Florida Living Walls, Vertical Green in the Urban Core

I just love this building in downtown Orlando covered in vines!

Creeping fig, Florida Living Walls, Orlando

Yes I know it is a common vine, creeping fig, Ficus pumila, one that is not even native species. But despite the fact that this low maintenance, drought tolerant is an exotic landscape plant, I still appreciate its use in covering otherwise, blank concrete block walls.

It is important to always check to make sure a landscape plant is not listed by regulatory agencies as invasive, and creeping fig, Ficus pumila, is not on any invasive lists I am aware of.  The plant is actually a relatively slow grower.

Here the plant is also shown growing on the historical Lady of LaLeche Chapel in St. Augustine.

Creeping Fig, Ficus pumila, living walls, Chaplel LaLeche, St. Augustine

Creeping Fig, Ficus pumila, living walls, Chaplel LaLeche, St. Augustine

Living walls offer so much.  They;

• Reduce urban heat island effect
• Provide habitat for wildlife and insects
• Sequester carbon
• Produce oxygen
• Create a sense of place and add immense beauty
• Integrate in natural pest control
• Serve as insulation
• and provide so many more benefits!

Kudos to creeping fig and those who have planted it at the locations shown above.