General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description: Medium annual herbaceous wildlflower.
Dimensions: About 1-3 feet in height. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southeastern, midwestern and western United States south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
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 wetlands.
Soils: Wet to moist, poorly-drained to occasionally inundated brackish or freshwater soils.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance: Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Rose-purple or white with a dark purple center.
Flower Characteristics: Showy, 3/4" long.
Flowering Season: All year; peak December-August.
Fruit: An inconspicuous sticky capsule.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Hammer 2004
Comments: A very attractive wildflower. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
