General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Small short-lived perennial herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: Typically 4-12 inches in height. As broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southeastern United States west to Texas and south to Broward and Collier counties; Greater Antilles. Very rare in Broward County and known only from the Pembroke Lakes Mall area. Not documented on barrier islands in Florida, but possibly historically present; it grows well at
Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach.
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.
Habitats: Swamps and moist forests.
Soils: Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly-drained sandy or organic soils.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
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: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Light shade.
Flower Color: Pink.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-summer.
Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seeds and cuttings.
