General Landscape Uses:
Water gardens and along pond and lake edges.
Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description: Medium herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: About 1-2 feet in height. Usually spreading and forming patches broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Eastern and central North America west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland. Not documented on barrier islands in South 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.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Marshes and swamps.
Soils: Wet, poorly-drained organic soils.
Nutritional Requirements: High; requires rich organic soils for optimal growth.
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: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Light shade to moderate shade or full sun.
Flower Color: White.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-summer.
Fruit: Inconspicuous indehiscent carpels.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food for birds.
References: Nelson 2003
Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
