Bahama wild coffee
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Psychotria ligustrifolia
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Rubiaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Accent shrub. Informal hedges. Buffer plantings. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Widely cultivated. Available in Lake Worth at Indian Trails Native Nursery and at Amelia's SmartyPlants , in Miami at Pro Native Consulting and in Boynton Beach at Sustainscape, and in Naples at Everglades Native Designs, and in Key West at Key West Botanical Garden. |
Description: |
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Medium shrub with dark green leaves. |
Height: |
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About 3-4 feet in height. About as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate to slow. |
Range: |
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Monroe County Keys and Miami-Dade County; Bermuda, Bahamas and Greater Antilles. In South Florida, native only to North Key Largo in the Monroe County Keys, and Miami-Dade County in the vicinity of Matheson Hammock Park and the Richmond Pine Rocklands. |
Habitats: |
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Rockland hammocks. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained limestone soils, with humusy top layer. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Light shade to moderate shade. |
Flower Color: |
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White. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year; peak spring-summer. |
Fruit: |
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Red drupe. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Provides food and cover for wildlife. Birds and other animals eat the fruits. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from de-pulped seed. Place seeds on top of soil and sprinkle soil over the seeds to just cover. Place container in light shade. |
Comments: |
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It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida. See also Florida Natural Areas Inventory's Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida page (Chafin 2000). |
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George D. Gann in habitat, New Providence, Bahamas, 2012
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