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Wild Florida Photo - Persea borbonia - Red Bay

Persea borbonia (L.)Spreng. var. borbonia 

Red Bay

Florida native

Flagler Co. FL 10/12/08
Volusia Co. FL 11/07/22
Volusia Co. FL 11/07/22
Flagler Co. FL 11/20/21
Duval Co. FL 12/31/07
Duval Co. FL 12/31/07
Duval Co. FL 12/31/07
Volusia Co. FL 06/26/21
Volusia Co. FL 10/10/08
Volusia Co. FL 10/10/08
Flagler Co. FL 10/12/08

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A frequent shrub to small tree od wet to dry hammocks in most of Florida. Also ranges through the southeastern coastal states from North Carolina into Texas, plus Arkansas.
Growing up to 20m (66 ft.) in height this evergreen has alternate leaves that are distinctively aromatic when crushed. The leaves are simplle with entire margins and lanceolate, 2-15cm (3/4 to 6 in.) long and 1.5-6cm (6/10 to 2-1/3 in.) wide. The undersides of the leaves are grayish-white from a minute pubescence that requires magnification to detect. The small flowers are greenish and appear in small clusters from the leaf axils. The fruit is a dark blue round drupe about 1.2cm (~ 1/2 in.) in diameter.
The redbay ambrosia beetle(Xyleborus glabratus) was first detected in this county in 2002. This tiny beetle transmits the laurel wilt fungus(Raffaelea lauricola), which has been devastating to the red bay trees along the southeast United States coastal areas including into Florida.

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Persea borbonia is a member of the Lauraceae - Laurel family.


Other species of the Persea genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
  Persea borbonia var. humilis - SILK BAY
  Persea palustris - SWAMP BAY


Date record last modified: Aug 23, 2023


Paul Rebmann Nature Photography at pixels.com