Mexican Alvaradoa
Alvaradoa amorphoides
Besides growing in Mexico, Mexican Alvaradoa also grows in some areas of the Miami Rock Ridge from Long Pine Key to west of Goulds. This is a tall shrub or small tree around 20 feet tall that can have a trunk diameter up to eight inches but usually only a couple of inches.
The compound leaves with small leaflets give the plant a feathery appearance that helps break the monotony of the oval leaves found on most plants. It has male and female flowers on separate plants.
These flowers occur on three inch long narrow catkins that mature into half inch samaras, or winged seeds, only on the female plants. The mass of seeds looks like a fluffy tail and is light red near maturity. The Dina Yellow butterfly lays its eggs on this plant, but don’t expect any if you live outside the plant’s natural range.
Mexican Alvaradoa is a very drought tolerant plant, although it is not tolerant of salt air or water. I like to use it to frame a window and near paved areas because the small leaves that occasionally drop won’t cause a mess.
It can tolerate partial shade but is best in full sun. Use it along the southern edge of a hammock or mixed into a pineland planting. To see mature plants, travel to Camp Owaissa Bauer in Dade County and explore the natural portion and areas along Bauer road near the park.
The False Indigo is very similar in appearance and can be used with Mexican Alvaradoa. Its flowers are in bright purple catkins. Just mix these two plants into a portion of the landscape where you want to open and lighten things up a bit. A mass looks nice or just place a few plants here and there.