Landscape Uses:
	An attractive small specimen tree for coastal locations. Also useful in buffer plantings.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
	An occasional element of coastal hammocks, especially along the edges.
Availability:
	Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available in Miami at Pro Native Consulting (786-488-3101).
Description:
	Slender small tree or large shrub with a rounded crown comprising a few slim branches. Trunks slender, 3-5 inches in diameter or sometimes more. Leaves shiny, thin to leathery, 3-5 foliate, 1-3 inches long; aromatic when crushed. Bark pale gray brown, thin and smooth, roughened by small patches of exfoliating bark.
Height:
	Typically 10-15 feet in height; to 22 feet in South Florida
Growth Rate:
	Very slow to slow.
Range:
	Monroe County Keys north along the east coast to Flagler County; West Indies, Mexico and Central America. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website.
Habitats:
	Coastal hammocks and thickets.
Soils:
	Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
	Moderate to high; grows best with some organic content and may languish in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance:
	Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
	Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
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:
	Whitish.
Flower Characteristics:
	Semi-showy; tiny on branched clusters.
Flowering Season:
	All year; peak spring-fall.
Fruit:
	Purplish to black drupe, 1/4" in diameter. Aromatic. Edible, with an agreeable flavor. The seeds are solitary, pale brown.
Wildlife and Ecology:
	Provides significant food and moderate amounts of cover for wildlife. Larval host plant for giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes), Schaus' swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus ponceanus) and other butterflies. Flowers attracts a wide variety of pollinators. The fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals.
Horticultural Notes:
	Can be grown from seed, although with some difficulty.
Comments:
	The mature wood is hard, close-grained, and light orange colored. The green wood has been used to make torches. The twigs are burned as incense.