Mock bishopsweed, Herbwilliam
Ptilimnium capillaceum
Apiaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wet wildflower and butterfly gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description:
Small to medium annual herb.
Height:
About 6-18 inches in height. Usually taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Fast.
Range:
Eastern and central United States west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties; West Indies.
Habitats:
Swamps and wet disturbed sites.
Soils:
Wet to moist, well-drained to poorly-drained sandy or organic soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
White.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
A pair of inconspicuous carpels pendent from a supporting axis.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Larval host plant for black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
This self seeds and can be somewhat weedy. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. See a 2019 post on the Treasure Coast Natives blog on dominant mudflat species including mock bishopsweed.


Keith A. Bradley
Roger L. Hammer
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Keith A. Bradley
Keith A. Bradley