General Landscape Uses:
Specimen or showy hedge.
Availability:
Widely available in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Densely foliated evergreen shrub 1-7 feet tall with grayish green leaves 1-2 inches long. Showy lavender to pinkish flowers in clusters.
Dimensions: Typically 1-7 feet in height, about as wide as tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Endemic to Florida. Clay, Putnam, Citrus, Marion, and Volusia counties south to Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Osceola, and Brevard 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.
Habitats: Sand pine and oak scrub, sandhills
Soils: Moist to dry, 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: 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 to light shade.
Flower Color: Lavender to pinkish.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: October-December
Fruit: Achenes.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts butterflies.
References: Hall (
2020), Nelson (
2003), Osorio 2001
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.
