General Landscape Uses:
Showy shrub can be used as a specimen or in groups, especially in wet areas.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Deciduous clump-forming perennial shrub or small tree 18 feet tall. Arching branches and glossy green leaves 2-5 inches long, red-purple in the fall. Whitish flowers in flat-topped clusters.
Dimensions: Typically 18 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Eastern and Southern United States from Maine to Texas south to De Soto, Highlands, and Okeechobee 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.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Habitats: Swamps, wet woods.
Soils: Moist to wet, well-drained to poorly drained sandy or organic soils with acid pH, with or without humus.
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: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Light shade to full sun.
Flower Color: Whitish.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring.
Fruit: Reddish turning dark blue.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators. Provides food for birds.
References: Hall (
2020), Mellichamp (
2014)
Comments: Native Americans made a tea from the bark used as a diuretic and for diabetes. We are currently adding data for this species for central and northern Florida. 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.
