General Landscape Uses: Accent shrub. Informal hedges. Buffer plantings.

Description: Medium shrub with dark green leaves.

Dimensions: About 3-4 feet in height. About as broad as tall.

Growth Rate: Moderate to slow.

Range: Monroe County Keys and Miami-Dade County; Bermuda, Bahamas and Greater Antilles. In South Florida, native only to North Key Largo in the Monroe County Keys, and Miami-Dade County in the vicinity of Matheson Hammock Park and the Richmond Pine Rocklands.

Habitats: Rockland hammocks.

Soils: Moist, well-drained 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: 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: Light shade to moderate shade.

Flower Color: White.

Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.

Flowering Season: All year; peak spring-summer.

Fruit: Red drupe.

Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food and cover for wildlife. Birds and other animals eat the fruits.

Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from de-pulped seed. Place seeds on top of soil and sprinkle soil over the seeds to just cover. Place container in light shade.

References: Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual (2005).

Comments: It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida. See also Florida Natural Areas Inventory’s Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida page (Chafin 2000).