Natives For Your Neighborhood
Conservation of rare plants, animals, and ecosystems

General Landscape Uses: Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.

Availability: Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.

Description: Medium to large herbaceous wildflower.

Dimensions: 2-4 inches in height.

Growth Rate: Moderate.

Range: Eastern and central North America west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties. 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: Hammocks.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy soils, with 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 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: Full sun to moderate shade.

Flower Color: Blue.

Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.

Flowering Season: Spring.

Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.

Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.