Cyrilla spp.

titi

Cyrillaceae

Southeastern United States to northern South America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Fragrant (light)

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 6–11

Overview

Cyrilla spp. is a genus in the family Cyrillaceae, usually treated as the single variable species C. racemiflora, known as titi or swamp leatherwood. It is a shrub or small tree 6-25 feet (1.8-7.6 m) tall, sometimes larger in the tropics, with a suckering, often multi-stemmed habit and a rounded crown. The glossy, leathery, oblong leaves 1.5-4 inches (4-10 cm) long are clustered toward the branch tips; they are tardily deciduous, often turning orange and red before falling, and may persist through winter in mild climates. In early to midsummer numerous slender drooping racemes 3-6 inches (8-15 cm) long emerge in whorls at the base of the season's growth, densely set with small fragrant white to cream five-petalled flowers. These ripen into tiny dry yellowish fruits. Cyrilla spp. grows along the margins of swamps, ponds, and wet pine flatwoods on acidic, sandy, peaty soils, spreading into thickets by root suckers and tolerating periodic flooding. The summer flowers are a nectar source for many bees. The genus ranges across a wide span of latitudes, from temperate southeastern North America to tropical South America, but requires moist to wet acid soil and full sun to part shade.

Native Range

Cyrilla spp. is native to the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It grows along wetland margins on the coastal plain and in tropical lowlands. The genus ranges across a wide band of latitudes for an American woody plant.

Suggested Uses

Cyrilla spp. is used in rain gardens, pond and stream margins, and naturalistic plantings on acidic, wet soils, and as an informal screen or thicket. The summer flowers and autumn leaf colour give two seasons of interest, and the blooms are a nectar source for bees. The suckering habit suits naturalised wetland edges rather than tidy formal beds.

How to Identify

Recognise Cyrilla spp. as a suckering shrub or small tree with glossy, leathery oblong leaves clustered near the branch tips that often turn orange and red in autumn. In summer it bears whorls of slender drooping racemes 3-6 inches (8-15 cm) long packed with small fragrant white flowers at the base of the new growth. The wetland habitat and the ring of pendent flower spikes set it apart. Tiny dry fruits follow the flowers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 25'

Width/Spread6' - 15'

Reaches mature size in approximately 12 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Summer

Cyrilla spp. flowers in early to midsummer, generally June to July in the southeastern United States, with the drooping white racemes lasting several weeks. Flowering follows the new spring growth. Small dry fruits ripen in late summer and autumn and may persist into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to cream

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

sand peat loam

Drainagewet

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

4-6 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Cyrilla spp. grows in full sun to part shade on moist to wet, acidic, sandy or peaty soils and tolerates periodic flooding and waterlogged ground. Established plants accept ordinary garden moisture but grow poorly on dry, alkaline soils, which cause chlorosis. The genus spreads by root suckers into thickets, so plants need room or occasional removal of suckers to limit their spread. Hardiness varies with provenance, with temperate forms tolerating frost to about USDA zone 6 and tropical forms remaining evergreen and frost-tender. Few pests or diseases trouble the genus. An acidic mulch helps retain moisture and maintain soil conditions.

Pruning

Little pruning is needed beyond removing dead or crossing stems in late winter. Root suckers are cut or dug out where a single-stemmed form or limited spread is wanted. Older multi-stemmed plants can be thinned to open the crown.