Red/orange fall color is excellent. Leaves have three separate shapes: ovoid, tri-lobed, or mitten-shaped (left or right). Mature trees tend to have f , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Like other members of this family, sassafras trees are threatened by the spread of the redbay ambrosia beetle and the laural wilt fungus it carries. M , Wildlife, Birds consume fruit. , Habitat, Dry sites. Dry mesic forests. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Fall color, Interesting foliage Larval food for spicebush butterfly(Papilio troilus), tiger swallow-tail(papilio glaucus), palamede

Understory shrub. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Difficult to transplant because of long taproot. , Wildlife, Small mammals and birds harvest the fruit. , Habitat, Dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests, sandhill, clayhill, scrub , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) and pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus). Pollinated by flies and

Use along streams or edges of retention areas. Can be a screen or specimen tree in moist areas. Blooms better in moderate to high light settings. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume the fruit. , Habitat, Riverine swamps, bluffs, bluffs, gum swamps. Typically in areas of relatively brief, shallow inundation. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, and butterflie

It's a legume, so nitrogen fixation may help it survive in low nutrient soils. Fast growing. Shade tree. Attractive for its lacy foliage. Does well a , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Fallen seed pods are messy, so use in a mulched landscape area. , Wildlife, Attracts birds especially gnatcatchers, vireos, flycatchers, and migrating warbles (many eat the insects that are attracted to the flowers and leaves) , Habitat, This is generally a species of disturbed areas in and around tropical rockland hammock and pine rocklands. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval host for Large Orange Sulfur (Phoebis agarithe), Mimosa Yellow (Eurema nise), amethyst hairstreak, and Cassius Blue (Lepto

Specimen shrub.  Thorniness makes it a good property edge hedge. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t , Considertions, Spiny , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits (and the red&black arils). , Habitat, Dry coastal hammocks and shell mounds. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Larval host  for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), and Miami blue (Cyclargus th

Very thorny. In the northern parts of its range, a thornless cultivar is planted. Specimen tree. To avoid insect issues, best not to plant in large n , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Considertions, Very sharp thorns. Tree is short-lived in the southern parts of its range (includes Florida). , Wildlife, The seed pods have edible sweet pulp and are eaten by deer, opossums, squirrels, crows, starlings, and  quail. , Habitat, Upper portions of riverine floodplains, fertile uplands, stream banks. Planted in upland areas. , Did You Know?, Thorns Larval host for Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and several moths including Catocala innubens (The Betrothed), Catocala minuta (Lit

Curiosity in wetland gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Like many members of the Arum family, all parts of this plant are toxic. , Habitat, Shallow water of pools, streams, and swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Pollinated by bees, flies, and beetles (Florida Wildflower Foundation)