General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower gardens, borders.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Perennial herb up to 2 feet tall with light lavender to bluish or white flowers at the top of a stem. Leaves 1-2 inches long.
Dimensions: Typically 12-18 inches in height, as broad as tall.
Range:
Northern and south-central United States from New York to Minnesota south to eastern Texas and Jackson, Washington, Gadsden, and Liberty counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Calcareous hammocks, rich woods.
Soils: Moist organic, sandy or calcareous soils, with or without 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 to low; requires moist to wet soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Moderate to light shade.
Flower Color: Light blue.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Early spring.
Fruit: Tiny pods.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts pollinators.
References: Hall (
2020), Mellichamp (
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.
