| Beach-tea, Gulf croton
|
| Croton punctatus
|
| Euphorbiaceae
|
Landscape Uses:
|
|
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also an accent shrub in coastal uplands. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
|
A somewhat rare element of beach dunes and coastal strand. |
| Availability: |
|
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. |
| Description: |
| |
Small, dense shrubby herb. Leaves greenish with a silvery cast, to 2 inches long. |
| Height: |
| |
Typically 1-3 feet in height. As broad as tall. |
| Growth Rate: |
| |
Moderate to slow. |
| Range: |
| |
Southern United States west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties; Cuba, Mexico, Central America and northern South America. |
| Habitats: |
| |
Open coastal uplands. |
| Soils: |
| |
Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus. |
| Nutritional Requirements: |
| |
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
| Salt Water Tolerance: |
| |
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
| Salt Wind Tolerance: |
| |
Frontline; grows in direct salt wind but away from constant salt spray. |
| Drought Tolerance: |
| |
High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
| Light Requirements: |
| |
Full sun. |
| Flower Color: |
| |
White. |
| Flower Characteristics: |
| |
Inconspicuous. Fragrant. Unisexual, with male flowers above and female below, clustered toward the ends of the stems. |
| Flowering Season: |
| |
All year. |
| Fruit: |
| |
Inconspicuous capsule. |
| Wildlife and Ecology: |
| |
|
| Horticultural Notes: |
| |
Can be grown from seed and cuttings. |
| Comments: |
| |
|
|
|
|
|