Practical
Plants

Leitneria floridana

Corkwood

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Leitneria genus in the family Leitneriaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
6 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Material uses

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

Wood - very light, soft, close grained. The layers of annual growth are hardly distinguishable[11]. This is one of the lightest known woods, it weighs about 12½lb per cubic foot, is lighter than cork and is used for floats etc[1][8][9][11][6].

Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America - Florida to Texas and Mississippi.
Habitat
Borders of swamps and wet ground[2][7], also on muddy saline shores[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

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

The seed germinates better if it is given 3 months cold stratification so is probably best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. The seed can also be sown in late winter in a greenhouse but the germination is variable[10]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Young plants should be overwintered in a greenhouse for their first year and can then be planted out in late spring after the last expected frosts[10]. Give some winter protection from the cold for their first year outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[3]. Division of suckers in the dormant season[3][5].

Cultivation

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

Requires a moist lime-free humus-rich soil[5], succeeding in badly-drained soils[4]. Plants grown in Britain tolerate drier conditions than their native habitat, but they still require plenty of moisture[2]. Plants are hardy as far north in America as Boston, Massachusetts[1]. They are unlikely to be fully hardy in all parts of Britain. Plants produce suckers[4]. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  4. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  6. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  7. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  8. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  9. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  10. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  11. 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

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