General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida.
Description: Wildflower 2-4 feet tall with spikes of blue flowers.
Dimensions: Typically 2-4 feet in height.
Range:
Southern and central United States south to Hillsborough and Orange counties. A population is also present in Broward county.
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: Pinelands, sandhills, prairies.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy 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: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Blue.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Fall.
Fruit: Nutlet.
Wildlife and Ecology: Nectar plant for butterflies.
References: Hall (
2020), Hammer (
2016)
Comments: We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
