General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also an accent shrub.
Availability:
Widely available in central Florida. Commonly available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description: Medium shrub with stiff, dark green leaves.
Dimensions: About 4-8 feet in height. Colonial, forming large masses from underground stems (rhizomes).
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Eastern and southeastern United States west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Wet pinelands.
Soils: Wet to moist, moderately well-drained sandy soils, with or without humus, acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements: Low to moderate; it can grow in nutrient poor soils or soils with some organic content.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate 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: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: White.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous. Dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Flowering Season: Winter-spring; peak in spring.
Fruit: Round black drupe. Often persistent throughout the winter.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. Attracts bees and fly pollinators.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from de-pulped seed after the fruit is fully ripe. Clean and plant right away; the seeds do not store well. Plant in a container with at least 2" of soil. Sprinkle soil to just cover the seeds. Place in full sun.
Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
