Sideroxylon tenax

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Find This Plant at a Native Nursery

Learn More About Plant Status in FL

Tough Buckthorn, Tough Bully

Sapotaceae

Also known as Bumelia tenax

Plant Specifics

Form:	Tree
Size:	12-30 ft tall by to 20 ft wide
Life Span:	Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:	White
Fruit Color:	Black
Phenology:	Evergreen (south) or deciduous (north). Flowers in summer. Fruits ripen in summer or fall.
Noted for:	Interesting foliage, Thorns

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Hedge plant, specimen plant, woodland plant. Plant where the silky brown/gold undersides of the foliage will be seen.

Considerations:

Plant where it will have space. While many specimens in natural scrub settings are slow growing, this plant can be a robust growing in the landscape. Expect it to grow into a small tree.

Propagation:

Seed, cuttings.

Availability:

Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Seed

Light:

Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

always floodedextremely dry

(Not wet but not extremely dry ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods)

Moisture Tolerance:

Not wet but not extremely dry ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.

Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.

Soil or other substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Adaptable

Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds and other animals eat the fruit.

Insects:

Nectar plant for butterflies
Attracts bees and flies

Watching insects swarm over my tough bully trees is one of my summertime treats.

Native Habitats:

Sandhill, scrub.

Distribution and Planting Zones

Natural Range in Florida

USDA Zones

Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 8A 8B 9A 9B