Where to live in Florida

[Taccadave]

Where would you recommend in Florida to live if you are a palm lover, with a particular interest in the iconic coconut palm? Sarasota? Fort Lauderdale? Retirement / holiday home.

Also love tropical aroid family.

[Zeeth]

Ft. Lauderdale is probably one of the best palm places in Florida, as it gets enough rain that irrigation isn't really needed for most palms. It depends on your preferences though, as I don't really like South Florida as somewhere to live, even though the climate is so good.

In general, coconuts grow to fruiting maturity on the west coast as far north as St. Pete, and Cocoa beach on the east coast, but they'll die when a really bad winter like 1989. They're more long term a little farther south than these lines. Lethal yellowing is also an issue for coconuts, but isn't as much of a problem now as it was in the '70's, and hasn't been recorded in some of the northerly locations that coconuts occur, such as Anna Maria Island, where some nice old Jamaican talls still exist.

[empireo22]

The keys would be the best climate for coconuts. South of west palm beach coconuts do good. Also there is a nice microclimate in Melbourne beach. Coastal fort pierce seems even better for growing coconuts in central florida.

Even in cocoa beach you can get viable coconuts (I have some sprouts from there) but they tend to have a squatty, funny look about them in cocoa beach. Maybe not enough winter heat

[Zeeth]

Here's a nice one in Bradenton.

[Zeeth]

Here's a pair in St. Pete

[Zeeth]

Here is a pair in Sarasota

[Taccadave]

Wow! what fabulous pics. I 'll have to somehow recover my map of Florida from behind the book cabinet, where it fell many years ago and look at these references.

thanks

[Jeff Searle]

This is a topic that has come up quite often. There's many good areas for growing palms, but the further south you come, the more species you will be able to grow. But then there's many other variables to consider as well.

But the one thing I disagree on, coconuts DO not grow better down in the Keys, and many look very yellow and weak, due to the poor soils and little rain. I was just down there this past week. Many do look ok though.

I'm partial to the Ft Lauderdale area. 56 years and running......

[empireo22]

This is a topic that has come up quite often. There's many good areas for growing palms, but the further south you come, the more species you will be able to grow. But then there's many other variables to consider as well.

But the one thing I disagree on, coconuts DO not grow better down in the Keys, and many look very yellow and weak, due to the poor soils and little rain. I was just down there this past week. Many do look ok though.

I'm partial to the Ft Lauderdale area. 56 years and running......

didn't think that coconuts are picky on soils as long as there is heat and humidity and figured there is no better place in florida for that than the keys. another thing after the 2010 cold the only place I noticed coconuts still holding full crowns was in the keys.

[Jimbean]

It all depends on what you want. If you are interested in east central Florida, let me know.

[Tropicgardener]

If you want to avoid those funny American accents and lethal yellow you could always move here to the tropical Queensland coast

[Kim]

You must decide if the move is about quality of life or quality of coconuts. You can get both, but where you land will depend on more than cocos survivability.

[buzzmonkey]

I've lived my whole life in Florida, and though maybe that's not really something to be proud of, I do have two cents to contribute to this topic. Having lived in St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Gainesville, and now Fort Lauderdale, I'd say that if you're really into coconuts and other tropical plants you're going to be disappointed if you live north of Palm Beach on the east coast or Fort Myers on the west coast. While it's true that there honestly are some very impressive coconuts growing in various locations in coastal central Florida and around Lake Okeechobee, these areas cannot really compare with south Florida when it comes to growing troppicals

That being said where you might decide to land in south or southwest Florida or the Keys will depend a lot on your personal preferences. A reconnaissance trip to take in several different areas would definitely be a good idea.

[waykoolplantz]

Depends on what you want...to grow palms it's hard to beat S Florida. I am 5 miles east of Jeff Searle and between the 2 of us we are probably growing nearly 800 different species of palms...but Zeeths pics of cocos in Sarasota show why the west coast is one of my favorites. If I lived in a condo I would prefer the mellower Sarasota...Estero..Ft Meyers..Sanibel area. Unfortunately I am not alone and development & prices have increased. Check out Clyde Butchers pics if you really want to see how pretty Florida is.

http://www.clydebutcher.com/galleries

[empireo22]

If you want to avoid those funny American accents and lethal yellow you could always move here to the tropical Queensland coast

true but his winter vacation up north equals your summer down south. he may not want to deal with the horrible heat in qld. while in florida it would be winter with pleasant mild temps.

if it was me I would pick Townsville.

[displaced_floridian]

The best advice so far: take a reconnaissance (scouting) trip to the areas of FL that interest you. There are so many things to consider besides climate. But if you want coconuts without having to worry about them dying from the cold, from Cape Coral south on the West Coast and Jupiter on the East Coast would be safe(within 3 mi. of the coast). If you can afford to live right on the ocean or on some of the barrier islands, you could go as far north as Cocoa Beach on the E coast and Anna Maria Island on the W coast.

[Zeeth]

If you want to avoid those funny American accents and lethal yellow you could always move here to the tropical Queensland coast

true but his winter vacation up north equals your summer down south. he may not want to deal with the horrible heat in qld. while in florida it would be winter with pleasant mild temps.

if it was me I would pick Townsville.

I would move to Townsville as well if the immigration policies were more lax.

[Peter Pacific]

Taccadave, this is such a subjective question. Florida is huge and offers everything you could be looking for. If you want palms nothing beats Miami on the east coast and Naples for great beaches on the west.

Good Luck.

[palmsOrl]

I would vote for somewhere in the general Miami/Ft Lauderdale area (SE FL) for a tropical climate with plenty of rain overall despite the presence of a dry season. As Jeff mentioned, the Keys are a little on the dry side and have generally poor soils.

Edited June 1, 2014 by palmsOrl

[Taccadave]

Thanks guys, I think a trip to Fort Lauderdale and /or Miami would be the next move.

Thank you again