Curtiss’ hoarypea
Tephrosia curtissii
Fabaceae


Landscape Uses:

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

Ecological Restoration Notes:

A critically imperiled element of the South Florida flora, which would benefit from both habitat restoration and population augmentations.
Availability:
Rarely grown by enthusiasts and at botanical gardens.
Description:
Small herbaceous wildflower.
Height:
About 3-9 inches in height. Spreading and forming small open patches broader than tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Peninsular Florida, mostly along the eastern coast from northern Miami-Dade County to Volusia County.
Habitats:
Primarily open, coastal strand.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained sandy 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:
High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Lavender.
Flower Characteristics:
Showy.
Flowering Season:
Spring-fall.
Fruit:
Small pod (legume).
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
For more information, visit our Floristic Inventory of South Florida Database Online. See also Florida Natural Areas Inventory's Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida page (Chafin 2000).