FNPS Plant Database

Cartrema americanum

wild olive, American devilwood
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: By Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA - Devilwood, CC BY 2.0

Nomenclature

Common Name:

wild olive, American devilwood

Synonym(s):

Osmanthus americanus

Genus species:

Cartrema americanum

Family:

Oleaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

8-15 (50) ft tall by 5-10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

black

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Evergreen screen, evergreen shrub to small tree.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Seed, layering

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds, Mammals

Attracts bees.

Larger birds and small mammals eat the fruit.

Native Habitats:

Moist sites. Coastal hammocks, floodplains, bulffs, flatwoods, bay swamps.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Fruit is edible

General Comments:

Fragrant.

Citations:

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cartrema-americana/ (says salt tolerant and bees)

Huegel, Craig, N.  2010.  Native plant landscaping for Florida wildlife.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (wildlife uses)



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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