General Landscape Uses:
Showy vine for a trellis or arbor.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and central Florida.
Description: Deciduous woody vine climbing by twining. Leaves 4-12 inches long with 2 inch leaflets. Pea-like blue-purple flowers on showy stalks. Fragrant blooms.
Dimensions: Vine with stems up to 40 feet long.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southern United States scattered north to Michigan and New York. South through Levy and Orange counties.
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.
Habitats: Stream and river margins and wet hammocks.
Soils: Moist to wet, well-drained sandy or limestone 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 long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to low; requires moist to wet soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Light shade to full sun.
Flower Color: Blue-purple.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Late spring.
Fruit: 4 inch pods.
Wildlife and Ecology: Larval host for Zarucco duskywing, silver spotted skipped (Epargyreus clarus) and long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus) butterflies.
References: Mellichamp (
2014), Wunderlin and Hansen 2011
Comments: 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.
