General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description: Large shrub or small tree with a narrow, irregular crown. Trunks to 18 inches in diameter, but usually much less. Bark light brown, deeply furrowed. Leaves thin, dark dull green, about 1-3 inches long.
Dimensions: Typically 10-20 feet in height. Usually about as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Monroe County Keys and Collier County north along the east coast to Volusia County; Greater Antilles. Rare in the Monroe County Keys, and apparently absent to the west of Long Key. 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 ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Hammocks.
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: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Light shade.
Flower Color: Crimson.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: All year; peak fall-spring.
Fruit: Red ovoid drupe ripening black.
Wildlife and Ecology: Parasitic on the roots of other trees, although it apparently does not significantly harm the host. Host for a native fruitfly (Anastrepha interrupta), which feeds on the fruits.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Hammer 2004
Comments: A semi-parasitic plant that is extremely difficult to grow. Listed as endangered by the state of Florida.
