FNPS Plant Database

Forestiera segregata

Florida privet, Florida swampprivet
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Florida privet, Florida swampprivet

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Forestiera segregata

Family:

Oleaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

5-15 ft tall by 5-10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow,green

Fruit Color:

blue,purple,black

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in early spring. Fruits ripen late spring. Moderate live span (Nelson 2003).

Noted For:

Hurricane Wind Resistance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Hedges, screens.

Considerations:

Reseeds.

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Short 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:

Soil pH:

alkaline

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds, Mammals

Pollinated by bees.

 Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit and use the privet for cover.  Especially important for songbirds because the fruits mature before most other fleshy fruits ripen.

Native Habitats:

Dry sites. Coastal hammocks, coastal scrub, thickets.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



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



Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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