Silver sea-oxeye-daisy, Bushy seaside oxeye
Borrichia frutescens
Asteraceae


Landscape Uses:

Accent coastal wildflower and bedding plant.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

A relatively common element of coastal areas, especially the ecotones between mangrove swamps and coastal uplands.
Availability:
Widely cultivated.  Available in Boynton Beach at Sustainscape (561-245-5305).
Description:
Small to medium shrub with silvery-green leaves and attractive yellow flowers.
Height:
Typically 2-3 feet in height; to 5 feet in South Florida. Colonial, and spreading much broader than tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Eastern and southeastern United States west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; Bahamas, Cuba and southern Mexico.
Habitats:
Coastal wetlands and beaches.
Soils:
Wet to moist, well-drained to periodically inundated brackish soils.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate to low; requires moist to wet soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color:
Yellow.
Flower Characteristics:
Showy compound heads, about 1" wide.
Flowering Season:
All year; peak spring-summer.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Provides moderate amounts of food and cover for wildlife. Nectar plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste), gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), southern broken-dash (Wallengrenia otho) and other butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Grown from seed or cuttings. Break up seed heads into a pot with 2" or more of potting soil and sprinkle a little soil into the pot, almost covering the seeds. Place in light shade or full sun and keep moist.
Comments:
In Florida, distinguished from B. arborescens by its silver foliage (in the Bahamas, B. arborescens is also silver). In Florida and Cuba, the two species form a rare natural hybrid, B. x cubana. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


Roger L. Hammer
James Johnson, 2014
In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida
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Susan Trammell
George D. Gann
George D. Gann
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton