Florida whitetop
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Rhynchospora floridensis
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Cyperaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and rock gardens. |
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 to medium herbaceous wildflower. |
Height: |
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About 6-12 inches in height; to 18 inches when in flower. Taller than broad. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Monroe County Keys and Miami-Dade counties, and very rare or extirpated in Collier and Polk counties; Bahamas, southern Mexico and Central America (Belize). In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key and nearby islands. |
Habitats: |
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Pine rocklands. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained limestone soils, without humus. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
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 bracts with green tips. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy inflorescence. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year. |
Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous achene. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed and divisions. |
Comments: |
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