![The white Fringetree is among 10 trees gardeners recommend for Northwest Florida properties. [SPECIAL TO THE NEWS BULLETIN]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-5ab8ccdc-8320-307d-e053-0100007fbf86-b6e2b5e7.jpeg)
CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County Master Gardeners will host the final free gardening education lecture of the year soon.
The free program is 10-11 a.m. Oct. 18 at the Okaloosa County Extension office, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview. Participants may stay after the lecture and enjoy the nature trail Master Gardeners have planted behind the office. Call 689-5850 to register due to limited seating.
Maria Wilson, guest speaker, will recommend 10 trees for Northwest Florida landscapes at the event. This includes the Red bay; the White Fringetree; and the Sweet Olive. She will also address the current spread of the “laurel wilt,”a fungal disease spread by non-native red bay ambrosia beetles. It affects red bay and other trees in the laurel family, kills avocado trees and is rapidly expanding.
A Senior Forester for Okaloosa County, Wilson spent this summer and fall working on the Norse Peak fire in Washington, and recently visited some of the hurricane-affected locations to help with the devastation done to the trees.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Master Gardeners to recommend trees at lecture