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: Deciduous tree 40-120 feet tall with attractive, horizontal branches and a pyramidal shape. Shiny, dark green leaves 2-6 inches long turning dark to bright crimson or orange-scarlet in the fall.
Dimensions: Typically 40-120 feet in height, taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Southern United States south to Lee, Glades, and St. Lucie counties.
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: Wetland forests.
Soils: Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to periodically inundated sandy, limestone, or organic soils, with or without 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 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. Will tolerate light shade.
Flower Color: Greenish.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: Late spring.
Fruit: Dark blue drupe 1 inch long.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. Attracts pollinators.
References: Mellichamp (
2014), Huegel 2010
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.
