Landscape Uses:
	Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also uselful in wet spots where it can climb into trees.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
	A relatively common vine in freshwater swamps.
Availability:
	Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description:
	Climbing or sprawling vine or shrub-like wildflower.
Height:
	N/A; a vine with stem to 10 feet or more in length.
Growth Rate:
	Fast.
Range:
	Southeastern United States south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland.
Habitats:
	Swamps and wet thickets.
Soils:
	Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly-drained organic or 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:
	Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
	Full sun.
Flower Color:
	Lavender to bluish ray flowers.
Flower Characteristics:
	Showy.
Flowering Season:
	All year; peak in fall.
Fruit:
	Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology:
	Nectar plant for bees, as well as monarchs (Danaus plexippus) and other butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
	Can be grown from seed obtained from dried flower heads, which are broken up. Seeds can be planted or sprinkled onto the soil. Keep moist.
Comments:
	A beautiful if unorthodox component of the garden; it can be trimmed back heavily to keep the plant in control. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.