Forestiera

Forestiera acuminata ( Eastern Swamp Privet )
A deciduous, small tree that is native to the southeastern U.S. ( southeast Kansas to central Illinois to southern Indiana; south to eastern Texas to northern Florida ). Some records include: largest on record - 47 x 37 feet with a trunk diameter of 11 inches.
The elliptical leaves are up to 5 x 2 inches in size. The foliage is bright green, turning to bright yellow during autumn.
The small, bright yellow flowers are borne on rounded clusters during early spring before the foliage emerges.
They are followed by purple fruits, up to 0.6 x 0.4 inches in size, on female plants.
The brown bark is smooth at first, later becoming rough and slightly furrowed.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on moist to wet soil. It is great for swampy sites and floodplains..

* photos taken by Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA SCS. 1989. Midwest wetland flora

* historical archive photos

Forestiera angustifolia ( Texas Swamp Privet )
A stiff-branched, dense-canopied, small evergreen tree, reaching around 8 x 8 feet, that is native to hills of central and southern Texas. Some records include: largest on record - 18 x 10 feet. It is rare in the wild and declining due to overgrazing by cattle.
The linear leaves, up to 0.7 inches in length, are glossy deep green above, grayish-white beneath.
The greenish-yellow flowers are borne during early to mid spring before the foliage emerges.
They are followed by deep purple berries that are valuable food for wildlife.
The bark is smooth and light gray. Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun on dry, alkaline, very well drained soil. It is very heat and drought tolerant and also tolerant of salt.

'Pendula' ( Weeping Texas Swamp Privet )
A very attractive, moderate growing, strongly weeping form, reaching a maximum size of 6 x 10 feet.

Forestiera godfreyi ( Godfrey's Swamp Privet )
A deciduous, shrubby small tree, reaching up to 16 feet, that is native from far southeast Alabama to coastal South Carolina; south to central Florida where it is rare. Some records include: largest on record - 20 x 11 feet with a trunk diameter of 5 inches. It is endangered in the wild, in Georgia surviving in just one location. It is extinct in Alabama. It is a closely related F. acuminata but is smaller in all its parts.
The blunt-tipped, broad-ellptical leaves are downy beneath.
The leaves, up to 5 x 1.5 inches in size, are oppositely-arranged.
The small flowers are borne on rounded clusters during early spring before the foliage emerges.
The purple fruits are up to 0.6 inches in length.
The bark is rough and slightly furrowed.
Hardy zones 8 to 9.

* photos taken on Aug 24 2017 @ U.S. Botanic Garden, Wash. DC.

Forestiera ligustrina ( Upland Swampprivet )
A deciduous to semi-evergreen, medium-sized shrub, reaching up to 10 x 9 feet. It is a rare native to the southeastern U.S. ( from eastern Texas to central Kentucky to South Carolina; south to the Gulf Coast to northern Florida ). Upland Swampprivet is threatened in much of its natural range. It makes an excellent non-invasive Privet substitute.
The oppositely-arranged, smooth-edged, oval leaves, are glossy gray-green to mid-green, turning to yellow during autumn.
The petalless, yellow flowers are borne during mid-spring with the emerging foliage.
They are followed by blue berries during autumn.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun on just about well drained soil. It is very drought tolerant and is deer resistant.

Forestiera neomexicana ( Desert Olive )
Also called Palo Blanco, New Mexico Privet and Forestiera pubescens. A fast growing, deciduous shrub to small tree, reaching up to 20 x 20 feet, that is native to the southwest U.S. ( from central California to Utah to central Colorado to central Oklahoma; south to Mexico ). Some records include: 10 years - 10 x 13 feet ( with irrigation ). It is very attractive pruned as a twisted, multi-stem, vase-shaped tree.
It can also be used as a dense hedge.
The leaves are toothed and oblong. The silvery-green foliage turns bright yellow during late autumn.
It bears mildly-fragrant, attractive, bright yellow flowers along the stems during during early spring before the foliage emerges.. Female plants only, produce bluish-black berries.
The berries are eaten by birds.
The attractive bark is smooth and whitish-gray.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 ( hardy at Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa, Canada but never exceeding 6.5 feet there due to at least some dieback during severe winters ). It has also survived in Minneapolis. It requires full sun to partial shade. Very drought and heat tolerant as well as clay tolerant. Soak seed in water for 24 hours before sowing 0.1 inches deep. No cold stratification or other pretreatment needed.

* photos taken by Jean Pawek @ CalPhotos

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Forestiera segregata ( Florida Swamp Privet )
A moderate growing, thicket-forming, small, evergreen tree, reaching a maximum height of 23 ( rarely over 15 ) feet with a trunk diameter of 8 inches. It is native to sand dunes and coastal pine forests in central and southern Florida as well as the Bahamas, Caribbean and Puerto Rico. It is endangered in the U.S. It makes a useful landscape plant and can be clipped as a hedge.
The non-toothed, narrow-elliptical leaves, up to 2.8 inches in length, are glossy green above, dull light green beneath.
The flowers are borne during early spring before the new growth begins.
Hardy zones 8b to 11 in full sun to partial shade on just about any well drained soil. It is moderately salt tolerant, it is also drought and alkaline soil tolerant..

Forestiera shrevei ( Desert Olive )
Also called Forestiera phillyreioides. A shrubby small evergreen tree, reaching up to 12 feet, that is native to southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico ( also possible distribution in far southeast California ). It often forms dense thickets in the wild.
The oppositely-arranged, smooth-edged, oblanceolate leaves, up to 1.5 inches in length, are finely hairy and bright green.
The flowers are bright greenish-yellow with purple anthers. The male and female flowers are borne on separate trees during late winter before the foliage emerges.
They are followed by oval, brown fruits, up to 0.4 inches long.
The bark is smooth and light gray.
Hardy zone 8 & 9 in full sun on very well drained soil.