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Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng. var. borbonia
Red bay

Persea borbonia
Copyright by: George D. Gann

Family: Lauraceae

Group: Dicot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Tree

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Southeastern United States.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map of P. borbonia in the broad sense, visit the Exploring Florida website. This map represents an amalgamation of P. borbonia from coastal and mesic sites, P. humilis from wetlands, and P. humilis from scrub and other dry habitats.

Other data on Persea borbonia var. borbonia available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Persea borbonia var. borbonia has been found in the following 74 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
A.D. Doug Barnes Park Recorded as Present in Error
Alice C. Wainwright Park Present Native
Arch Creek Park Present Native
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Recorded as Present in Error
Barley Barber Swamp Recorded as Present in Error
Big and Little George Hammocks Recorded as Present in Error
Big Cypress National Preserve Recorded as Present in Error
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Present Native
Bill Sadowski Park Present Native
Blowing Rocks Preserve Present Native
Bocilla Preserve Present Native
Bonair Beach Parcel, Martin County Present Native
Cayo Costa State Park Present Native
Cedar Point Environmental Park Present Native
Coconut Creek Maple Swamp Natural Area Present Native
Collier-Seminole State Park Recorded as Present in Error
Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Recorded as Present in Error
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Recorded as Present in Error
Crandon Park Present Native
Deering Estate at Cutler Present Native
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Present Native
Delray Oaks Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Doris Davis Forman Wilderness Preserve Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Dupuis Reserve Recorded as Present in Error
Enchanted Forest Park Present Native
Estero Bay Preserve State Park Present Native
Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area Recorded as Present in Error
Everglades National Park Doubtfully Present
Fern Forest Nature Center Recorded as Present in Error
Florida Atlantic University Ecological Site Present Native
Fred C. Babcock-Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area Recorded as Present in Error
Frenchman's Forest Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error
Frog Pond/L-31 N Transition Lands Doubtfully Present
Gomez Doubtfully Present
Gopher Tortoise Preserve Present Native
Grassy Waters Preserve Recorded as Present in Error
Greynolds Park Present Native
Gulfstream Park Present Native
High Ridge Scrub Natural Area Present Native
Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Present Native
Ives Estate Park Doubtfully Present
J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area Doubtfully Present
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Present Native
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Native
Juno Dunes Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area Present Native
Koreshan State Historic Site Present Native
Matheson Hammock Park Present Native
Miramar Pineland Present Native
Ocean Ridge Hammock Park Present Native
R. Hardy Matheson Preserve Present Native
Railhead Scrub Preserve Present Native
Red Reef Park, including Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Present Native
Rocky Point Hammock Assumed to be Present Native
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Present Native
Rosemary Scrub Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error
Savannas Preserve State Park Present Native
Seabranch Preserve State Park Present Native
Secret Woods Nature Center Present Native
Simpson Park Present Native
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Recorded as Present in Error
Southern Glades Recorded as Present in Error
Spanish River Park Present Native
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Present Native
Stuart Beach Park Present Native
Tall Cypress Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error
The Barnacle State Historic Park Present Native
Tradewinds Park & Stables Doubtfully Present
Tree Tops Park Present Native
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Present Native
Woodmont Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Yamato Scrub Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error

Persea borbonia var. borbonia has been found in the following 7 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Native
Collier County Native
Lee County Native
Martin County Native
Miami-Dade County Native
Monroe County (Keys) Doubtfully Present
Palm Beach County Native

Persea borbonia var. borbonia has been found in the following 5 habitats :
Maritime Hammock
Mesic Hammock
Prairie Hammock
Rockland Hammock
Shell Mound

All Images:

Persea borbonia
Copyright by: George D. Gann
Persea borbonia
Copyright by: George D. Gann
Persea borbonia
Copyright by: George D. Gann