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Habitats: Coastal berms; margins of mangrove swamps.
Soils: Periodically innundated to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly-drained brackish soils, with humusy top layer.
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: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
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: Lavender to lilac or rarely white.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy, 3/8" wide.
Flowering Season: All year; peak summer-fall.
Fruit: Bright red succulent berry. Winter.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides significant food and cover for wildlife. Nectar plant for great southern white (Ascia monuste), gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) and other butterflies. Also attracts sphinx moths and bee pollinators.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from de-pulped seed and cuttings.
Comments: The bright red fruits are very showy. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes north to Indian River and Manatee counties.
