General Landscape Uses:
Accent epiphyte; on live oaks along forest edges.
Ecological Restoration Notes: A relatively common epiphyte in hammocks and swamps.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description: Epiphytic herb; or terrestrial growing in leaf litter.
Dimensions: 12-30 inches in height; 6 feet or more in flower.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north to Flagler, Putnam, Lake and Citrus counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and northern South America.
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: Moist forests and swamps.
Soils: Epiphytic; or terrestrial in moist, well-drained humusy leaf litter, acid to neutral pH.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows on nutrient poor substrate.
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: Light shade.
Flower Color: Greenish-yellow.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season: Summer-fall.
Fruit: Green to brown capsule with hairy, wind dispersed seeds.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed. This is a monocarpic species, which dies after flowering.
Comments: It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida.
