Habitat

• native to from Texas east
• zone 5

Habit and Form

• a deciduous, small tree
• 9' to 18' tall and slightly less as wide
• multibranched and multi-stemmed
• branches are held horizontally
• suckers
• medium texture
• slow growing

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• simple, deciduous leaves
• 1.5" to 3" long
• cuneate leaf margins
• dark green leaf color
• pubescent

Autumn Foliage

• yellow fall color

Flowers

• tiny, white flowers
• dioecious
• not ornamentally important

Fruit

• bright red fruit on female plants only
• 0.25' in diameter
• ripen in September
• showy
• persists

Bark

• smooth, grayish-brown bark
• slender, brown stems
• gray, onion-like layer

Culture

• prefers acidic soil
• tolerates wet sites
• full sun to partial shade

Landscape Use

• as a foundation plant
• hedges
• borders
• in mass planting
• screen
• winter fruit effect
• patio tree
• wet sites

Liabilities

• no serious pest problems
• can become leggy

ID Features

• alternate leaf arrangement
• dense, rigid, multibranched habit
• deciduous
• red fruit
• small, imbricate buds, brown
• tiny white flowers
• yellow fall color
• suckers

Propagation

• by semi-hardwood or winter cuttings for cultivars
• seed exhibit a dormancy an can be slow to germinate

Cultivars/Varieties

'Byers Golden' - This is a yellow-fruited selection that reportedly holds the fruit for a long period.

'Council Fire' - An upright, rounded form growing 15' tall and 10' wide, this plant is superior for its ample fruit production and retention in clusters along the stems.

'Red Escort' - This is a male selection (pollinator) with glossy leaves and a habit to 30' tall.

'Warren's Red' (also known as 'Warren Red') - This cultivar appears to display superior hardiness and is also notable for its bright, glossy fruit and late leaf retention. The habit is upright and 20' tall and wide.