Forked bluecurls
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Trichostema dichotomum
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Lamiaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Wildflower and rock gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Native plant nurseries. Available in Lake Worth at Amelia's SmartyPlants (561-540-6296). |
Description: |
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Medium annual or short-lived perennial herbaceous wildflower. |
Height: |
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About 12-18 inches in height. Usually about as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate to fast. |
Range: |
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Eastern and central North America west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland; Bahamas. |
Habitats: |
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Pinelands and open coastal uplands. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained sandy or 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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High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury. |
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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Blue. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year; peak summer-fall. |
Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous nutlet. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Attracts many pollinators, but especially bees. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed. |
Comments: |
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See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. |
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