Known for very dense wood, hence the common name.  Said to have the heaviest wood on any American tree. Specimen plant or small shade tree. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t , Wildlife, Fruit eaten by birds and other wildlife. , Habitat, Dry sites. Hammocks. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance

Shrub for woodland edge or casual garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits are prized by a variety of birds and mammals. , Habitat, Sandhills, scrub, flatwoods, cypress swamp margins. Acid soils. Mesic to dry-mesic flatwoods, edges of bayneads, cypress depressions, cutthroat seeps. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Pollinated primarily by native bees.

Specimen or shade tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, The foul-smelling crushed leaves, flower litter, seed pod litter, and root suckers can create a maintenance problem in residential landscapes. , Habitat, Dry hammocks, dry hardwood forests. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for catalpa sphinx moth (Ceratomia catalpae) and tersa sphinx (Xylophanes tersa).   Attracts various p

Fruits are showy from mid-distance until spring. Salt tolerance is unknown but given known locations for the plant, we assume it is likely to be low. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Sandhill, open areas in xeric hammock, scrub, scrubby-sandhill, scrubby flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Attracts butterflies and moths, bees, and other insects.  Documented bees include Colletes mandibularis, Agaposternon spl

Grow as stands of flowers in moist areas. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Self-fertile, so seeds can be produced by self-pollination. Pollination is facilitated by  bats, hummingbirds, and other small wildlife species. , Habitat, Wet sites. Swamps, pond and lake margins, ditches, savannas, hydric pine flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Self-fertile, so seeds can be produced by self-pollination. Pollination is facilitated by bees. Larval host of the

Depending on who you ask, there are two laurel oaks in Florida.  Q. laurifolia (swamp laurel oak) and Q. hemisphaerica (Darlington oak, sand laurel oa , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Somewhat weak, and compared to live oak, short-lived. , Wildlife, Produces acorns that are used by rodents, including squirrels, and other mammals Acorns used by woodpeckers, jays, and wild turkeys. High in tannins. , Habitat, River floodplains, secondary woods. , Did You Know?, Larval host for Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) and White M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album). Larval host for several moth species (some of the c