Its acorn is large (about an inch long) and is nearly enclosed by its cup or receptacle--hence the name "overcup." Shade tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Falling/fallen acorns can be an issue. , Wildlife, Acorns appreciated by squirrels, deer, turkey, and other wildlife Used by birds for resting and nesting Said (by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlflower Cen , Habitat, Bottomland floodplains and inundated river levees, lake swamps, rarely on non-wetland portions of floodplains. , Did You Know?, Host plant for the White-M Hairstreak and Horace's Duskywing butterflies.

This species and other members of the Lauraceae are being attacked by a serious, fatal disease. Do not plant this plant unless you are absolutely sure , 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, Subject to laural wilt, which is spread by the redbay ambrosia beetle. Do not move dead wood. Allow sprouts from stumps to grow to supply larval food , Wildlife, Fruits eaten and dispersed by birds. , Habitat, Upland hardwood forests, dry mesic hammocks, calcareous hammocks. Sometime associated with wetlands. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage Larval host plant for palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) and spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) butterflies. Attracts

Wildflower garden, meadow. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Habitat, Sandhills, dry flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts generalist pollinators.

The range of this species is primarily the coastal plain from Texas to North Carolina. A second subspecies (subsp. greenmanii) occurs in the Florida P , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Unknown , Considertions, All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested.  Bruised leaves may produce a rash on bare skin , Habitat, Marshes, wet flatwoods, wet prairies, seepage slopes, edges of cypress wetlands, ditches , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Host plant for black swallowtail. Attracts generalist pollinators.