palo amargo
Rauvolfia nitida · Apocynaceae
palo amargo (Rauvolfia nitida) is a perennial tree in the Apocynaceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 11 and warmer, down to about 40°F.
At a glance
| Type | tree Derived |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | native USDA |
| Mature height | 23 ft USDA |
| Light | shade USDA |
| Soil pH | 6–8.5 USDA |
| Bloom | June–August USDA |
| Flower color | White USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 11 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | understory Derived |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It tolerates full shade. It is recorded on soils from pH 6 to 8.5 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 11.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 23 ft, making it a small tree or large shrub.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of June through August. Flowers are white.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is yellow-green, coarse in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. Its active growth period is year round.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 40 to 60 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 365 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 36 inches. Fertility requirement: medium.
Propagating it
Seed is the only propagation method USDA lists. Division and cuttings are not listed as options. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period.
Resilience and wildlife
Its growth form is recorded as single crown.
Role in a guild
Understory. In a layered planting this is the layer beneath the canopy, tall enough to hold structure but shaded from above. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Similar role and hardiness
- custard apple Annona reticulata
- wild cinnamon Canella winterana
- Chamisso's manfern Cibotium chamissoi
- hapu'u Cibotium glaucum
- tietongue Coccoloba diversifolia
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol RANI2, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, Bloom, Bloom end, cold stratification, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Toxicity.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer, Type.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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