Rusty lyonia
Lyonia ferruginea
Last reviewed: November 2026
Rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea) is a perennial shrub native to FL, GA, SC. It blooms in February, March, and April. The flowers draw bees.
Watering reminders and freeze alerts for Rusty lyonia, free in the app.
Rusty lyonia is toxic to dogs and cats.
Listed as toxic by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-08-15). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and your veterinarian's emergency line.
The Pollinator Patch App flags toxic plants so you can choose a native alternative that is not on the ASPCA toxic plant list.
Native swaps for a yard with pets
Rusty lyonia is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. These natives fill a similar role in a planting and are not on the ASPCA toxic plant list for dogs or cats. Each plant's page carries its dated record.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
120"–300" H × 96"–180" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr
Native to
FL, GA, SC
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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Browse plants for this ecoregion
Rusty lyonia, also called staggerbush, is an evergreen shrub with gnarled, twisting branches, rust-colored leaf undersides, and clusters of small white to pink urn-shaped flowers. It grows in sandy scrub and pine flatwoods.
Growing Rusty lyonia
Grow Rusty lyonia in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 120 to 300 inches tall and spread 96 to 180 inches wide.
Wildlife value
Bees visit the urn-shaped flowers for nectar. The foliage contains compounds toxic to grazing animals, the source of the staggerbush name, so it is not a browse plant.
Common questions
- How much sun does Rusty lyonia need?
- Rusty lyonia grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Rusty lyonia bloom?
- Rusty lyonia blooms in February, March, and April.
- Where is Rusty lyonia native?
- Rusty lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea) is native to FL, GA, SC, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- Is Rusty lyonia toxic to dogs?
- Yes. Rusty lyonia is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Rusty lyonia toxic to cats?
- Yes. Rusty lyonia is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- What pollinators does Rusty lyonia attract?
- Rusty lyonia draws bees.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants like Rusty lyonia and shows natives not flagged toxic to pets for your ecoregion instead.