General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also margins of ponds and lakes.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Small to medium creeping herb.
Dimensions: About 1-2 feet in height. Spreading and forming mats much broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Widespread in North America south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
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: Marshes and swamps.
Soils: Wet, poorly-drained to moderately well-drained sandy or organic 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 flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Pink.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous nut.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and other insect pollinators. The seeds are eaten by ducks, rails, and granivorous songbirds.
