Shoebutton Ardisia

Shoebutton Ardisia – Ardisia elliptica

Category 1 Invasive plant

Family – Myrsinaceae

Habitat – Wet Flatwoods, Bottomland Forest, moist sites.

Description – Evergreen shrub or small tree to 17 feet with smooth stems. New growth is reddish. Leaves are alternate, leathery, oblong to oval with entire margins, up to 8 inches long.

Flower – Mauve, star shaped, 1/2 inch across, borne in axillary clusters. Fruit is a small rounded black drupe. Distinguished from native Marlberry by reddish new growth and flowers, which are at leaf axils rather than terminal cluster, the native Marlberry has white flowers.