Ardisia escallonioides
Marlberry, Marbleberry
Myrsinaceae
Plant Specifics
Form: | Shrub | |
Size: | 8-15 (20) ft tall by 3-8 ft wide | |
Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
Flower Color: | White | |
Fruit Color: | Black | |
Phenology: | Evergreen | |
Noted for: | Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
Recommended Uses: | Specimen plant or hedge. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Considerations: | Weak wood. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Propagation: | Seed, but it may take 6 months to germinate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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(Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of inundation with brackish water | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil pH: | Alkaline |
Ecology
Wildlife: |
Birds eat the berries. | |
Insects: | Attracts Halictid bees. | |
Native Habitats: | Moist to dry hammocks |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 9A 9B

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
General Comments: | Known for its sweet smelling flowers. Don't confuse this native with the two highly invasive ardisias: coral ardisia (A. crentata) and shoebutton ardisia (A. elliptica). |