Dirca palustris
leatherwood
Thymelaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
shrub
Size:
4-6 ft tall by 3-5 ft wide
Life Span:
long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
yellow
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
deciduous
Noted For:
Interesting Foliage
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Use as a border plant, foundation plant, or understory shrub in a shady, moist setting.
Considerations:
Can cause serious skin irritation and is somewhat toxic to ingest.
A rare shrub, so may not adapt well into home landscapes.
Light:
Part Sun, Shade
Moisture Tolerance:
Usually moist, occasional inundation ---- to ---- Not wet but not extremely dry
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Unknown
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand
Suitable to Grow In:
Ecology
Wildlife:
Insects visit the flowers, but likely the plant does not rely upon them. Visits apparently opportunistic. (Williams, 2004).
Native Habitats:
Mesic slope forests, ravines and bluffs.
