Joewood is a small, picturesque tree with a short, stout stem and a spreading, vase-shaped form. It has thick, leathery, dark green or olive green leaves and clusters of white, star-shaped flowers. The flowers are pleasantly fragrant and they are produced throughout the year. Fruits are leathery, globose, light orange berries that are in pendant clusters at the twig ends. The fruits are produced in abundance and are an ornamental feature of this plant. The stems have smooth, light gray bark. Joewood is one of the tropical hardwood trees that is native to southern Florida. It occurs in the Florida Keys and along the coast of the southern peninsula. It also occurs in the Caribbean. Joewood is a tough and durable plant. It occurs in coastal habitats between mangrove swamps and coastal forests and is tolerant of wind, sandy and saline soils and occasional inundation. It is hurricane resistant. It is a good choice for a bonsai plant because of its growth form with a thick stem, a dense canopy of small leaves, its fragrant flowers and clusters of orange fruits. Joewood is listed as a threatened species in Florida. It is a rare and collectible plant.
Growing Instructions
1. Soak the seed in water for several hours.
2. The seeds like moist, well-drained soil. Prepare a mixture of half potting soil and half sand, perlite or vermiculite. Put the soil in a pot. Water the mixture so that it is moist but not wet.
3. Put the seeds on the soil.
4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
5. Water the seeds.
6. Place the pots in an area with warm temperatures in full sun or part shade.
7. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.