Cyrilla racemiflora
A moisture-loving native shrub or small tree of wetlands in the southeastern United States, it features tiny white fragrant flowers on racemes, provides nectar for pollinators and fruit for birds, and often forms dense wetland thickets through shallow, spreading roots.
Common Names
Titi, Leatherwood, Swamp Cyrilla, Swamp Titi, Black Titi, Red Titi, Little-Leaf Titi
Summary
Cyrilla racemiflora is a shrub or small tree native to the southeastern United States through the Caribbean, Central America, and into northern South America, often forming dense thickets in wetlands such as swamps, baygalls, and stream margins. It typically reaches about 8–30 feet tall and is usually multi‑stemmed, with leathery oblanceolate to elliptic leaves bearing a distinct petiole. Its fragrant white flowers occur in slender racemes, followed by small brown capsules, and the plant is notable for showy blooms that attract pollinators. For cultivation, Cyrilla racemiflora tolerates full sun to partial shade and moist to wet soils, often acidic, and is hardy in USDA zones 5–11. It can be propagated by seed or root cuttings, or by stem cuttings, and reproduces vegetatively by shallow horizontal roots that form dense thickets; spacing for planting is 3–5 feet. It is used ornamentally and for wildlife habitat in wetlands and near ponds or streams, and generally has few pest or disease issues.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
120-360 inches
Spread
120-180 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 5-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun to partial shade (about 4–6 hours of direct sunlight per day).
Soil Type
Acidic, loamy soil that drains well and remains moist
Soil Drainage
Moist, well-drained soil kept consistently moist but not waterlogged; prefers acidic loam or sandy soil (pH 5.0–6.5).
Soil pH
5.5-7.2, Slightly acidic to neutral, Tolerates acidic to circumneutral soils
Bloom Color
White (creamy white)
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer (May–July), sometimes Fall (September–October)
Foliage Color
Green (dark green on the upper surface with lighter green beneath), fall foliage yellow to red with orange veining, winter foliage a mix of yellow, red, and green, in southern climates leaves remain green year-round, while in northern climates leaves turn rusty red in fall
Fall Foliage Color
Yellow, orange, red, scarlet, maroon
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Growth Rate
Moderate, 1-2 feet per year
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Root cuttings, Softwood cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Bees, Butterflies, Other pollinators, Birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Mant. Pl. 50. 1767 [15-31 Oct 1767]
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Ericales
- Family
- Cyrillaceae
- Genus
- Cyrilla
Synonyms
Cyrilla fuscata Cyrilla antillana Cyrilla arida Cyrilla brevifolia Cyrilla caroliniana Cyrilla parvifolia Cyrilla perrottetii Cyrilla polystachia Cyrilla racemiflora subsp. parvifolia Cyrilla racemiflora var. parvifolia Cyrilla racemiflora var. subglobosa Itea caroliniana Itea floribunda Cyrilla antillana var. perrottetii Cyrilla racemiflora var. racemiflora Itea caroliana Cyrilla racemiflora var. parvifolia Itea cyrilla Cyrilla racemifolia var. parvifolia Cyrilla racemiflora var. racemifera Stachyanthemum schomburgkii Andromeda plumata Cyrilla parvifolia Cyrilla racemiflora var. brevifolia Itea cyrilla