General Landscape Uses:
Accent shrub or small tree. Buffer plantings.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts. Available in Key West at
Key West Botanical Garden.
Description: Small tree or large shrub with an open, irregular crown from small upright branches. Bark dark brown, smooth. Leaves dull green above, 1-2 inches long.
Dimensions: Typically 10-20 feet in height; to 23 feet in South Florida. Usually taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Monroe and Miami-Dade counties north along the east coast to St. Lucie County, where collected near Fort Pierce (
Wunderlin et al. 10152); West Indies and Mexico. Extremely rare north of the Miami River. 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: Pine rocklands and hammocks.
Soils: Moist, well-drained limestone (rarely sandy) soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate to low; it prefers soils with organic content, but will still grow reasonably well in nutrient poor soils.
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: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: White to reddish-pink.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: All year; peak in spring.
Fruit: Rounded purple berry.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides significant food and cover for wildlife.
Horticultural Notes: Difficult to grow from seed.
References: Schaefer & Tanner 1997
