Florida whitetop
Rhynchospora floridensis
Cyperaceae


Landscape Uses:

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

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description:
Small to medium herbaceous wildflower.
Height:
About 6-12 inches in height; to 18 inches when in flower. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
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:
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 bracts with green tips.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed and divisions.
Comments:


Roger L. Hammer
Shirley Denton