General Landscape Uses:
Low groundcover shrub, mixed herb and wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Dense, woody shrub-like wildflower up to 3 feet tall. Grayish green aromatic needle-like leaves. Showy purple flowers.
Dimensions: Typically 1-3 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southern Alabama and Mississippi, and the Floria Panhandle; perhaps disjunct in Hernando County.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Scrub
Soils: Dry to moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humusy top layer.
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: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Purple
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: March-November.
Fruit: Small, nutlike.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects.
Horticultural Notes: Short lived.
References: Wunderlin and Hansen (
2011), Nelson (
2003)
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.
