Damburneya coriacea

Lancewood

Lauraceae

Also known as Ocotea coriacea, Nectandra coriaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:	Shrub
Size:	20-30 ft tall by 10-20 ft wide
Life Span:	Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:	White
Fruit Color:	Blue,black
Phenology:	Evergreen. Blooms in spring. Fruits summer-fall.
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
	(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. Said to be a good honey plant (Haehle and  Brookwell 1999).
Native Habitats:	Tropical hammocks. This is naturally an understory tree and also as a colonizer of disturbed sites.

Distribution and Planting Zones

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.