General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description: Small erect herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: About 6-12 inches in height. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to the Monroe County Keys; 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: Pinelands and open disturbed sites.
Soils: Moist to dry, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Secondary line; tolerates significant salt wind without injury, but usually is somewhat protected.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Dark purple to purplish-pink or rarely white with a yellow tip on the upper petal.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy racemes.
Flowering Season: All year; peak spring-summer.
Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed and division.
References: Hammer 2004
Comments: The leaves and flowers of this species are extremely variable; use appropriate sources. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
