Willow-bustic, White bully
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Sideroxylon salicifolium
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Sapotaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Accent tree in residential and commerical landscapes. Buffer plantings. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Native plant nurseries. |
Description: |
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Medium tree with a rounded or narrow crown. Trunk erect, to 20 inches in diameter, bearing many willow-like branches. Bark smooth, becoming flaky. Leaves light green, thin, 2-6 inches long. |
Height: |
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Typically 20-30 feet in height; to 57 feet in South Florida. Taller than broad. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Monroe County Keys north, mostly along the coasts, to Martin and Collier counties; West Indies, Mexico and Central America. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website. |
Habitats: |
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Hammocks. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained sandy or 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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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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Whitish-green. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. Fragant. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year; peak in spring. |
Fruit: |
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Black berry. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Nectar plant for Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), red-banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), and other pollinators.
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Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from de-pulped seed. |
Comments: |
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Is sometimes defoliated by caterpillars. |
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George D. Gann In habitat, Everglades National Park, Key Largo, Florida, 2013
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