Myrsine
Myrsine guianensis
Common Name: Myrsine (other common names: Colicwood, Rapanea)
Scientific Name: Myrsine guianensis (other accepted scientific names: Myrsine cubana, Rapanea punctata, Rapanea cubana)
Family Name: Myrsinaceae
Origin: Florida native
Height: 15’ – 20’
Width: 8’ – 12’
Growth: moderate
Zone: 10 - 11
Light Needs: Partial Sun to Partial Shade
Salt Tolerance: good
Soil/PH/Texture: Its native habitat includes the lee side of coastal upland plant communities where soil is sandy with shell fragments. Soil pH is neutral to slightly alkaline and may be poorly drained. It can also be found in bald cypress swamps among other wet-site-tolerant plants. Myrsine prefers to be grown in average soil with some organic matter.
Soil Moisture: will adapt to variable soil conditions including poor drainage, average watering but once established it is highly drought tolerant.
Drought Tolerance: high
Pests/Diseases: no serious pests are normally seen on the plant
Growing Conditions: easy to grow and low maintenance
Characteristics: This evergreen tree or multi-trunked shrub/bush has green leaves that are simple, alternately arranged, oblong, 2” – 4” in length, and clustered at the ends of their branches. The dioecious flowers are sessile, small, and, greenish white in color, and bloom year-round. Its fruit are small – less than .5”, round, black, single-seeded, and are especially attractive to birds.
Propagation: by seed usually
Wildlife: attracts birds and butterflies
Facts: Myrsine means shrub in an ancient Greek, and may trace back to myrrh, whereas Cubana refers to Cuba.
Designer Considerations: can be used as hedge or screen plant, on the edges of parking lot, median, as an accent plant, background plant, specimen, or as a border.
Myrsine
Location
Native Trees in The Gardens