Dirca palustris
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Leatherwood
Thymelaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | 4-6 ft tall by 3-5 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Yellow | |
| Fruit Color: | NA | |
| Phenology: | Deciduous | |
| Noted for: | Interesting foliage |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Use as a border plant, foundation plant, or understory shrub in a shady, moist setting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Can cause serious skin irritation and is somewhat toxic to ingest. A rare shrub, so may not adapt well into home landscapes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. Prefers soils high in organic material. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Part Shade, Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Acidic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
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| Insects: | Insects visit the flowers, but likely the plant does not rely upon them. Visits apparently opportunistic. (Williams, 2004). | |
| Native Habitats: | Mesic slope forests, ravines and bluffs. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | The common name refers to the pliable twigs. |