FNPS Plant Database

Bourreria cassinifolia

little strongbark, smooth strongbark
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

little strongbark, smooth strongbark

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Bourreria cassinifolia

Family:

Boraginaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

5-7 ft tall by 4-5 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

orange

Phenology:

evergreen. Blooms summer-fall. Fruits ripen fall-winter.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Accent shrub, screen plant if used as a hedge.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Short very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

Calcarious

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

Don't know your zone? Click here to search by zip code.

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Birds

Attracts a variety of pollinators including bees and many types of butterflies including Julieas, zebra longwings, skippers, sulphurs.


Attracts sphinx moths.

Attracts  hummingbirds





Fruits are harvested by a variety of birds

Native Habitats:

Marshes, ruderal in disturbed wet areas.

Natural Range in Florida:

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Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Listed as Endangered in Florida. Please acquire only from reputable nurseries.



The US range is limited to Florida. Globally, it is also found in the West Indies.

Citations:

Chafin, L. G. (2000). Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL.


Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Hammer, Roger. (2015). Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Huegel, Craig N. (2010). Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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