Practical
Plants

Cyrilla racemiflora

Leatherwood

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Cyrilla genus in the family Cyrillaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Cyrilla
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
1.2 m
Spread
2 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The spongy bark at the base of the trunk is pliable, absorbent and astringent. It has been recommended as a styptic[3].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Styptic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Wood - heavy, hard, close-grained, not strong[3].

Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
Southern North America - Virginia to Florida and Texas.
Habitat
Rich shaded river bottoms, the borders of sandy swamps and shallow ponds of the coastal pine-belt[3]. Also found on high, sandy, exposed ridges rising above streams[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[2]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out in early summer when there is no danger of frost. Give them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of softwood, spring in a frame[2]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[2]. Root cuttings in the spring[2].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a sunny position and a humus-rich soil[2]. Thrives in a mixture of peat and loam[1]. Prefers a circum-neutral or slightly acid, moisture-retentive soil[2]. This species has a wide distribution in the wild, extending southwards from South-eastern North America to Brazil. An evergreen small tree in the warmer parts of its range, only those forms from the most northerly part of its range can be grown outdoors in Britain. These northerly forms are deciduous, though may remain evergreen in mild winters[1][2]. They usually take the form of a small shrub, but can sometimes become a small tree. They succeed outdoors in the south of Britain, though can be damaged or killed in severe winters[1]. The flowers are produced at the base of the current years growth[1][2].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

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  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  3. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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