Landscape Uses:
	Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also butterfly gardens.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
	A somewhat rare understory herb in pine rocklands.
Availability:
	Rarely grown by native plant nurseries.
Description:
	Small to medium herb with erect or sprawling stems and oblong leaves.
Height:
	About 6-24 inches in height. Taller than broad, but then falling over and spreading.
Growth Rate:
	Moderate.
Range:
	Eastern and central United States west to Texas and south to central Florida; disjunct in Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County Keys. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key, where very rare.
Habitats:
	Pine rocklands.
Soils:
	Moist, well-drained limestone 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:
	Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
	High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
	Full sun.
Flower Color:
	Green with purple hoods.
Flower Characteristics:
	Showy, about 1/2" wide.
Flowering Season:
	Winter-summer; peak spring.
Fruit:
	Pod (follicle) with wind dispersed seeds, wide at the base and tapering toward the tip.
Wildlife and Ecology:
	Larval host plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus) and queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies; possible larval host for soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies. Nectar plant for monarch butterflies. Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects.
Horticultural Notes:
	Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
	The plant is poisonous to livestock. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page and Monarchs & Milkweed flyer.