General Landscape Uses:
Groundcover in open coastal areas.
Ecological Restoration Notes: A common and important pioneer vine on beach dunes nearly throughout peninsular Florida.
Availability:
Grown by a few native plant nurseries in south and central Florida. Available in Lake Worth at
Amelia's SmartyPlants (561-540-6296).
Description: Sprawling or climbing vine with very long stems.
Dimensions: Typically 6-12 inches in height when creeping along the ground; stems to 50 feet or more in length and sometimes high climbing in other vegetation.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north along the coasts to Duval and Dixie counties, scattered west to eastern Texas; West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Old World tropics. Historically vouchered on the east coast north to Volusia County, but apparently migrating to the north in response to climate change. Now known almost to the Georgia border at the
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.
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.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Coastal uplands.
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: Pioneer; grows in unconsolidated substrate in direct salt wind and spray.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Pink to rose purple with white markings.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: All year; peak summer-fall.
Fruit: Brown pod (legume), 4-6" long, flattened. All year.
Wildlife and Ecology: An important pioneer species and sand stabilizer of beach dunes. Attracts pollinators.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed. Soak in water for several hours to speed up germination.
References: Hammer 2004
Comments: It can be aggressive in cultivation, climbing and covering shrubs and sometimes trees. The seeds and seed pods are poisonous. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
