General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.
Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description: Medium herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: Typically 2-4 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast.
Range:
Widespread in eastern North America west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys.
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: Pinelands, prairies and disturbed sites.
Soils: Moist to wet, moderately well-drained to well-drained, sandy or limestone soils, without humusy top layer.
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: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: White or blue.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology: Larval host plant for pearl crescent (
Phyciodes tharos ) butterflies. Attracts butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
References: Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual
(2005) .
Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
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.
