General Landscape Uses:
Shrub in wet naturalistic landscapes or as a hedge.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and central Florida.
Description: Densly foliated shrub or small tree with a short, twisted trunk. 10 to 30 feet tall and half as wide. Leaves 1/2 to 5 inches long. Profuse white blooms in spring and early summer in hanging spikes. Can form thickets. Deciduous in the north with brilliant yellow foliage in the fall veined with scarlet and orange.
Dimensions: Typically 10-30 feet in height. Half as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to Brevard, Highlands, and Polk counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and South America. 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: Swamps, bayheads, and streams
Soils: Wet to moist, poorly-drained to seasonally inundated organic freshwater soils, with a humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements: High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: White
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring to early summer.
Fruit: Small, brownish capsules
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators.
References: Nelson (
2003), Osorio (
2001), 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.
