General Landscape Uses:
Short street tree, patio tree, small specimen tree.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description: Small deciduous tree up to 20 feet tall with smooth bark. Shiny, toothed, dark green leaves 6 inches long, becoming purple-red to orange-yellow in the fall. Showy, fragrant, white flowers 3 inches wide.
Dimensions: Up to 20 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Southeastern and central United States south scattered south through the panhandle and peninsular Florida to Polk and Sarasota counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: 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: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Moderate to light shade.
Flower Color: White
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Late spring.
Fruit: One quarter inch round red ripening to black, berry-like.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food for birds.
References: Mellichamp (
2014), Wunderlin and Hansen 2011
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.
