Coastal searocket
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Cakile lanceolata
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Brassicaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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An ephemeral element of beach dunes. Not recommended for general landscape use. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries. |
Description: |
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Small annual herb. |
Height: |
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Typically 1-3 feet in height. Often about as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Fast. |
Range: |
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Monroe County Keys north along eastern coast to St. John County and along the western coast to southern Texas; the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. |
Habitats: |
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Beach dunes. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without a humusy top layer. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Moderately low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water, but tolerates short term inunation by salt water from storm surge with minimal damage. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Pioneer; grows in unconsolidated substrate in direct salt wind and spray. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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White. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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Winter-summer. |
Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous indehiscent fruit. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Larval host plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste) butterflies. Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) butterflies. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed and cuttings. |
Comments: |
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See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. |
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