Lyonia lucida (Lam.) K. Koch

Shining Fetterbush; Hurrah Bush; Horse Wicky

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Shining Fetterbush is a colonial evergreen shrub in the Heath family (Ericaceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Shining Fetterbush occurs in wet pine flatwoods, along streams and creeks, around spring heads, in blackwater swamps, in gallberry thickets, and in seeps. It is a thicket forming shrub reaching heights of 6-15 feet. New plants sucker off the creeping rhizomes. The stems are green in color, arching, and 3-angled. Leaves are petiolate, alternate, elliptic to ovate in outline, glabrous, with entire slightly revolute margins. The leaves are thick and leathery in texture and dark shiny green in color. Young leaves are a coppery-red color. There is a major vein that closely parallels the margin of the leaf. The leaves have small punctate dots on the lower surface. The fragrant flowers are produced in fascicles in the leaf axils of the previous seasons growth. Each fascicle has 10-15 individual stalked flowers. The pedicels are glandular pubescent with short stalked glands. The calyx is 5-lobed. The lobes are triangular in outline and short glandular pubescent. The corolla is cylindrical with 5 short lobes. The corolla varies in color from white to pink or red. The fruit is a globose capsule. Shining Fetterbush is sometimes available from native plant nurseries. It prefers an acidic soil with constant moisture. It will tolerate drier conditions once established. It can be grown in shade or full sun.--A. Diamond

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Native FACW (NWPL)

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