General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower and rock gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Small herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: About 1-4 inches in height. Spreading across the ground and forming small patches.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southern United States south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. Rare in the Monroe County Keys and perhaps absent from the lower Keys.
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, 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: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Pink.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule with tiny black seeds.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food for wildlife. Attracts bee pollinators.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed and cuttings.
References: Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual
(2005).
Comments: Can be ephemeral or even weedy in the garden.
