Joewood

Why it works here

Joewood is a genuine front line coastal plant. Thick leathery leaves with rolled edges, a slow dense rounded form, and white to ivory funnel shaped flowers that are strongly fragrant, close to jasmine but less aggressive about it. It blooms on and off all year, heaviest June through November, then sets pea sized berries that ripen ivory to orange red. The white crowned pigeon feeds on those, which is a nice thing to be able to say since that bird is itself listed in Florida. It is state listed threatened and it takes salt, wind, drought, and lime rock without flinching. Here is the honest part, and it is the same honest part every time with this plant: it grows about six inches a year. That is not a typo. A 3 gallon joewood is a ten year proposition.

Care

Sharp drainage is the only non negotiable. Water through the first six to twelve months, then take it off irrigation entirely and leave it alone. It handles nutrient poor soil but responds to a little organic matter, so an annual compost topdressing is worthwhile. Mulch two to three inches, held off the trunk. Prune only to shape, and honestly it barely needs it.

Common problems

The growth rate. Buy the size you want, because you are not going to grow into it.

Overwatering. Root rot from irrigation or a heavy poorly drained bed is the realistic way to kill this plant. UF lists its insect and disease problems as none. The failure is almost always cultural.

Cold. The 27 degree figure gives us a little margin in a normal Stuart winter, but a hard freeze is at or past its limit and young plants have less room.

The seeds are reported to be potentially poisonous, with the actual compound undetermined. Worth knowing if you have small kids or a dog that chews fruit.