Ardisia escallonioides
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Marlberry, Marbleberry
Myrsinaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | 3-15 (20) ft tall by 3-8 ft wide. Taller in southern Florida than to the north. | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| Fruit Color: | Black | |
| Phenology: | Evergreen. Flowers intermittently throughout the year. | |
| Noted for: | Aroma, fragrance, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage |
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, 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: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Circum-neutral to somewhat 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
| Ethnobotany: | Fruit is edible. | |
| General Comments: | Don't confuse this native with the two highly invasive ardisias: coral ardisia (A. crentata) and shoebutton ardisia (A. elliptica). While this will grown in full shade, it blooms better in part sun to sun. |