Leatherwood Cyrilla racemiflora

• Attributes:

  Genus:

  Cyrilla

  Species:

  racemiflora

  Family:

  Cyrillaceae

  Life Cycle:

  Perennial

  Recommended Propagation Strategy:

  Root Cutting

  Seed

  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 and bees feed on the nectar from the flowers.  Bees produce a dark honey from this tree. Mammals eat the fruits. Its foliage is browsed by white-tailed deer.

  Dimensions:

  Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.

  Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.

• Whole Plant Traits:

  Plant Type:

  Native Plant

  Shrub

  Tree

  Leaf Characteristics:

  Deciduous

  Semi-evergreen

  Habit/Form:

  Rounded

  Spreading

  Growth Rate:

  Medium

  Maintenance:

  Medium

  Texture:

  Medium

• Cultural Conditions:

  Light:

  Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)

  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

  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

• 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.

• 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.

• Leaves:

  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.

• Bark:

  Bark Color:

  Light Brown

  Red/Burgundy

  Surface/Attachment:

  Smooth

  Bark Description:

  Smooth cinnamon-colored bark

• Stem:

  Stem Is Aromatic:

  No

• Landscape:

  Landscape Location:

  Coastal

  Pond

  Riparian

  Landscape Theme:

  Butterfly Garden

  Pollinator Garden

  Winter Garden

  Attracts:

  Bees

  Butterflies

  Pollinators

  Resistance To Challenges:

  Deer