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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Dirca palustris (Eastern leatherwood)
Reveal, James L.

Dirca palustris

Dirca palustris L.

Eastern Leatherwood, Western Leatherwood, Ropebark, Wicopy

Thymelaeaceae (Mezereum Family)

Synonym(s): Dirca decipiens, Dirca mexicana

USDA Symbol: DIPA9

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A short, dense shrub, usually 3-6 ft. tall, with solitary or few short trunks and ascending, candelabra-like branching. Narrow, yellow, bell-shaped flowers hang in pendulous clusters and last a long time. Leaves are dark green in summer, turning a clear yellow for fall.

 

From the Image Gallery

21 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Drupe
Size Notes: Up to about 10 feet tall, often shorter.
Fruit: Green, Purple, Red

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NB , NS , ON
Native Distribution: S. Que. to MN, s. to FL, AL & OK
Native Habitat: Moist, rich, wooded slopes & bottomlands

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Moist, well-drained, organic soils.
Conditions Comments: No serious disease or insect problems. Full sun can stress the plant. Contact with broken wood can cause severe dermatitis.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Low.
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: All parts. Minor skin irritation when touched, low toxicity if ingested. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea; contact with bark may cause skin irritation with blisters. Toxic Principle: Resin. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Description: Seed can be sown outside as soon as it is ripe. The seeds need a cold period of about three months to germinate. Cuttings are difficult to root. Layering offers a method of vegetative reproduction.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU FAC FAC FAC FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Dirca palustris in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Dirca palustris in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Dirca palustris

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-18
Research By: TWC Staff

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