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Lyonia fruticosa (Michx.)G.S.Torr.
Coastalplain Staggerbush
Poor-grub
Coastal Plain Staggerbush
Florida native
A frequent shrub of scrub and flatwoods of much of the peninsula and west into the central panhandle. Also ranges into the coastal plain of Georgia and South Carolina.
Typically less than 2m (6-1/2 ft.) tall with erect, rigid branches. Leaves are alternate, simple, entire, oval to elliptic and not revolute. Usually up to 5cm long and 2.8cm wide, with mature leaves often ascending to expose the grayish undersides. Young leaves are covered with rust-colored scales on the underside. Flowers appear in clusters on long stalks from the leaf axils on the current season's growth. The white urn-shaped flowers appear in the spring and early summer. They are nearly round and 2.5-5mm (1/10 to 2/10 in.) long. The fruit is a five-angled cylindrical capsule up to 5mm long.
Very similar to L. ferruginea(rusty lyonia), however L. fruticosa does not become tree-like, rarely has any revolute leaves, and the rusty undersides of leaves are made up of scales that are all the same size.
Lyonia fruticosa is a member of the Ericaceae - Heath family.
Other species of the Lyonia genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Lyonia ferruginea - RUSTY LYONIA
Lyonia lucida - FETTERBUSH
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jun 01, 2023
