General Landscape Uses:
Accent shrub. Buffer plantings.
Availability:
Widely cultivated. Available in Lake Worth at
Indian Trails Native Nursery (561-641-9488) and in Homestead at
Plant Creations Inc. (305-248-8147).
Description: Large shrub or small tree with an erect trunk and an irregular narrow crown. Trunks generally 2-3 inches in diameter. Bark smooth, pale gray. Leaves smooth, bright green, about 2-4 inches long.
Dimensions: Typically 10-15 feet in height; to 30 feet in South Florida. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north to Volusia, Lake and Dixie counties; West Indies and Central America. Very rare in the upper and middle Monore County Keys. 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: Moist forests, forest edges and pinelands.
Soils: Moist to seasonally wet, well-drained to poorly-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: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
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: Green.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous. Essentially dioecious, with male and female flowers on different plants; sometimes a few perfect flowers are present. The flowers are borne directly on the twigs from the previous year's growth.
Flowering Season: All year; peak fall-winter.
Fruit: Blue to black berry, borne on the stems.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed after coating is removed. Scatter seeds over surface of soil and barely cover. Place container in light shade or full sun.
References: Hammer 2004, Nelson 2003
Comments: Miccosukee Indians used the dried leaves to mix with tobacco. Horticultural synonyms: M. floridana, Rapanea punctata.
