Hog-plum, Tallowwood
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Ximenia americana
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Ximeniaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. |
Description: |
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Large shrub or small to medium tree with wide-spreading, even vine-like, thorny branches. Trunks 3-4 inches in diameter, rarely larger. Bark thin, reddish-brown. Leaves shiny, light yellowish-green, about 1-3 inches long, oftern clustered. |
Height: |
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Typically 10-20 feet in height; to 25 feet in South Florida. Often as broad as tall or broader. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Monroe County Keys north to Duval, Clay, Alachua and Levy counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America and Africa. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website. |
Habitats: |
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A wide variety of habitats, from dry forests to swamps. |
Soils: |
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Dry to seasonally wet, well-drained to moderately well-drained sand, limestone, or organic soils, with or without humusy top layer. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Moderate to low; it prefers soils with organic content, but will still grow reasonably well in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt 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 to light shade. |
Flower Color: |
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Yellowish-white. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Inconspicuous. Fragrant. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year; peak spring-fall. |
Fruit: |
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Bright yellow drupe. Edible. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. Attracts bee pollinators. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from de-pulped seed. It is semi-parasitic on the roots of other hardwoods, which makes it somewhat challenging to grow; some will place a Virginia live oak in the same container as a host. |
Comments: |
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George D. Gann Monroe County, Florida, 2013
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