red stopper
Eugenia rhombea · Myrtaceae
red stopper (Eugenia rhombea) is a perennial tree in the Myrtaceae 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 | 20 ft USDA |
| Light | shade USDA |
| Growth rate | moderate USDA |
| Soil pH | 5.5–8 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. Its drought tolerance is rated high. It is recorded on soils from pH 5.5 to 8 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 11.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 20 ft, making it a small tree or large shrub. It grows at a moderate rate.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, coarse in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. Its fruit or seed heads are conspicuous, extending interest past flowering.
What the site needs to provide
It needs at least 365 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 36 inches.
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 fire tolerance is rated medium. Its growth form is recorded as single stem.
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 EURH, 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: cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer, Type.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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