Mahogany
About this species.
West Indies Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) is South Florida's premier native shade tree — wind-tough, salt-tolerant, fast-growing for a hardwood, and one of the few non-oak shade species that genuinely earns its place in a hurricane-country residential landscape. Native to extreme southern Florida, planted heavily throughout South Florida communities.
Identification
- Spreading rounded dense crown, often as wide as tall.
- Pinnately compound leaves with 4–8 paired glossy green leaflets each 2–4 inches long.
- Dark reddish-brown furrowed bark on mature specimens.
- Slightly buttressed trunk base on older trees.
- Distinctive woody 4-inch ovoid mahogany seed capsules (the wood-trade source species).
- 30–50 ft typical mature height in landscape settings.
Where you'll see them
South Florida residential and HOA landscapes — Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sanibel, the Keys. Increasingly used as a substitute for queen palms in master-planned communities seeking hurricane-tough shade trees. Cold sensitivity limits reliable performance north of Charlotte County.
Florida-specific care
- Cold-sensitive — freeze damage at temperatures below 28°F. Northern range limit roughly Charlotte/Lee county line.
- Drought-tolerant once established. Salt-tolerant for coastal-adjacent positions.
- Faster-growing than live oak — establishes substantial canopy within 10–15 years.
- Pruning rarely needed beyond shape maintenance and structural pruning for storm preparation.
- Disease and pest resistant overall — mahoganies are remarkably trouble-free in Florida landscapes.
Hurricane behavior
Mahogany earns a top-tier wind-resistance score in UF/IFAS surveys. The flexible structure, deep root system, and dense crown that resists wind tearing combine to make mahogany one of the better-performing shade trees in major Florida storms.
What to know.
- High wind-resistance score — one of the better choices for Florida hurricane country.
Frequently asked.
How far north can I plant mahogany?
Reliably in Lee County and southward (Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sanibel, Marco Island, the Keys). Charlotte County is borderline. Sarasota County is usually too cold for reliable mature-specimen performance — possible in protected microclimates but risky on exposed inland sites.
How fast does mahogany grow?
Fast for a hardwood — typically 2–3 ft of height per year for the first 10–15 years, slowing as the tree matures. Substantially faster than live oak (which grows about 1 ft per year) but slower than queen palm (which grows fast and dies young). Mahogany hits its functional mature size in 15–25 years and continues incremental growth for decades.
Is this the same mahogany as the wood?
Swietenia mahagoni is the original mahogany of the wood trade — sometimes called West Indies or Caribbean mahogany. Most modern furniture mahogany is the related Swietenia macrophylla (big-leaf mahogany) from Central and South America. The Florida-native species has been protected from commercial harvesting for decades because of historical over-cutting.
Services for mahoganys.
The work we do on mahoganys most often. Each card links straight to the service detail.