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Soils: Wet to moist, poorly-drained to moderately well-drained organic soils, with or without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Light shade to moderate shade or full sun.
Flower Color: Bright pink and white or rarely white.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Summer.
Fruit: Slender pod (follicle) with wind dispersed seeds.
Wildlife and Ecology:Larval host plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus) and queen (Danaus gilippus) butterflies; possible larval host of soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies. Nectar plant for Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan), fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus), giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes), monarch (Danaus plexippus), ocola skipper (Panoquina ocola), sachem (Atalopedes campestris) and variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) and other butterflies. It also provides nectar for other insects.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
Comments: An excellent butterfly plant, but rare in South Florida and perhaps not well-adapted to our area.
