Natives For Your Neighborhood
Conservation of rare plants, animals, and ecosystems

General Landscape Uses: Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations; this can become weedy so caution is advised.

Availability: Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida.

Description: Aggressive vine with clusters of small white flowers.

Dimensions: Vine with stems reaching 10-30 feet.

Growth Rate: Fast.

Range: Florida Keys north to Brevard, Seminole, Orange, Polk, and Hillsborough counties; the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

 Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.

Habitats: Hammocks.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with 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: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.

Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.

Flower Color: White

Flower Characteristics: Showy clusters

Flowering Season: Fall and winter.

Fruit: Erect follicles

Wildlife and Ecology: Larval host plant for monarch (Danaus plexippus), queen (Danaus gilippus) and soldier (Danaus eresimus) butterflies.

References: Hall (2020), Kushlan and Hines 2014

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.