Loblolly Bay
Gordonia lasianthus
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Theaceae
- Genus:
- Gordonia
- Species:
- Gordonia lasianthus
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- More than 40 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may, jun, jul, aug, sep, oct, nov
- Bloom Colors:
- White
- Evergreen Shrub:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Promethea silkmoth (Callosamia promethea), saucereye silkmoth (Callosamia securifera), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, acidic, sandy loam
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to wetland areas, prefers acidic soils
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Tip cuttings of crisp green wood, stripped of all but 2 to 3 firm leaves near the apical meristem, dipped 5 sec in a 1:10 dilution of Wood's liquid rooting compound. Cuttings were stuck into individual Spin-Out-treated containers filled 1.5:1 perlite:sphagnum peat moss medium.
Establishment: Cuttings in 10 X 10 X 10 cm (4 X 4 X 4 in) square containers had much more robust top growth. The plant produces seeds in quantity from its large, fragrant white flowers that appear through much of the summer, but seedlings are rarely observed in the wild. The mechanism of natural regeneration is unclear.
Source: npn.rngr.net