FNPS Plant Database

Suriana maritima

bay-cedar
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton (Curry Hammock State Park)

Nomenclature

Common Name:

bay-cedar

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Suriana maritima

Family:

Surianaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Shrub

Size:

6–10 (20) ft tall by 6–10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

black

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms year round. Slow growing and moderately-long lived (Nelson 2003)

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Hurricane Wind Resistance, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Hedge or specimen plant in coastal areas.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Neutral to calcareous

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

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

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars

Host plant for Martial Scrub Hairstreak (Strymon martialis) and Mallow Scrub Hairstreak (Strymon istapa). A nectar plant for these and many other butterflies and bees.

Native Habitats:

Dunes, beaches, coastal scrub, sandy thickets

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Works well to control erosion (wind and water) on dunes.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Gann, G.D., C.J. Abbott, C.G. Stocking, K.N. Hines, and collaborators. (2001+). Bay Cedar [in] Natives For Your Neighborhood. ( https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Surimari ). Accessed 2026. The Institute for Regional Conservation. Delray Beach, FL.


Gilman, Edward F., Ryan W. Klein, and Gail Hansen. (2024). Suriana maritima , Bay Cedar. Publication FPS-565. ( https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP565 ). Dept. of Environmental Horticulture, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


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


Nelson, Gil. (2003). Florida's Best Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


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. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

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