Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Elliottia

Species:

Elliottia racemosa

USDA Symbol:

ELRA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

900 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Historically associated with fire-maintained longleaf pine sandhills; may resprout after fire but populations are now too fragmented for fire management.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, well-drained soil

pH:

5.0 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to sandy ridges and upland areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; sow on surface. Germination is often erratic with low viability.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI