The range of Prunus serotina includes most of eastern North America as far north as southern Canada.  It extends west into Texas and there are spotty , 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, Leaves and twigs are highly poisonous to livestock, pets and humans. , Wildlife, Birds and other animals eat the fruits.  Birds are the primary disperser into old fields and hedge rows. , Habitat, Dry sites. Upland mixed forest, upland hardwood forest, secondary woods, old fields, sandhill, ruderal areas. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Bees are pollinators. Larval host for tiger swallowtail.

Some literature sources suggest that this species may have some salt tolerance as it apparently grows along the upper edges of some salt marshes, but , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Moist-wet sites. Wet flatwoods, roadside ditches in former flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers This plant is an insect magnet! It attracts insects including long-tongued bees, green metallic bees, bee flies, butterflies, and skipp

Groundcover in moist areas. Can be mowed. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Often considered a pest in over-watered lawns. If the lawn is replaced by the "pest" the effect can be attractive. , Habitat, Cutthroat seep, wet prairie, dome swamp. Somestimes in floating mats. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Attracts bees.  A study at the Archbold Biological Station identified the following families of bees using this species: Halictid

They are included here because they are valuable to insects and because they are lovely and good to have in a native garden if you are lucky enough to , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Both species are hemi-parasitic (semi-parasitic) and difficult to grow without appropriate host plants. , Habitat, Open upland woods and disturbed edges. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for  black buckeye. Attracts insects.

Moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds (Treasure Coast Natives blog). , Habitat, Low flatwoods, wet prairie, coastal swales, pond margins, marshy roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Recorded visitors include bees, butterflies, and wasps (Treasure Coast Natives blog).

Use as a specimen plant or understory tree. May be single or multi-stemmed. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Toxic fruits and foliage. Leaves drop earlier than other deciduous trees. , Habitat, Upland hardwood forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage

Foliage is fine-textured. Fast growing. Subject to root problems in poorly drained areas. Highly flammible and old trees are weak.  Think twice about , 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, Roots are sensitive to disturbance. , Wildlife, Squirrels and other animals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Dry sites. Scrub, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

This is a protected plant as it is of major importance to the stabilization of beach dunes. Specimen plant. Mass plantings on beach dunes for stabili , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt , Considertions, Spreads aggressively via rhizomes. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife eat the seeds. , Habitat, Beach dunes, coastal grasslands. , Did You Know?, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance

Has considerable winter interest as its bark is smooth and red. Wet site hedge, wet site specimen plant especially if a clump is suitable.Rarely plan , 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.  Fruits used by birds and small mammals. , Habitat, Riverine swamps, natural levees along streams, lake margins. Typically in areas with shallow annual inundation, typically during the winter/early spri , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers Larval host for cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia) and spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).  Attracts long

This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites. Specimen plant or background screen for wet places. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts butterflies, bees, beetles, and birds. , Habitat, Depressions in pine flatwoods, brackish and freshwater marshes, edges of lakes and ponds, along rivers, swamps, canals, ditches. Commonly in water bu , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host of  Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies and  four

Wildflower garden, groundcover , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Forested areas around wetlands , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for common buckeye (Junonia coenia).

Rare. Listed by the FACS as Threatened.  Please acquire only from reputable dalers with appropriate permits. Screen or buffer plant. Specimen shrub. , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Provides food and cover for birds small mammals. , Habitat, Coastal hammocks. Pine rocklands. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

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

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

Specimen shrub. Fine foliage. Does well adjacent to structures or woods. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Requires acid soil. , Wildlife, Attracts many pollinators--is important to native bees. Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit. , Habitat, Dry sites. Upland mixed forests, sandhill, flatwoods, scrub. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers

Benefits from controlled burns. There are contradictions in herbarium databases, and reliable observations in counties where there are no herbarium sp , 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 , Wildlife, Used as browse by deer to the extent that in some states, browsing is an issue. , Habitat, Dry, sandy , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for many butterfly species but also visited by other native insect pollinators.

In a managed garden, gamagrass can be trimmed back at the end of winter. Hedge, foundation planting, individual large grass clump, background screen , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Can die back and become messy during cold winters, but new growth covers it in the spring. , Wildlife, Even when trimmed occasionally, Gama Grass will provide cover for small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Deer eat the seeds. , Habitat, Wet bogs, roadsides, ditches, wet hammocks, river banks, low thickets, pine woods, open swamps, open habitats, flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. Also culti , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host for three-spotted skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus), clouded skipper (Lerema accius) and Byssusskipper (Problema

Used extensively in Indian cultures. Fruits are very high in Vitamin C. Casual settings, wetland edge or screen plant. Rain gardens and bioswales. Lo , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Many would consider this plant weedy: it does self seed and spread via rhizomes. It's wood is weak; stems break easily. Use where these characteristic , Wildlife, Fruits popular with birds. , Habitat, Disturbed wetland edges, wet roadsides, etc. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Flowers attract many pollinators.

This is a State-endangered species.  Please honor all state regulations regarding growing and transport of this species. Plant in wet prairie setting , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Foliage and seeds are food source for birds and mammals. , Habitat, Open seep slopes, wet prairie, wet flatwoods at margins of seasonal ponds, wetland transition zones. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.

Hedges, screens. , 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, Reseeds. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit and use the privet for cover.  Especially important for songbirds because the fruits mature before most oth , Habitat, Dry sites. Coastal hammocks, coastal scrub, thickets. , Did You Know?, Hurricane wind resistance Pollinated by bees.

The distribution mimics the distribution of steepheads, a stream/valley system that originates in a very steep-headed ravine where the water seeps out , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Slope forest, floodplain forest, hydric hammocks, seep stream (banks), steepheads. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Pollinated by a variety of insects, especially native flies and beetles.