Gopher-apple
Licania michauxii
Chrysobalanaceae


Landscape Uses:

Low massing shrub. Wildflower gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Occasionally available at Mesozoic Landscapes, Inc. in Lake Worth and available at Indian Trails Native Nursery in Lake Worth (561-641-9488).
Description:
Woody groundcover or small shrub with short erect stems. Leaves 4 inches long, leathery, dark green.
Height:
About 1-5 feet in height. Spreading from underground stems and forming large open or dense patches.
Growth Rate:
Very slow.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to the Monroe County Keys. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key.
Habitats:
Pinelands and coastal thickets.
Soils:
Moist to dry, well-drained sandy or limestone 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:
High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color:
Creamy white.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy in terminal clusters.
Flowering Season:
All year; peak spring-summer.
Fruit:
Elliptical drupe. Edible.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Provides significant food and some cover for wildlife. The flowers attract bees and butterflies. The fruits are highly attractive to wildlife.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


Roger L. Hammer
George D. Gann
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton