General Landscape Uses:
Specimen.
Availability:
Rarely grown by native plant nurseries.
Description: Medium to large deciduous tree with oval leaves 2-5 inches long. Smooth, grayish bark.
Dimensions: Typically 90 feet in height, taller than broad. Can reach up to 126 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Eastern United States west to eastern Texas, south through the panhandle and scattered east to Hamilton, Columbia, and Alachua counties. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the
Exploring Florida website.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Mesic, deciduous hammocks and bluff forests
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone 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: Moderate shade to full sun.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: Spring.
Fruit: Triangular nut in a prickly bur.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food and cover for wildlife.
References: Mellichamp (
2014), Huegel 2010, Nelson 1994
Comments: We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.
