Landscape Uses:
	Accent shrub in moist to wet soils.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
Availability:
	Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available at Indian Trails Native Nursery in Lake Worth, and in Naples at Everglades Native Designs.
Description:
	Medium to large shrub; occasionally a small tree.
Height:
	Typically 8-12 feet in height in South Florida; to 20 feet in Florida. Often as broad as tall or broader.
Growth Rate:
	Fast.
Range:
	Widespread in North America south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties; Mexico and Central America; apparently escaped from cultivation in the West Indies. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website.
Habitats:
	Wet thickets, swamp margins and moist forests.
Soils:
	Moist to wet, moderately well-drained to poorly-drained sandy or organic soils, with humusy top layer.
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:
	Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
	Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
	Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color:
	White.
Flower Characteristics:
	Showy.
Flowering Season:
	All year; peak spring-fall.
Fruit:
	Purplish black and juicy.
Wildlife and Ecology:
	Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. Birds eat the fruits.
Horticultural Notes:
	Can be grown from seed and root cuttings.
Comments:
	Wines and jellies can be made from the fruit. The flowers heads can be dipped in batter and fried. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.