General Landscape Uses:
Specimen plant, screen, understory shrub.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Deciduous shrub or small tree with blocky bark. Shiny green leaves 2-3 inches long and clusters of white flowers in the spring.
Dimensions: Typically 20 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Midwestern and southern United States south to Citrus, Marion, and Flagler 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: Moist calcareous hammocks.
Soils: Moist, well-drained limestone or calcareous 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 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: Light shade.
Flower Color: White.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring.
Fruit: Oblong blue or purplish drupe.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators.
References: Wunderlin and Hansen (
2011), 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.
