Marlberry is a 12- to 15-foot-tall shrub native to Florida and the Caribbean region that has a very important place in planting design. It often occurs naturally with sabal palms and stoppers. The dark green, semi-glossy leaves of this shrub are 3 to 4½ inches long. The small, white, fragrant flowers occur in dense terminal panicles that are 5 inches in length. Flowers are borne at intervals throughout the year but do not last very long. In the late spring this plant bears its small purple fruit.
Figure 1. Flower—Ardisia escallonioides: marlberry. Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS
Figure 2. Shaded area represents potential planting range.
Planting month for zone 7: year-round
Planting month for zone 8: year-round
Planting month for zone 9: year-round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year-round
Origin: native to Florida
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Uses: hedge; near a deck or patio; specimen; screen; attracts butterflies; border
Availability: grown in small quantities by a small number of nurseries
Description
Height: 12 to 20 feet
Spread: 6 to 12 feet
Plant habit: oval
Plant density: symmetrical habit with a regular (or smooth) outline and individuals having more or less identical forms
Growth rate: moderate
Texture: medium
Foliage
Leaf arrangement: alternate
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: elliptic (oval)
Leaf venation: pinnate
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: 4 to 8 inches
Leaf color: green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: white
Flower characteristic: pleasant fragrance; flowers periodically throughout the year
Fruit
Fruit shape: round
Fruit length: less than 1/2 inch
Fruit cover: fleshy
Fruit color: red
Fruit characteristic: suited for human consumption; attracts birds
Trunk and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: typically multi-trunked or clumping stems; not particularly showy; no thorns
Current year stem/twig color: green
Current year stem/twig thickness: medium
Culture
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun
Soil tolerances: acidic; alkaline; sand; loam
Drought tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerance: unknown
Plant spacing: 36 to 60 inches
Other
Roots: usually not a problem
Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding
Pest resistance: no serious pests are normally seen on the plant
Use and Management
Marlberry is great in mixed group and background plantings. It can be trained into a small tree by removing lower foliage and branches to expose the interesting trunk pattern. The multiple trunks become an interesting element in the landscape, and they look nice lighted at night. Space them 15 feet apart along an entrance road or sidewalk to create a nice linear planting of multi-trunked small trees. Since they will remain quite dense even in partial shade, they make a great screen for residential landscapes.
This shrub prefers well-drained soils and a semi-shade to full-sun location in the landscape. It will grow in soils with a wide pH range from a sandy humus to calcareous shell and is fast-growing.
Marlberry is easily propagated from seed.
Design Considerations
Marlberry works well as a background or massing plant to highlight the forms and colors of companion plants and block undesirable views. Overall the shrub has a coarse texture with deep vein leaves and multiple branching. The dark green leaves of the marlberry will show well with contrasting plants that feature smaller leaves with a soft texture in burgundy or variegated colors such as a Loropetalum. Other contrasting forms include thin blades and the clumping, arching forms of grasses or low-growing ground cover with a sprawling, mounding form to emphasize the upright vase shape of marlberry. The white flowers will pair with any other color and the contrast usually highlights the other colors, making them appear more saturated and brighter. To create a dense plant wall select plants with similar characteristics that blend with the marlberry.
