FNPS Plant Database

Agarista populifolia

Florida hobblebush, pipewood, agarista

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Nomenclature

Common Name:

Florida hobblebush, pipewood, agarista

Synonym(s):

Leucothoe populifolia

Genus species:

Agarista populifolia

Family:

Ericaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

5-15 ft tall by 5-8 ft wide

Life Span:

long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

brown/copper

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms early- to mid-spring.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen plant, foundation planting, screen.

Considerations:

Old stems should be pruned. Plant tends to sucker, so plant where suckers are an asset.

Availability:

Native Plant Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Specialty Providers

Propagation:

Seed or cuttings.

Light:

Part Shade, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

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

-|----|----|------- <------------> -------|----|----|

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:

Clay, Loam, Organic (muck), Sand

Soil pH:

acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8B, 9A

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds, Mammals
Some birds and other wildlife consume fruit. Foliage is poisonous.
Bees, Butterflies

Attracts bees and butterflies.

Native Habitats:

Seepage areas, moist hammocks, swamps, river floodplains

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Toxic to humans and some animals.

Citations:

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.


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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