General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Medium herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: About 2-3 inches in height; to 3 feet when in flower. Usually taller than broad, but falling over and forming open patches.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties. Perhaps extirpated in Broward and Miami-Dade 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: Dark purplish.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Summer-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology: Nectar plant for butterflies. Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects. Valuable source of insects for birds.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
