loving gaillardia (pictured), coleus and vinca. In the edible garden, take advantage of the heat to solarize the soil for fall planting. It takes 4–6 weeks to kill weeds, disease and nematodes, so start now. Or try planting a cover crop to improve the soil before fall. It finally started raining again, so if you don’t already have one, install an inexpensive rain shutoff device to conserve water and save money.
For more month-by-month gardening tips, check out the Florida Gardening Calendar. Three different editions of the calendar provide specific tips for each of Florida’s gardening regions—North, Central and South.
What’s Going On?
If your Master Gardener Volunteer program or Extension office is having an event, be sure to share it with us.