General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Rarely grown by native plant nurseries.
Description: Perennial wildflower up to 3 feet tall with showy red, tubular flowers with a yellow interior.
Dimensions: Up to 3 feet in height, taller than broad.
Range:
Southern United States south to Escambia to Jefferson counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Woodlands, calcerous hammocks.
Soils: Moist, well-drained limestone or calcareous sandy soils, with or without 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: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Moderate to light shade.
Flower Color: Red.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: April-July.
Fruit: Capsule.
Wildlife and Ecology: Flowers used by hummingbirds.
References: Hall (
2020), Mellichamp (
2014)
Comments: Native Americans made a tea from the plant to expel intestinal parasites. An alkaloid in the plant may cause convulsions, increased heart rate, and death.
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.
