The range of Prunus serotina includes most of eastern North America as far north as southern Canada.  It extends west into Texas and there are spotty , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Considertions, Leaves and twigs are highly poisonous to livestock, pets and humans. , Wildlife, Birds and other animals eat the fruits.  Birds are the primary disperser into old fields and hedge rows. , Habitat, Dry sites. Upland mixed forest, upland hardwood forest, secondary woods, old fields, sandhill, ruderal areas. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Bees are pollinators. Larval host for tiger swallowtail.

Grows well well north of its native range.  Documented in very southern counties with an outlier in Martin County -- that outlier is also unique in th , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Can get messy after cold spells. , Wildlife, Seeds are eaten by birds.  Provides cover for lizzards and other small animals. , Habitat, Pine rockland. Also cultivated. Dry sites. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage Larval host for Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus).

Very thorny. In the northern parts of its range, a thornless cultivar is planted. Specimen tree. To avoid insect issues, best not to plant in large n , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Considertions, Very sharp thorns. Tree is short-lived in the southern parts of its range (includes Florida). , Wildlife, The seed pods have edible sweet pulp and are eaten by deer, opossums, squirrels, crows, starlings, and  quail. , Habitat, Upper portions of riverine floodplains, fertile uplands, stream banks. Planted in upland areas. , Did You Know?, Thorns Larval host for Epargyreus clarus (Silver-Spotted Skipper) and several moths including Catocala innubens (The Betrothed), Catocala minuta (Lit

Groundcover in moist areas. Can be mowed. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Often considered a pest in over-watered lawns. If the lawn is replaced by the "pest" the effect can be attractive. , Habitat, Cutthroat seep, wet prairie, dome swamp. Somestimes in floating mats. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Attracts bees.  A study at the Archbold Biological Station identified the following families of bees using this species: Halictid

Moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds (Treasure Coast Natives blog). , Habitat, Low flatwoods, wet prairie, coastal swales, pond margins, marshy roadsides. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Recorded visitors include bees, butterflies, and wasps (Treasure Coast Natives blog).

Specimen plant, typically forms clumps of stems,the young fan-shaped fronds hide the principal stems. The lower fronds can be removed so that the trun , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon ( , Considertions, Leaf stalks bear spines. , Wildlife, Fruits spread by birds. , Habitat, Moist hammocks, swamps, but can adapt to drier sites. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Thorns, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts bees.