|                    West Indian cherry
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                |                    Prunus myrtifolia  
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                |                    Rosaceae 
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                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Accent or specimen tree in residential and commercial landscapes.  Buffer plantings. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Rarely grown by native plant nurseries. | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
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                 Medium or rarely a large tree with an erect trunk and a slender crown from thin, upright branches.  Bark thin, smooth or slightly fissures.  Leaves glossy green, with an odor of almonds when crushed, about 2-4 inches long. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
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                 Typically 25-35 feet in height; to 53 feet in South Florida.  Taller than broad. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
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                 Fast. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
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                 Miami-Dade County; West Indies and South America.  In Miami-Dade County, known only from the Miami Rock Ridge from Long Pine Key in Everglades National Park northeast to the Miami River; also collected once on Elliott Key in what is now Biscayne National Park, where apparently extirpated. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the  Exploring Florida website. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
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                 Rockland hammocks. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
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                 Moist, well-drained limestone soils, with humusy top layer. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
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                 Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
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                 Light shade to full sun. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
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                 White. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
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                 Semi-showy. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
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                 Fall-winter. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
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                 Brownish-orange drupe. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
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                 Birds and other animals eat the fruits. Attracts pollinators. | 
               
                     
                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
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                 Can be grown from de-pulped seed. | 
               
              
                | Comments: | 
               
              
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                 It is listed as threatened by the state of Florida. | 
               
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                    George D. Gann In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida
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