Natives For Your Neighborhood
Conservation of rare plants, animals, and ecosystems

General Landscape Uses: Wildflower gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes: An uncommon understory herb in mesic flatwoods.

Availability: Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available in Fort Myers at All Native Garden Center (239-939-9663)

Description: Small to medium wildflower.

Dimensions: Typically 6-15 inches in height. Usually erect and taller than broad.

Growth Rate: Moderate.

Range: Eastern and central United States west to Texas and south to Broward and Collier counties. Perhaps extirpated in Broward County.

 Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.

Habitats: Pinelands.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.

Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.

Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.

Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.

Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun.

Flower Color: Blue or pink.

Flower Characteristics: Showy.

Flowering Season: Spring-summer.

Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.

Wildlife and Ecology: Larval host plant for common buckeye (Junonia coenia) and white peacock (Anartia jatrophae) butterflies. It also attract pollinators.

Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seeds, cuttings and divisions.

Comments: It will spread from seed in the garden, but is not aggressive. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.