General Landscape Uses:
Specimen or shade tree.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in northeast and central Florida. Available in Naples at
Everglades Native Designs.
Description: Large deciduous tree 40-125 feet tall with a conical shape and star-shaped leaves 5 inches wide. Colorful leaves in the fall.
Dimensions: Usually 40-125 feet in height, taller than broad. Up to 135 feet in height in north Florida.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Eastern and southern United States south to Charlotte, Hendry, and Martin 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: Edges of swamps and floodplains.
Soils: Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly-drained organic or sandy soils, often with acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements: High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth.
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: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Greenish yellow.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Winter-spring.
Fruit: Hard, round, brown, spiny.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides some food and significant cover for wildlife. Larval host plant for luna (Actias luna) moths.
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.
