General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Identified by Fair Child Tropical Botanic Garden as a native that does especially well in shade in this
brochure.
Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available in Lake Worth at
Amelia's SmartyPlants (561-540-6296).
Description: Medium to large short-lived herb with shiny red berries.
Dimensions: Typically 1-4 feet in height. About as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north to Duval, Marion and Levy counties and west to Arizona; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: A wide variety of forested ecosystems.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy, limestone, 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 long-term flooding by salt or brackish 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: Light shade.
Flower Color: Pinkish.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy racemes.
Flowering Season: All year.
Fruit: Showy red berries.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Hammer 2004
Comments: Rouge plant recruits readily from seed in the garden and can become very aggressive in shady areas. The fruits have been used to make red dye and rouge.
