Philadelphia Suburbs, PA (Zone 7a) | May 2017 | positive
Planted from a 1 gal in full sun in an exposed location 5 years ago, it is now a multi-stemmed 8' x 5' shrub. Completely evergreen for m...Read Moree without any protection except for the 2nd year in the ground when it was subject to the coldest winter in 30 or 40 years. It died back to the ground (or maybe snowline) and resprouted from there. By the end of this summer, I expect it to be over 10' tall.
Wet snow or ice can bend the stems to the ground but I haven't had any major breakage. The stems are relatively flexible.
Has fragrant foliage when crushed and it has no insect or disease issues in my garden. The deer have never shown any interest in it. I only provide supplemental water during extended summer drought.
Flowers are insignificant but it does produce occasional small fruit that the birds might eat.
Louisville, KY (Zone 6b) | February 2015 | positive
It's natural range is well into 7b and into southern 7, so at least that cold hardy. I'm not sure if it has been tried further north. If ...Read MoreI decide to, I will update.
This small tree seems to be completely hardy and evergreen in my region. I have a 15-footer in my backyard in Northern Virginia. The onl...Read Morey potential problem I see is limb breakage with heavy snow or ice loads.
One of the three native Perseas to the United States (not including territories--for example, Puerto Rico has an additional two). All ar...Read Moree native in the SE, but P. humilis is endemic to Florida.
Persea borbonia is closely related to P. americana, the common avocado, which has been naturalized in parts of Florida but is not native.
Perseas not related to the true mahoganies. I've never heard of Redbay being called Florida Mahogany, but West Indian Mahogany, Swietenia mahagoni, is native to extreme South Florida and so that common name would be especially confusing.
Red Bay (Persea borbonia) is a member of the Laurel family (Lauraceae). However, it is not the true Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) used in anc...Read Moreient Roman houses which is native to the Mediterranean region. However, Red Bay sports the characteristic, spicy scent of Bay. The plant's characteristic scent is emitted when the leaves are crushed.
Red Bay is also known as Florida Bay. Red Bay is native to the coastal plain of the southeastern United States from eastern North Carolina south through Florida, west along the Gulf coast into Texas and parts of the lower Mississippi Valley.
Red Bay is very useful for wildlife. It provides shelter for wildlife and attracts insects.
Red Bay is usually a tree that is usually 20 to 30 or 35 feet high, although it may sometimes grow to around 40 or 45 feet high. The leaves are pointed and rounded.
Red Bay is usually associated with lowlands, hardwood swampy forests and moist or swampy conditions, but occurs in a variety of habitats, ranging from edges of fields and ditches to dry sandy areas, ridges and even dunes near the coast.
Planted from a 1 gal in full sun in an exposed location 5 years ago, it is now a multi-stemmed 8' x 5' shrub. Completely evergreen for m...Read More
It's natural range is well into 7b and into southern 7, so at least that cold hardy. I'm not sure if it has been tried further north. If ...Read More
This small tree seems to be completely hardy and evergreen in my region. I have a 15-footer in my backyard in Northern Virginia. The onl...Read More
One of the three native Perseas to the United States (not including territories--for example, Puerto Rico has an additional two). All ar...Read More
Red Bay (Persea borbonia) is a member of the Laurel family (Lauraceae). However, it is not the true Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) used in anc...Read More