Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Lauraceae

Genus:

Tamala

Species:

Tamala borbonia

USDA Symbol:

PEBO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

1200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow, cream

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire. Common in fire-maintained pine flatwoods and bay swamp margins.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers habitats like swamps and coastal areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–180 days

Notes:

Seeds have double dormancy and may take several months to germinate. Warm stratification followed by cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI