Landscape Uses:
	Accent tree. Also useful in buffer plantings.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
	A somewhat rare element of hammock edges in the Florida Keys and southern Miami-Dade County.
Availability:
	Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description:
	Small tree or large shrub, usually with an erect trunk and a broad-spreading, semi-open crown. Leaves light green, with rusty-brown hairs on the underside of the leaves and on the twigs.
Height:
	Typically 10-20 feet in height. Usually taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
	Fast.
Range:
	Monroe, Miami-Dade and Collier counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. Rare in the Monroe County Keys and very rare or absent in the middle Keys. In Miami-Dade County, native to the Miami Rock Ridge from Long Pine Key in Everglades National Park north and east to west of Goulds. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website.
Habitats:
	Rockland hammocks; understory shrub in pine rocklands.
Soils:
	Moist, well-drained limestone or calcareous sandy soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
	Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
	Low; does not tolerate long-term 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.
Flower Color:
	Greenish or yellowish.
Flower Characteristics:
	Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season:
	All year.
Fruit:
	Purple to black capsule.
Wildlife and Ecology:
	Provides food for birds.
Horticultural Notes:
	Can be grown from seed. Place in light shade or full sun.
Comments:
	Recruits readily from seeds in the garden and can become somewhat weedy. It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida.