| Dwarf black-huckleberry, Dwarf huckleberry
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| Gaylussacia dumosa
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| Ericaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also an accent shrub. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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| Availability: |
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Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in Florida. |
| Description: |
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Small shrub. Leaves small, shiny. |
| Height: |
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About 1-2 feet tall. Spreading from underground stems (rhizomes) and forming clumps as broad as tall. |
| Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
| Range: |
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Eastern North America west to Louisiana and south to Palm Beach and Collier counties; very rare south of Martin and Lee counties. |
| Habitats: |
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Pinelands and scrubby flatwoods. |
| Soils: |
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Moist to dry, well-drained sandy soils, without humus. |
| Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
| Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. |
| Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
| Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
| Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
| Flower Color: |
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White to pinkish. |
| Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. |
| Flowering Season: |
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Spring. |
| Fruit: |
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Shiny black drupe. |
| Wildlife and Ecology: |
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| Horticultural Notes: |
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| Comments: |
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See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. |
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