General Landscape Uses:
Shade tree.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Large deciduous tree 90 feet tall with deeply fissured bark and a rounded crown. Leaves 5-10 inches long with 3-7 deep lobes, each typically with a bristle tip. The underside of the leaves are gray or rusty. Leaves are a rich red in the fall.
Dimensions: Typically 90 feet in height, as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southern United States south to Levy and Marion counties. A population is also present in Polk 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.
Habitats: Dry bluff forests.
Soils: Dry to moist, well-drained sandy 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 flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: Spring.
Fruit: Acorn 0.5-1 inch long.
Wildlife and Ecology: Used extensively for nesting, cover, and food for birds and wildlife.
References: Mellichamp (
2014), Wunderlin and Hansen 2011
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.
