General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower and butterfly host plant.
Availability:
Widely available in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and South Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and South Florida. Available in Groveland at
Green Isle Gardens (321-436-4932) and in Melbourne at
Native Butterfly Flowers (321-626-7386).
Description: Small perennial 1-2 feet tall with narrow leaves 3-5 inches long. Forms small clumps. White flowers appear from pink buds in groups.
Dimensions: Typically 1-2 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Central and southeastern United States south to Volusia, Osceola, Polk, DeSoto, and Sarasota counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Habitats: Marshes, cypress swamps, floodplain forests.
Soils: Wet to moist, seasonally inundated organic, sandy or calcareous soils, with or without humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Light shade.
Flower Color: White
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: May-September.
Fruit: One inch long brown follicles.
Wildlife and Ecology: Larval host plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus), queen (Danaus gilippus) and soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies. Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects.
References: Hammer (
2016), Wunderlin and Hansen 2011
Comments: We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.
See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page and
Monarchs & Milkweed flyer.
