General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.
Ecological Restoration Notes: A somewhat rare understory wildflower in pinelands and prairies.
Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in central Florida.
Description: Small herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: Typically 6-18 inches in height. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Endemic to peninsular Florida from Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland north to Flagler, Marion and Levy 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.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Pinelands.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
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: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Lavender and pink.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects pollinators, and possibly hummingbirds. Birds and other wildlife eat the fruit.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual
(2005).
Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
