General Landscape Uses:
Large shade tree. Can be used along pond margins. Male trees can be used as street trees.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Deciduous tree with several leaning trunks 50-100 feet tall, often forming dense stands. Leaves 3-6 inches long. Distinguished from the Water tupelo (N. aquatica) by having shorter leaf stems and the fruit stalk being shorter than the length of the fruit.
Dimensions: Typically 50-100 feet in height, taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to Dixie, Alachua, and Levy counties. A population is also present in Hillsborough county. 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: River swamps.
Soils: Wet to moist, poorly-drained to seasonally inundated organic freshwater soils, with a humusy top layer and acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements: High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate 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 Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: January-May.
Fruit: Reddish, fleshy drupe 1 inch long.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators. Provides food and cover for wildlife.
References: Nelson (
2003), Nelson (
1994), Elias 1980
Comments: Bees produce a delicious honey from the flowers. 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.
