General Landscape Uses:
Specimen or shade tree.
Ecological Restoration Notes: Very good for upland restoration.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in northeast and central Florida.
Description: Large, straight trunked deciduous tree with broad crown. Compound leaves with 3-5 inch elliptic leaflets.
Dimensions: Typically 50-100 feet in height, to 126 feet in the panhandle. Can be as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Eastern North America south to Brevard, Osceola, Highlands, and Charlotte counties. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the
Exploring Florida website.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Dry to mesic hammocks
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone 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: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Light shade to full sun.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous flowers on conspicuous catkins 2-3 inches long.
Flowering Season: Late spring.
Fruit: Nut in a large husk, 1-2 inches long.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. Larval host plant for banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) butterfly.
Horticultural Notes: Fruits can damage mowers and vehicles.
References: Nelson (
2003), Schaefer & Tanner 1997, Nelson 1994
Comments: 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.
