Damburneya coriacea
Lancewood
Lauraceae
Also known as Ocotea coriacea
Plant Specifics
Form: | Tree | |
Size: | 20-30 ft tall by 10-20 ft wide | |
Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
Flower Color: | White | |
Fruit Color: | Blue,black | |
Phenology: | Evergreen | |
Noted for: | Showy flowers, Interesting foliage |
Landscaping
Recommended Uses: | This small tree has an elegant appearance that makes it suited to use as a specimen plant. The glossy evergreen foliage makes this small tree also make it effective as a screen or barrier plant. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Considerations: | Potentially subject to laurel wilt disease. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Propagation: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Availability: | Native nurseries, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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(Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Short very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Short 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: | Humus (organic, upland), Lime rock, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil pH: | Adaptable |
Ecology
Wildlife: |
Wildlife food plant. | |
Insects: | Insect pollinated. | |
Native Habitats: | Tropical hammocks. This is naturally an understory tree and also as a colonizer of disturbed sites. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 9B

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
Ethnobotany: | The common name "Lancewood" comes fact that early Florida Indians apparently used the very straight stems as lances for spearing fish. | |
General Comments: | Foliage when crushed smells like citrus. |