Description
Leitneria –
There is a single species of a small deciduous tree or suckering shrub in this genus. It occurs in damp habitats in Southeastern USA. It has alternate, elliptic, smooth edged leaves. It is grown commercially for its extremely light weight wood. Grow in a damp shrub border.
Grow in moist, acidic, humus rich soil, that’s free of lime in full sun.
L. floridana – Corkwood – This colony forming, large deciduous shrub or small tree found from Missouri to Texas to South Florida grows 15-25′ feet tall with an indefinite spread. From downy branches that become gray and thick bared it carries elliptic-oblong to lance shaped, pointed, mid green leaves, to 6″ long, with silky hairy undersides. Before the leaves in spring it bears erect, axillary male catkins, to 1 ½” long, and smaller, woolly female catkins, followed by ellipsoid, hairless, dark brown fruit, to ½” long.
Zones 4-7
