Storax, American snowbell
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Styrax americanus
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Styracaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida. |
Description: |
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Slender shrub or very small tree 6-10 feet tall and wide. Loosely branched with leaves 1-3 inches long and small white flowers. |
Height: |
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Typically 6-10 feet in height, as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Slow. |
Range: |
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Southern United States south to Charlotte and Osceola counties. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website.
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Habitats: |
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Swamps, wet pond margins, wet woodlands. |
Soils: |
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Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly drained organic soils with acid pH. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought. |
Light Requirements: |
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Moderate to light shade. |
Flower Color: |
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White. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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Spring. |
Fruit: |
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Grayish green capsule. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Horticultural Notes: |
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Comments: |
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We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.
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Lilly Anderson-Messec via her Instagram account @lilliumbyrd.
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