Lyonia Ferruginea Care

Lyonia ferruginea, the rusty staggerbush, tree lyonia, dragon tree, is a plant of the genus Lyonia. It was first described by Thomas Walter, and was named by Thomas Nuttall.

Rusty lyonia is a Florida native shrub or small tree that reaches a height of 10 to 20 feet. This evergreen plant is distinguished from other members of the heath family by a rusty pubescence that is present on all parts of the plant. The pubescence is especially prominent on the leaf underside and reportedly works to protect new growth from harmful insects. Lyonia ferruginea has leaves that are elliptic or oblanceolate in shape, and they are usually tipped with a sharp point. The fragrant flowers of this plant occur in small axillary clusters and are white in color. These flowers are followed by light brown capsules that are approximately ½ of an inch long. The bark on the crooked trunks and irregularly spreading branches is reddish brown, scaly, and ridged.