Fragrant lady’s-tresses, Marsh lady’s-tresses
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Spiranthes odorata
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Orchidaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. |
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 herbaceous wildflower. |
Height: |
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About 4-6 inches in height; to 1 foot or more when in flower. Taller than broad when in flower. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Eastern and central United States west to Oklahoma and south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties. Very rare in Broward County along the eastern edge of the Everglades. |
Habitats: |
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Marl prairies, swamps and wet pinelands. |
Soils: |
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Seasonally wet to moist, moderately well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with or without humusy top layer. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low to moderate; it can grow in nutrient poor soils or soils with some organic content. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate 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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Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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White. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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Fall-winter. |
Fruit: |
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Capsule containing numerous minute seeds. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Horticultural Notes: |
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Comments: |
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See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.
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