Maleberry Lyonia ligustrina
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Maleberry:
- Phonetic Spelling
- ly-OH-nee-ah lig-oo-STREE-nah
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Maleberry is a native deciduous shrub found in low, alluvial woods & thickets, wet meadows, bogs and lakeshores. It requires wet, medium-drained, acidic soils and part to full sun. It typically grows at least as wide as tall and has urn-shaped blooms in spring and early summer. It blooms on previous years growth so prune after flowering.
Two varieties occur in our region. Lyonia ligustrina var. foliosiflora has conspicuous bracts among the flowers in the inflorescence and is more common in the Coastal and Piedmont regions. Lyonia ligustrina var. ligustrina lacks conspicuous bracts among the flowers and is more common in the Mountains and Piedmont.
Plant it in a shrub border or as a hedge in a woodland, rain, or water garden.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. ligustrina
Found in moist habitats in bogs
- var. ligustrina
- var. ligustrina
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. ligustrina
Found in moist habitats in bogs
- var. ligustrina
- var. ligustrina
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lyonia
- Species:
- ligustrina
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Easter U.S.A., NC
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Maleberry is a nectar plant and produces good tasting honey. Members of the genus Lyonia support the following specialized bees: Colletes productu and Melitta (Cilissa) melittoides.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
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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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- The 5-parted seed capsule splits open when ripe.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Urn
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- White flowers in spring and early summer on previous season's growth. Small, white or pink, urn-shaped and drooping, in terminal clusters
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Ovate grey-green leaves covered with fine hairs are 1.5- 3 inches long with a pointed tip. The fall color is orange-red.
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Bark Description:
- Brown to reddish-brown with long horizontal splits developing.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- Signs of Toxicity occur usually within six hours of consuming the plant. Symptoms include lack of coordination, excessive salivation, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, weakness, muscular spasms, watering of eyes and nose, slow pulse, colic, ataxia, depression, sweating, tingling of skin, convulsions, paralysis, coma, and sometimes even death. Toxicity in sheep, goats, cattle, and horses is most likely to occur in late winter or early spring when other forage is not available. Livestock are found down, unable to stand with their head weaving from side to side.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Andromedotoxin, Resinoid, Glucoside, Arbutin, Grayanotoxins
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Leaves
- Sap/Juice
