Tough Florida bully
Sideroxylon tenax
Sapotaceae


Landscape Uses:

Accent or specimen shrub in coastal uplands.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Native plant nurseries.
Description:
Large shrub or small tree with an open, irregular crown. Trunks short, bearing many irregular branches. Bark, thick, fissured, reddish brown. Leaves bright green above, the underside coated with rust-colored hairs.
Height:
About 5-15 feet in height or sometime more. Often broader than tall.
Growth Rate:
Slow.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties. Very rare in South Florida outside of Palm Beach and Martin counties. Perhaps never present or extirpated in Broward County. Presumed extirpated in Miami-Dade County.
Habitats:
Coastal hammocks and scrub.
Soils:
Moist to dry, well-drained sandy soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
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:
White.
Flower Characteristics:
Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season:
All year; peak spring-summer.
Fruit:
Black ovoid berry.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Attracts pollinators.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from de-pulped seed.
Comments:


Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Jay Horn via iNaturalist.
Jay Horn via iNaturalist.
Jay Horn via iNaturalist.