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Anyone familiar with Lorida, Florida?


IHB1979

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Super excited, I found some land I’m interested in, near Lake Istokpoga and Lorida. This is zone 9b but curious if anyone is familiar with the area. Is it a low 9b, middle or high? Lorida is northeast of the lake by a couple miles so probably doesn’t have a microclimate. I’m going down there next weekend to check it out. I love fishing and this lake has some nice bass and LOTS of gators. My plan is to get the property, start a new garden and build a cottage over the next couple years. I can’t find anything affordable near me in Brevard county, except swamp acreage.

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@IHB1979

I would say a relatively mild 9b with lots of daytime heat.  It's at roughly the same latitude as the south end of Sebring, so @Walt down in Lake Placid would know more than me.  I've driven through there on the way to a few jobs in Okeechobee.  There are some data sheets in Excel format for you to review to see some of readings over time in the area.  The Archbold station is the cold spot.  Down that way, your microclimate during radiational freezes will most likely be determined more by your elevation and canopy since you'll be on the wrong side of the water.

GHCNDUSW00092827_Sebring23SSEFL_20071209_20200822.xlsx GHCNDUSC00080236_ArchboldBioStationFL_19690101_20200727.xlsx GHCNDUSC00080488_BasingerFL_19130203_19650228.xlsx GHCNDUSC00080369_KAVO_AvonParkFL_18920401_20200708.xlsx GHCNDUSC00084845_LakePlacidFL_19330301_19681231.xlsx GHCNDUSC00089184_VenusFL_19280614_19510930.xlsx

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Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone (2012): 9b | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (1985, 1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a | 30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

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You are correct, the property is on the cold side of the lake. The elevation ranges 68-72 feet. Not the lowest in the area but no where near the heights of 100+ feet on the west side of the lake closer to Lake Placid. 
 
I’m curious to hear from @Walt. I saw some other properties located south of Kissimmee Prairie State Park in what’s called, “Viking Estates.” That area looks to be as cold as Lorida. 

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@IHB1979 Wow, you're really moving out there in Deliverance man!  The interactive zone map has areas around Lorida between 27.4 and 28.4 just from spot checking (I used zip code 33857 to zoom to the area).  That's effectively the same range as most areas in Bartow and Lakeland here in Polk County.  Was there a list of palms you have your heart set on growing there?

I'm interested to see what input Walt can offer as well.  He's pretty familiar with how temperatures vary in the area.

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone (2012): 9b | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (1985, 1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a | 30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

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  • 1 month later...

I've narrowed it down to three properties, I believe these are all 9b. The locations are the red dots on the map below. 

Here's a list of what I'd like to plant.

Archontophoenix

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Borassus aethiopum 

Chambeyronia macrocarpa

Coccothrinax miraguama havanensi

Coccothrinax barbadensis

Coccothrinax inaguensis

Cocothrinax sp.

Copernicia macroglossa

Cryosophila stauracantha

Dictyosperma album

Dypsis lastelliana

Dypsis pembana

Dypsis lanceolata

Saribus rotundifolia 

Heterospathe elata 

Livistona saribus 

Ptychosperma salomonense

Ptychosperma microcarpum

Rhapis excelsa

Sabal bermudana 

Sabal causiarum

Sabal lisa

Sabal mauritiformis

Schippia concolor

Stemmadenia littoralis

Roystonea regia

Thrinax

Beccariophoenix alfredii

kentiopsis oliviformis

Euterpe edulis

Kerriodoxa elegans

Howea forsteriana

Arenga engleri

Livistona nitida

 

map_locations.pngArchontophoenix

 

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3 hours ago, IHB1979 said:

I've narrowed it down to three properties, I believe these are all 9b. The locations are the red dots on the map below. 

Here's a list of what I'd like to plant.

Those are all in 9b on the new map for sure.  I have a few friends in the furthest north red dot on the map; near the South County Jail.  That area tends to get a lot of radiational cooling at night, or at least the properties I'm familiar with did way back when. 

