Ardisia elliptica

Common Name: shoebutton ardisia

Family: Myrsinaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 9a-11

Growth Habit: Evergreen shrub or small tree

Origin: India, China, Southeast Asia

FISC Category: 1

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: Yes

Introduction Date: around 1900

IFAS Assessment:

• North: PROHIBITED
• Central: PROHIBITED
• South: PROHIBITED

Description

Evergreen shrub or small tree, to 5 m, glabrous. Leaves alternate, to 20 cm, oblong to oval shaped, entire margins, fleshy, new foliage reddish. Star-shaped flowers in axillary clusters, petals mauve colored. Fruit is a round drupe, red turning black when ripe with white flesh.

Habitat

Coastal berm, maritime hammock, hardwood hammock, mesic flatwoods, strand swamp, cabbage palm hammock, disturbed areas

Comments

Prolific reproduction, bird dispersed. Similar to the native marlberry (Ardisia escallonioides) or myrsine (Rapanea punctata) but is larger with conspicuous axillary clusters of mauve flowers.

Control Methods

• Manual: Mechanical: Hand pull seedlings
• Chemical: Basal bark (10% trichlopyr ester). Cut stump (50% trichlopyr amine). Broadcast foliar: in 50 gal solution mix per acre: 96 oz imazapyr [25-28% active ingredient], 6 gal fosamine ammonium, and either 3 oz metsulfuron methyl and 112 oz aquatic label glyphosate, or 25 oz Lineage Clearstand (metsulfuron methyl+imazapyr premixed herbicide). Use of 3% metsulfuron methyl greatly enhances efficacy of other herbicides. [IFAS]
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

Dave's Garden. 2014. PlantFiles: Shoebutton Ardisia, Ardisia elliptica. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31889/. Accessed on June 20, 2014.

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Langeland, K.A., J.A. Ferrell, B. Sellers, G.E. MacDonald, and R.K. Stocker. 2011. Integrated management of non-native plants in natural areas of Florida. EDIS publication SP 242. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Wunderlin, R. P., and B. F. Hansen. 2008. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).[S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.