FNPS Plant Database

Myrcianthes fragrans

Simpson's stopper, twinberry

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Simpson's stopper, twinberry

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Myrcianthes fragrans

Family:

Myrtaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

5-20 ft tall by 3-15 ft wide with the potential to form small clones.

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

orange

Phenology:

Evergreen. Flowers sporadically throughout the year with best bloom in spring and early summer.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance, Hurricane Wind Resistance, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen plant. Roadsides, parking lot edges, and medians. Smaller forms can make good foundation screens.

Considerations:

Both suckers and seedlings will appear.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Easily grown from seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

Coming Soon!

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

Calcareous (high pH)

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds

Attracts bees and butterflies.

Birds eat the fruits.

Native Habitats:

Tropical rockland hammock, coastal hammock.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Called a stopper, because it was used for treatment of diarrhea.

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).



Institute for Regional Conservation.  Accessed 2021.  Natives for Your Neighborhood.   https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Myrcfrag.



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



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



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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