General Landscape Uses:
Specimen or shade tree.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in central Florida.
Description: Large, deciduous tree with a pyramidal form and lobed leaves 3-8 inches long. Ridged and furrowed bark, ashy gray to dark brown.
Dimensions: Typically 60-100 feet in height, taller than broad. Up to 110 feet in height in north Florida.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Eastern and southern United States south to Pasco, Lake, and Orange 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.
Habitats: Rich 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: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Yellowish green.
Flower Characteristics: Large, showy, fragrant.
Flowering Season: Spring-summer.
Fruit: 3-4 inch long, conelike.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators. Larval host plant for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus) butterflies.
References: Mazzotti (
2008), Nelson (
2003)
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.
