FNPS Plant Database

Amyris elemifera

torchwood, sea torchwood
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

torchwood, sea torchwood

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Amyris elemifera

Family:

Rutaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

15-20 (40) ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

purple,black

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms spring-fall.

Noted For:

Showy Fruits, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Noted for its 3-parted glossy leaves. Can be used as as a specimen plant, screen, or possibly a hedge.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Seed or separation of root suckers.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

calcareous

Suitable to Grow In:

9B,10A,10B,11

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, Mammals

Larval host plant for Bahamian swallowtail ( Heraclides andraemon ), giant swallowtail ( Papilio cresphontes ) and Schaus' swallowtail ( Heraclides aristodemus ) butterflies.

The fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals. Also used for cover or nesting by birds.

Native Habitats:

Coastal uplands

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Said to be edible.

General Comments:

Fragrant.

Citations:

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



Institute for Regional Conservation.  Accessed 2021-12-01.  https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Amyrelem



Minno, Marc and Maria Minno.  1999. Florida Butterfly Gardening.  University Press of Florida. 



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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