Seaside heliotrope, Salt heliotrope
Heliotropium curassavicum
Boraginaceae


Landscape Uses:

Groundcover in wet disturbed coastal sites.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

An occasional element of open coastal uplands and wetlands, including disturbed sites.
Availability:
Occassionally grown at native plant nurseries in peninsular Florida.
Description:
Small herb.
Height:
About 3-12 inches in height, broader than tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate to fast.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north mostly along the coasts to Volusia and Franklin counties; Southern United States and scattered to the north, West Indies, Central America, and South America.
Habitats:
Mostly disturbed coastal sites.
Soils:
Moist to wet, moderately well-drained to occassionally inundated brackish soils.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
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; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
White.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy.
Flowering Season:
All year; peak spring-summer.
Fruit:
Small and ovoid with four nutlets.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), great southern white (Ascia monuste), and other butterflies. Attracts bee pollinators.
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:


Roger L. Hammer
Keith A. Bradley