General Landscape Uses:
Best used in naturalized landscapes.
Availability:
Rarely grown by native plant nurseries in northern Florida.
Description: Vigorous spreading shrub at least 6 feet tall with compound leaves with toothed leaflets. Small greenish-yellow flowers precede 1-foot clusters of flaming red berries.
Dimensions: Typically 6-20 feet in height, forming colonies.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Primarily eastern and central United States from Maine to North Dakota south to Texas. Scattered west to Nevada , Oregon, and Washington. Present in Florida in the central Panhandle, in Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, and Franklin 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.
Habitats: Open hammocks and disturbed sites.
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: Greenish yellow.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Fruit: Flaming red berries in pyramid shaped clusters.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators, provides food for birds.
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.
