Dirca palustris
Common name: 
Leatherwood
Wicopy
Pronunciation: 
DIR-ka pa-LUS-tris
Family: 
Thymelaeaceae
Genus: 
Dirca
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous shrub, to 3-6 ft (0.9-2 m) high and similar width, often with a short single stem; branches flexible with very tough bark, smooth.  Leaves alternate, simple, elliptic to obovate, 3-7 cm long, tip obtuse, base wedge-shaped (cuneate), margin entire, light green above, glaucous and hairy below when young, short petioled; fall color golden yellow.  Flowers pale yellow, male and female parts (perfect), without petals, short stalked, in dense axillary spikes.  Fruit ellipsoid, 8 mm long, pale green or reddish; maturing and dropping in late spring or early summer.
  • Sun to shade, best in moist to wet soils with plenty of organic matter.  Symmetrical shape and dense in the sun, whereas in the shade it is irregular in shape with sparse and spreading branches.  Often used for naturalizing or as a shrub border.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 2    Native range from New Brunswick to Ontario and south to Florida and Missouri.
  • palustris: marsh-loving.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaves (underside) and developing fruit

    leaves (underside) and developing fruit

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • leaves, fall

    leaves, fall

  • large branches, fall

    large branches, fall

  • twig and buds, fall

    twig and buds, fall