Scrub Bay (Persea humilis), also known as Silk Bay, is a hardy, slow‑growing evergreen tree native to Florida’s scrub habitats, making it an excellent choice for native landscapes and wildlife‑friendly yards. Reaching up to 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide, this long‑lived perennial features attractive, aromatic foliage and produces delicate white flowers in late spring, followed by black fruits that are eagerly eaten and dispersed by birds.
Thriving in full to part sun, well‑drained to dry conditions, and sandy, acidic soils, Scrub Bay is both resilient and ecologically valuable. It serves as a larval host plant for the Palamedes Swallowtail and Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies, and its blooms attract a variety of native bees. Its fruits support local bird populations, and the species appears less susceptible to laurel wilt than other Florida bay trees, likely due to its smaller size reducing attractiveness to the disease‑spreading beetle. Scrub Bay is an outstanding choice for gardeners seeking a beautiful, low‑maintenance native tree that supports pollinators, caterpillars, and birds.
- Evergreen tree, slow-growing
- Size: Up to 20 ft. tall by 10 ft. wide
- Flower: White
- Fruit: Black
- Exposure: Full to part sun
- Moisture: Well-drained to dry
- Soil: Sand
- Soil pH: Acidic
- Larval host plant for Palamedes and Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies
- Attracts a variety of native bees
- Fruits eaten and dispersed by birds.
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