|                    Beach-tea, Gulf croton
                      |  
              
                |                    Croton punctatus  
                      |  
              
                |                    Euphorbiaceae 
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                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.  Also an accent shrub in coastal uplands. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                 A somewhat rare element of beach dunes and coastal strand. | 
               
              
                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Small, dense shrubby herb.  Leaves greenish with a silvery cast, to 2 inches long. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Typically 1-3 feet in height.  As broad as tall. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Moderate to slow. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Southern United States west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties; Cuba, Mexico, Central America and northern South America. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Open coastal uplands. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
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                 Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Frontline; grows in direct salt wind but away from constant salt spray. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 High; does not require any supplemental water once established. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Full sun. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
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                 White. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 Inconspicuous.  Fragrant.  Unisexual, with male flowers above and female below, clustered toward the ends of the stems. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
                |   | 
                 All year. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
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                 Inconspicuous capsule. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
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                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
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                 Can be grown from seed and cuttings. | 
               
              
                | Comments: | 
               
              
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