Wild Tamarind, a Native Shade Tree, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Wild tamarind is a Florida native shade tree with feathery, finely divided leaves and a wide, open crown, and it handles SW Florida's heat, drought and salt. The shade it casts is light and filtered. It reaches 30 to 60 ft, so it needs room. Ours are 25 gallon trees, delivered and planted by our crew.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Low to moderate; highly drought tolerant once established
- Salt:
- Moderate to high; handles salt spray and wind
Wild Tamarind
Ask for a photo of the actual plant we would deliver.
Wild Tamarind sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Wild Tamarind | 25 Gallon |
Wild Tamarind in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 30 to 60 ft tall and 30 to 50 ft wide, with a vase-shaped, open crown
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate; highly drought tolerant once established
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate to high; handles salt spray and wind
- Cold tolerance
- Sensitive to freezing weather; leaves and tender growth burn in a hard freeze, so cover young trees inland on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Florida native
- Yes, South Florida native
- Botanical name
- Lysiloma latisiliquum
Where Wild Tamarind works in a SW Florida yard
Plant wild tamarind where a big, airy canopy fits: on a larger lot, at least 25 to 30 ft from the house, pool cage and power lines. The fine leaves cast light shade, so native understory plants such as coontie and wild coffee still grow beneath it, with firebush at the sunny edge.
It handles wind and salt, which makes it a solid native choice on coastal lots.
- Large-yard shade tree
- Coastal, salt-exposed lots
- Native low-water landscapes
- Light dappled-shade canopy
How our crew plants it
The 25 gallon tree is set with the top of the root ball level to slightly above the soil, in a hole twice as wide as the pot, and staked with soft ties for the first year.
Our crew waters the tree in and cleans up. New trees need frequent watering for the first couple of months, as Lee and Collier allow.
Care after planting
- Prune for structure while it is young, keeping one main leader and removing low branches gradually, because UF/IFAS notes included bark at tight forks can lead to breakage as the tree ages.
- Water on your assigned days; established trees are highly drought tolerant.
- Skip fertilizer in the first year, and use a slow-release one with micronutrients afterward only if growth stalls.
- Cover young trees on frost nights inland, since wild tamarind is sensitive to freezing weather.
What to watch for
- Left unpruned, wild tamarind forms low forks and drooping limbs that can split in storms, so early structural pruning matters even though the wood itself is rated resistant to breakage.
- Stem galls and rust show up occasionally and are minor, and the tree is otherwise free of serious pests and diseases.
Wild Tamarind questions we hear
Is wild tamarind a native tree in Florida?+
Yes. Lysiloma latisiliquum is native to South Florida, which is why it handles the area's heat, dry spells and salt so well. Its spring flowers also draw pollinators, and it fits natural-style landscapes.
How big does a wild tamarind tree get?+
UF/IFAS lists it at 30 to 60 ft tall with a 30 to 50 ft spread, a moderate grower with a vase-shaped, open crown. Plan on a big tree, at least 25 to 30 ft from the house, pool cage and power lines.
Is wild tamarind wind resistant?+
Better than many shade trees, with caveats. UF/IFAS rates its wood resistant to breakage, but included bark at tight forks can split as it ages. Training it early with one dominant leader and spaced branches does the most to help it hold up in storms.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Wild Tamarind
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
Also worth a look
More like this
All shade trees
The service
Tree and shrub installation
Planning a whole yard
See it in 3D first
We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.