PlantFiles: Leatherwood
Dirca palustris

This shrub has a really beautiful form where it grows symmetrically. Up north here it grows well on seepy slopes. I planted one in partial shade on a dry, west-facing slope, but in a hollow, and it is doing beautifully. I've heard that no one has successfully propagated it (mine was a transplant) commercially, which is a shame if true.

I was thrilled to find about 15 of these shrubs in a remote section of my woods this year. Leatherwood is a native plant, ranging in habitat from Florida to Louisiana and north to Quebec and Ontario. It was introduced into cultivation way back in 1750, before we even became our own country. Native Americans used the wood for basket making and tying purposes because it is flexible and strong. The twigs can be tied into knots without breaking, according to one source.
It is tolerant of a wide range of soils, and grows very slowly to a maximum size of 7 feet tall (and about that wide) with a maximum trunk diameter of 4 inches. It looks very treelike, especially if there is open space around it. It prefers north or east facing exposures. Mine are growing in deep shade under tall mature hickory/oak/maple trees, on low moist bottomland soil.
The fruit is reportedly narcotic, and the bark can cause skin irritation in some people. Very few diseases and insect problems, so it always looks healthy.