Forestiera segregata: Florida Privetedis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FP/FP21300.pdf · Forestiera...
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FPS-213 Forestiera segregata: Florida Privet 1 Edward F. Gilman, Dennis G. Watson, Ryan W. Klein, Andrew K. Koeser, Deborah R. Hilbert, and Drew C. McLean 2 1. This document is FPS-213, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 1999. Revised December 2018. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. 2. Edward F. Gilman, professor emeritus, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department; Ryan W. Klein, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department; Andrew K. Koeser, assistant professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center; Deborah R. Hilbert, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; and Drew C. McLean, biological scientist, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office. U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Introduction Florida privet is a 10- to 15-foot-tall shrub or small tree that is densely foliated with small, evergreen leaves. e dark, glossy green leaves are oblong to elliptic in shape and are sometimes shed in the winter. e form commonly found in south Florida (Dade County) has a much smaller leaf than those from other parts of the state. e bark of the younger trees is light brown or gray, and older specimens have a pale yellow bark that is mottled with light brown and green. e bark of the older trees is also roughened by many small, raised lenticels. Bees are attracted to the tiny, corolla-less flowers that have greenish yellow or reddish purple stamens. ese flowers are borne individually or in clusters of three or four along the branches, and they occur in the winter and early spring before the new leaves emerge. e fruits are black berries that ripen in the spring and summer. e birds favor these berries, and the plant produces the fruits in abundance. General Information Scientific name: Forestiera segregata Pronunciation: far-ress-TEER-uh seg-reg-AY-tuh Common name(s): Florida privet, Florida swamp privet, Southern privet Family: Oleaceae Plant type: tree USDA hardiness zones: 8B through 11 (Figure 2) Origin: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and many of the Caribbean Islands UF/IFAS Invasive Assessment Status: native Planting month for zone 8: year round Planting month for zone 9: year round Uses: superior hedge; espalier; specimen; screen; attracts butterflies Figure 1. Full Form—Forestiera segregata: Florida privet
Transcript of Forestiera segregata: Florida Privetedis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FP/FP21300.pdf · Forestiera...
FPS-213
Forestiera segregata: Florida Privet1
Edward F. Gilman, Dennis G. Watson, Ryan W. Klein, Andrew K. Koeser, Deborah R. Hilbert, and Drew C. McLean2
1. This document is FPS-213, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 1999. Revised December 2018. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.
2. Edward F. Gilman, professor emeritus, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department; Ryan W. Klein, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department; Andrew K. Koeser, assistant professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center; Deborah R. Hilbert, graduate assistant, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; and Drew C. McLean, biological scientist, Environmental Horticulture Department, GCREC; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.
IntroductionFlorida privet is a 10- to 15-foot-tall shrub or small tree that is densely foliated with small, evergreen leaves. The dark, glossy green leaves are oblong to elliptic in shape and are sometimes shed in the winter. The form commonly found in south Florida (Dade County) has a much smaller leaf than those from other parts of the state. The bark of the younger trees is light brown or gray, and older specimens have a pale yellow bark that is mottled with light brown and green. The bark of the older trees is also roughened by many small, raised lenticels. Bees are attracted to the tiny, corolla-less flowers that have greenish yellow or reddish purple stamens. These flowers are borne individually or in clusters of three or four along the branches, and they occur in the winter and early spring before the new leaves emerge. The fruits are black berries that ripen in the spring and summer. The birds favor these berries, and the plant produces the fruits in abundance.
General InformationScientific name: Forestiera segregataPronunciation: far-ress-TEER-uh seg-reg-AY-tuhCommon name(s): Florida privet, Florida swamp privet, Southern privetFamily: OleaceaePlant type: tree
USDA hardiness zones: 8B through 11 (Figure 2)Origin: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and many of the Caribbean IslandsUF/IFAS Invasive Assessment Status: nativePlanting month for zone 8: year roundPlanting month for zone 9: year roundUses: superior hedge; espalier; specimen; screen; attracts butterflies
Figure 1. Full Form—Forestiera segregata: Florida privet
2Forestiera segregata: Florida Privet
DescriptionHeight: 10 to 15 feetSpread: 5 to 10 feetPlant habit: upright; ovalPlant density: denseGrowth rate: moderateTexture: fine
FoliageLeaf arrangement: opposite/suboppositeLeaf type: simpleLeaf margin: entireLeaf shape: oblongLeaf venation: pinnateLeaf type and persistence: evergreenLeaf blade length: ½ to 2 inchesLeaf color: dark green and glossy on top, pale green underneathFall color: no fall color changeFall characteristic: not showy
FlowerFlower color: yellow greenFlower characteristic: spring flowering; winter flowering; emerges in clusters from leaf axilsFlowering: winter and early spring
FruitFruit shape: ovalFruit length: less than .5 inchFruit cover: fleshy drupeFruit color: blackFruit characteristic: attracts birdsFruiting: spring and summer
Figure 2. Shaded area represents potential planting range.
Figure 3. Leaf—Forestiera segregata: Florida privet
Figure 4. Flower—Forestiera segregata: Florida privet
Figure 5. Fruit—Forestiera segregata: Florida privet
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Trunk and BranchesTrunk/branches: showy; no thornsBark: Gray or brown and smooth, becoming rough with age due to raised lenticels, and turning pale yellow with brown and green intermixed; no thornsCurrent year stem/twig color: brownCurrent year stem/twig thickness: thin
CultureLight requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sunSoil tolerances: extended flooding; acidic; alkaline; sand; loam; clayDrought tolerance: highSoil salt tolerances: moderatePlant spacing: 36 to 60 inches
OtherRoots: usually not a problemWinter interest: no special winter interestOutstanding plant: not particularly outstandingPest resistance: no serious pests are normally seen on the plant
Use and ManagementFlorida privet may be successfully used as a specimen or hedge. With regular clipping, it can be planted along a foundation. It makes a superior hedge and is very tolerant of clipping and shearing. Small leaf size and moderate growth rate make it suited for maintaining at almost any
height. For best results, keep the lower portion of the hedge wider than the top. Early training can produce a small tree for planting in home landscapes and other areas requiring a small, multi-trunked tree.
This cold hardy plant requires a planting site that receives full sun and a well-drained soil. It grows poorly in mucky soils. Its native, upland coastal habitat associates include bay cedar, Spanish bayonet, cocoplum and other drought and salt tolerant plants. Soils in this habitat are very sandy with shell fragments and a neutral or alkaline pH.
Forestiera acuminata is a similar plant hardy into zone 5 that grows in the swamps. Forestiera ligustrina grows in the flatwoods and mesic upland hardwood forests of Florida.
Pests and DiseasesNo pests or diseases are of major concern.
ReferenceKoeser, A. K., Hasing, G., Friedman, M. H., and Irving, R. B. 2015. Trees: North & Central Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Figure 6. Bark—Forestiera segregata: Florida privetCredits: Gitta Hasing
