Leatherwood Cyrilla racemiflora
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Leatherwood:
Previously known as:
- Cyrilla antillana
- Cyrilla arida
- Cyrilla caroliniana
- Phonetic Spelling
- sir-RIL-ah rah-see-MIH-flor-ah
- Description
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Swamp titi is an evergreen, semi-evergreen or tardily deciduous shrub or small tree in the Cyrillaceae family that is native to SE North America and occurs in coastal and Piedmont NC.
Its preference is for moist to wet well-drained sandy loam high in organic matter in full sun to partial shade. It tolerates drier sites as long as adequate moisture is provided during dry periods. It can form thickets providing cover for wildlife, especially in wet sites. Swamp titi will grow 8- 30 feet tall and spread 10-15 feet wide.
It looks shrubby when young but can be trained into a small tree with contorted stems, smooth, cinnamon-colored young bark and flaky mature bark. Showy white clusters of summer flowers and orange-red fall color make this a nice ornamental tree for the home landscape. Plus the pollinators and birds will love you for planting it.
Use this tree as a specimen, in a native garden, a pollinator garden or along ponds, streams, bogs, ditches or other wet sites. If you live in hurricane-prone areas, this is a great shrub to plant along the ditches to help prevent flooding.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cyrilla
- Species:
- racemiflora
- Family:
- Cyrillaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The plant has been used medicinally
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- southeastern U.S.A., NC to Tropical America
- Distribution:
- AL , DE , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX , VA
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It provides great cover during extreme weather. Butterflies, bees and other pollinators feed on the nectar from the flowers. Bees produce dark honey from this tree. Mammals and birds eat the fruits. Its foliage is browsed by white-tailed deer.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Yellow-brown capsule ovoid, dry, 1/12 inch long, containing 1-5 seeds, but ending up with only 1 seed maturing. Persists into winter. Displays from September to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Profuse 3-6 in. drooping sprays or racemes of white fragrant flowers late spring into summer (May, June, July) produced on stalks from last year's growth. The flower stalks are subtended by slender bracts.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, oblanceolate (having a rounded apex and tapering base) to oval, rounded or pointed at the tip, narrowed to the base leaves. The leaves are thick, without teeth, smooth and sometimes nearly evergreen. They are also reticulate (net-like)-veined, up to 4 inches long, up to 1 inch wide. The leaves are bright green below and gradually becomes canary yellow to orange burgundy in the fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Smooth cinnamon-colored bark (maturing to grayish, exfoliating)
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
