Habitat: Acidic seepage swamps, bogs, pocosins, wet flatwoods, nonriverine swamps, tidal swamps, maritime swamps, and alluvial swamps with nutrient-poor soils. Common in the Virginia Coastal Plain; infrequent in the outer Piedmont; rare in the inner Piedmont
Wildlife Value: Provides winter cover. Larval host plant for Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilo glaucus). The adult Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies feed on milkweed, joe pye weed, wild cherry, and lilac). Foliage and twigs are eaten by white-tailed deer in winter. Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. It is a favorite tree of the sap suckers
Note: Semi-evergreen
High Value Generalist
Earth Sangha lists this plant as a "High Value Generalist" because it is easy to grow, occurs across a wide range of habitats and is known to be of high value to wildlife
My Native Garden
Put together a printable/downloadable list of plants that you have in your garden.