Bay Cedar is a very salt and drought tolerant plant that can grow well in sandy soils. It is native to South Florida and used to grow naturally along the coastline. It has soft needle-like leaves, gets small yellow flowers, and can be used as a shrub or trained into a small tree.
How to care for Bay Cedar
Light. Needs full sun.
Water. Water while it establishes. After that it is highly drought tolerant and needs no extra water; avoid wet spots.
Soil and feeding. It grows in well-drained sandy or limestone soil, including neutral to alkaline beach sand, and needs few nutrients. Fertilizer is rarely needed.
Size. Usually 6–10 ft tall and as wide or wider, growing slowly to moderately. Train it as a shrub or a small tree.
Problems to watch. It does not tolerate being flooded by salt or brackish water.
Good to know. A Florida native of coastal dunes and thickets. It takes direct salt wind and helps hold dunes against erosion. It is a host plant for two scrub-hairstreak butterflies and a nectar source for many others.
Sources: Natives for Your Neighborhood (Institute for Regional Conservation): Suriana maritima · Florida Native Plant Society Plant Database: Suriana maritima
