Titi, Cyrilla racemiflora

Titi is an exceptional, lesser-known native shrub or small tree that thrives across the bogs, stream banks, and wet pine flatwoods of the North Carolina Coastal Plain. Titi features a uniquely artistic growth habit, maturing into a striking network of contorted, twisted branches clad in smooth, cinnamon-to-rust-colored young bark that breaks into loose flakes as it ages. 

In early to mid-summer, the plant is draped in hundreds of elegant, 4-to-6-inch drooping white flower sprays (racemes) that form a very attractive destination for native pollinators. While its thick, leathery leaves remain semi-evergreen in the southern reaches of its range, North Carolina plants put on a brilliant, show-stopping autumn finale, with the foliage turning deep shades of orange, scarlet, and intense red before dropping. 

Large native deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub / small tree.Size: Reaches 8 to 30 feet tall with a spread of 10 to 15 feet. It keeps a dense, shrubby form when young and can be pruned into a multi-stemmed focal tree over time.

Grow in full sun to partial shade. Flowering and fall colors are most vibrant when grown with at least 4 to 6 hours of direct daily sunlight. Performs best in wet, poorly drained, or moist soils. It prefers organic, sandy loam or acidic, boggy soils, and has superior flooding tolerance. Once established, it can easily handle periodic dry spells if given occasional deep waterings.

Ideal for stabilizing low spots, stabilizing pond and stream margins, native rain gardens, or planting in wet ditches and coastal wildlife sanctuaries where standard shrubs struggle.

Titi has no significant pest or disease pressures and handles severe heat, high humidity, and heavy soil compaction. It is excellent for thicket-forming restoration, providing dense nesting cover and shelter for local coastal birds and small mammals.

Local Beekeepers While the summer blooms draw massive crowds of native bumblebees and beneficial insects, titi pollen carries a natural phytotoxin that can cause a condition known as "purple brood" in managed honeybee colonies. If you keep active hives directly on your property, plant titi away from your primary apiary zones.