Blodgett’s swallowwort
Metastelma blodgettii
Apocynaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

It can be used as one of many understory herbs in pine rocklands.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
A creeping or short climbing vine with small leaves.
Height:
N/A; a vine with stems to 3 feet or more in length.
Growth Rate:
Moderate to fast.
Range:
Monroe County Keys and Miami-Dade County; Bahamas. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key. In Miami-Dade County, native to the Miami Rock Ridge south of the Miami River.
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 long-term 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:
White.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy.
Flowering Season:
Spring-fall.
Fruit:
Slender pod with wind dispersed seeds.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Possible larval host plant for soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed or cuttings.
Comments:
The sap is white. It is listed as threatened by the state of Florida.


Roger L. Hammer
Keith A. Bradley
Keith A. Bradley