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Shining Fetterbush

Lyonia lucida

Found in swamps; pine flatwoods. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

73
Strong

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
3–6 feet
Spread
3–6 feet
Light
Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually moist

Space about 4.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 5 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Evergreen
Bloom
Spring
Fruiting season
September to October

Recorded in 25 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Swamps

Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp
Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Pine flatwoods

Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 156 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

14CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Lyonia

  • Argyrostrotis quadrifilarisFour-Lined Chocolate, Hickory Leafroller
  • Argyrostrotis sylvarumWoodland Chocolate
  • Catocala andromedaeAndromeda Underwing
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Datana majorMajor Datana, Azalea Caterpillar
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Datana ranaecepsPost-Burn Datana
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Nola pustulataSharp-Blotched Nola
  • Pangrapta decoralisDecorated Owlet
Show all 14
  • Paonias astylusHuckleberry Sphinx
  • Tallula watsoniWatson's Tallula
  • Xestia elimataSouthern Variable Dart, Southern Pine Dart
  • Zomaria rosaochreanaYellow-Striped Zomaria
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
19BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Lyonia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
4Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Lyonia

  • Andrena kalmiae
  • Colletes productus
  • Melitta melittoides
  • Perdita novaeangliae
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Ericaceae
Hardiness
Zones 7a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Pink, red or white
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Alabama rankSNR
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

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How to check your spot

Sources