Styrax americanus
american snowbell, snowbell, mock-orange, mock orange
Family
Styracaceae
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Attachment
petiolate
Leaf Margin
serrulate
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
elliptic, oblanceolate, obovate
Growth Form
shrub, tree
Flower Color
white
Flower Month
April - September
Height (meters)
3.0 - 6.0
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
native
Lifespan
perennial
Growing Season
Warm season
Leaf Retention
Deciduous
Wetland Class
FACW
Wetland Coefficient of Conservatism
7
Prairie Coefficient of Conservatism
6
Field Characters
A small tree or shrub with elliptic to obovate leaves, tapering to the base, and more or less acute to short-acuminate at the apex. The leaves are somewhat scurfy on their lower surface, with the margins (especially above the middle) irregularly toothed. The flowers are axillary or in several-flowered racemes to seven cm long.
Natural History
Found in moist soils, in woods, along streams, and in moist prairies, throughout Louisiana and east Texas. Ranges from Virginia, south to Florida, and west to Texas.
Habitat
Moist woods and along streams, swamp forests and prairies.