Gopher Apple

{"key":"gopher","name":"Gopher Apple","botanical":"Geobalanus oblongifolius","slug":"gopher-apple","id":"PLT-GEOB-OBLO","type":"groundcovers","h":[0.25,1],"w":[3,3],"install":[0.25,0.7],"native":true,"groundGroup":"small","light":"Full sun","lightTags":["sun"],"water":"Dry, freely draining sandy soil; avoid routine overwatering","season":"Evergreen leaves; small summer flowers and seasonal fruit","care":"Allow a native colony to develop; keep access to its boundary","benefit":"Use a low native colony where sunny sand shapes the garden.","intro":"Gopher Apple is a low, woody native that spreads through underground stems. Its glossy oblong leaves create a bolder texture than many fine-leaved groundcovers, while small flowers and seasonal fruit add detail. It belongs on the shortlist for an open, sandy landscape where the soil and exposure suit its natural habit.","caution":"This is a specialist dry-sand choice, not a general substitute for every irrigated bed. Colonies can cover several square yards. High salt-spray tolerance does not establish tolerance of saltwater flooding, and local nursery availability may be more limited than common landscape groundcovers.","sizeNote":"UF/IFAS describes plants 3–12 in high, with underground stems forming colonies over several square yards. The three-foot patch in the diagram gives a readable height and footprint reference only. It is not a mature spread limit, a fixed plant count or a promise about how quickly the colony develops.","site":"Explore Gopher Apple for sunny Pensacola gardens with deep, freely draining sand. It can form a low layer near other plants suited to lean, dry conditions. Buy nursery-grown material and plan around the natural site instead of heavily amending one small hole in an otherwise unsuitable bed. Keep a route beside the planting for maintenance.","uses":["A native dry-sand ground layer","A low planting in a sunny coastal garden","A naturalistic sandy bed","A wildlife-oriented native border","A connecting colony around separate dry-garden accents"],"checks":[["Is the soil genuinely sandy and drained?","Check the soil profile and where water collects after rain. A sandy surface over a wet lower layer may not behave like the dry site this plant prefers."],["Will nearby irrigation keep it too wet?","Group it with plants whose water needs are compatible. Avoid placing it in a bed watered frequently for moisture-loving flowers."],["Where can the colony expand?","Leave an accessible edge and keep the underground spreading habit in mind when placing small neighboring plants or paving."],["Is the nursery name familiar?","Older references and labels may use Licania michauxii. Match the plant’s identity carefully and use reputable nursery-grown stock rather than collecting wild plants."]],"faq":[["Why is it called Gopher Apple?","The fruit is associated with wildlife, including gopher tortoises. The common name is part of its natural-history interest, not a reason to expect tortoises in every residential garden."],["Will it tolerate the beach?","UF/IFAS reports high salt-spray tolerance. Still assess dune protection, drainage, wind and saltwater exposure; a spray-tolerant plant is not automatically appropriate for every beachfront position."],["Can it be used as a walking lawn?","Use it as a planted native ground layer with a separate route for regular traffic. Its low height does not make the woody stems a comfortable, durable walking surface."]],"sources":[["UF/IFAS: Gopher Apple","https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/gopher-apple/"]],"unit":"in","heightLabel":"Typical height","spreadLabel":"Spreading habit","color":"#70815a","guideKind":"Native groundcover","eyebrow":"THE LOW LAYER / FORM + SEASON","aliases":["Gopher Apple","Geobalanus oblongifolius","Licania michauxii"],"goals":["color"],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative overall form of Gopher Apple; the nursery plant, season and growing conditions will affect its appearance.","detailCaption":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Gopher Apple. Confirm the botanical name on the nursery label.","patch":true,"patchWidth":3,"spreadText":"Spreading colony; keep a managed boundary","sizeBasis":"Patch example","heightText":"3–12 in","sizeSummary":"3–12 in high · spreading colony","groundForm":"mat","images":{"context":{"id":"6aa052e4ef939579d484428d","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa052e4ef939579d484428d_landova-groundcover-gopher-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Gopher Apple","width":1600,"height":900},"whole":{"id":"6aa052e5ca5bad632633cd75","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa052e5ca5bad632633cd75_landova-groundcover-gopher-whole.webp","alt":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Gopher Apple","width":1448,"height":1086,"fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6aa052e534d9502d7205dc64","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa052e534d9502d7205dc64_landova-groundcover-gopher-detail.webp","alt":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Gopher Apple","width":1254,"height":1254}},"companions":[{"slug":"coastal-false-rosemary","name":"Coastal False Rosemary","title":"Build a native dry-sand planting","reason":"Coastal False Rosemary shares a preference for full sun and freely draining sand. Allow its larger shape and keep access between the plants.","image":{"id":"6a9fefd2b5d71773d64bf03b","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9fefd2b5d71773d64bf03b_landova-rosemary-context-r07.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Coastal False Rosemary"}},{"slug":"little-bluestem","name":"Little Bluestem","title":"Add seasonal vertical texture","reason":"Little Bluestem can supply upright stems in a sunny, draining setting. Keep the expanding colony from crowding its crown.","image":{"id":"6aa00d166a78cbdca0ff1a4e","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa00d166a78cbdca0ff1a4e_landova-grass-bluestem-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Little Bluestem","width":1600,"height":900}}]}