This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites. Specimen plant or background screen for wet places.

Natural areas with some trees and vines for support

Shade tree where falling/fallen nuts will not be a problem.

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 stabilization. Seed heads useful in dried arrangements.

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.

Citrus County specimen does not come up in the FLAS database search, so the County is not included on our map. Specimen plant in moist shade gardens. Grow it on downed logs, lower trunks of cypress, or on rock. Needs to be in a moist, humid environment.

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 occurrences as far west as Arizona.  In Florida, the range appears to be continuous as far south as the central peninsula after which it disappears, a pattern generally associated with temperature.  This species should grow well down to the central peninsula. Some people consider this to be a weed tree.  This author has it in my "field" where it is thriving and very welcome.  It is an early successional tree, but not a problem plant.  The tree lis an important component of deciduous forests in north Florida and eastern North America. Shade tree. Useful for informal reforestation of old grove land.

Curiosity in wetland gardens.

This is a rare species and it should only be acquired from reputable plant nurseries. Some botanists have declared this endemic species to be a synonym for false rosemary (C. canescens), but since the populations are widely separated, we are treating them separately. Can be used as a medium-level groundcover or border plant.

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 numbers.

Rear of garden as a screen.  Native meadows.

Used for wetland restoration. Attractive for planting in surface water management ponds.

Wind pollinated.  Dioecious.  According to Huegel (2010), the flowers attract insects. Plant tree in areas where fallen fruit will not be an issue.

Groundcover in moist areas. Can be mowed.

Salt tolerance has not been studied but it has been recorded (in New England) in salt marshes, suggesting tolerance of at least brackish water and likely tolerance of some salt spray. Information is lacking regarding pollination for the species. However, the family exhibits flowers that are hermaphrodite, dioecious, or gynodioecious (fairly commonly), and is most often pollinated by insects, (bees, butterflies & moths, or flies).  Also has cleistogamous flowers,so self pollination may also occur(Collins 1976 as cited in New England Native Plant Trust, 2002). Wildflower garden. It blooms early before most of the other wildflowers.

This species is listed as invasive in Australia. Foundation plantings, small speciment plants. Of year-round interest since it has both blooms and fruits nearly all year.

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 fewer lobed leaves. Subject to laurel wilt disease.  Please be careful not to move firewood or dead wood around.  Best not planted in areas where laurel wilt is present. A relatively small tree that often forms thickets. Best used in informal settings.