You got some really neat stuff on the list.  We've had good luck with Archontophoenix, Arenga, Beccariophoenix, Cryosophila, Dictyosperma, Livistona, Rhapis, Sabals, Roystonea and Thrinax here where I'm at.  There are a few of us growing Howea in town, but we have to put them in shade.  I'm going to give Euterpe, Howea and Kentiopsis a roll of the dice.  With Dypsis, so far we've had good luck with Teddy Bears - lastelliana will be interesting since it is usually a touch less hardy than Teddy Bears, and lanceolata will need help here.  With Ptychosperma, we have an elegans that produces seeds in town, but I'm not all that familiar with the ones you listed.

  • Upvote 1

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone (2012): 9b | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (1985, 1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a | 30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

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8 hours ago, Steve in Florida said:

Look for a property on a small hill if you can find one.

That's a good tip and I've been using a topographic website to help but not sure how accurate it is. I found a nice acreage up near Keystone Heights, this is north of Ocala at an elevation of 160'. For the palms I want to have, I'm not sure how much that elevation would help that far north?

I'm amazed how quickly unimproved land is selling right now in Florida. I find something and a couple days later it's sold. 

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8 hours ago, IHB1979 said:

That's a good tip and I've been using a topographic website to help but not sure how accurate it is. I found a nice acreage up near Keystone Heights, this is north of Ocala at an elevation of 160'. For the palms I want to have, I'm not sure how much that elevation would help that far north?

I'm amazed how quickly unimproved land is selling right now in Florida. I find something and a couple days later it's sold. 

Yeah, Ocala is a totally different world compared to the I-4 corridor.  The elevation tends to help when you compare areas within the same general vicinity, but it won't make an area in Ocala as warm as Tampa or anything. 

Everything is selling fast.  One of my neighbors just put their house up for sale for almost 3 times what I paid for my slice of paradise 10 years ago.

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Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone (2012): 9b | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (1985, 1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a | 30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

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15 hours ago, IHB1979 said:

That's a good tip and I've been using a topographic website to help but not sure how accurate it is. I found a nice acreage up near Keystone Heights, this is north of Ocala at an elevation of 160'. For the palms I want to have, I'm not sure how much that elevation would help that far north?

I'm amazed how quickly unimproved land is selling right now in Florida. I find something and a couple days later it's sold. 

Just a slight improvement in elevation can make a big difference.  My neighbor's land to the north is 5-7 feet lower in elevation and gets frost before I do and it lingers after it has burned off on my land.  My neighbor's land to the south is poorly drained on it's far end as it drops in elevation.     

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  • 2 weeks later...

I visited some land in Viking Estates last week. This is located south of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. It was wet from Tropical Storm Eta but in general I liked it. Massive oaks and tall, old Sabal palms.  The drive from Brevard County to to the property is extremely flat and reminded me of central Iowa with all the farms and ranches.

 

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I ran out of time and didn't make it to Lorida where there's some land near Lake Istokpoga I wanted to look at. There seems to be a difference between the land directly south of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and the area of Lorida. (only reference is google maps)  Both areas are 9b but the area south of Kissimmee Prairie seems much more in the wetland category.  

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On 11/16/2020 at 4:09 PM, IHB1979 said:

I visited some land in Viking Estates last week. This is located south of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. It was wet from Tropical Storm Eta but in general I liked it. Massive oaks and tall, old Sabal palms.  The drive from Brevard County to to the property is extremely flat and reminded me of central Iowa with all the farms and ranches.

I ran out of time and didn't make it to Lorida where there's some land near Lake Istokpoga I wanted to look at. There seems to be a difference between the land directly south of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and the area of Lorida. (only reference is google maps)  Both areas are 9b but the area south of Kissimmee Prairie seems much more in the wetland category.  

Hope you have been able to find a lot that didn't sell the day after you looked at it.  When a few of my old friends from up north moved down, they talked to Bountiful Lands here in Polk.

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone (2012): 9b | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (1985, 1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a | 30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

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