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

General Landscape Uses: Groundcover in a shady garden, butterfly gardens.

Availability: Grown by enthusiasts.

Description: Perennial herb 6-12 inches tall with heart shaped or linear leaves.

Dimensions: Typically 6-12 inches in height, as broad as tall.

Growth Rate: Moderate.

Range: Eastern United States south to Brevard, Highlands, DeSoto, and Hillsborough counties.

 Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.

Habitats: Uplands, moist hammocks, dry sandhills

Soils: Dry to moist, well-drained sandy soils, with or without humusy top layer.

Nutritional Requirements: Low to moderate; it can grow in nutrient poor soils or soils with some organic content.

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: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.

Light Requirements: Shade to moderate shade.

Flower Color: Purple-brown

Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.

Flowering Season: Summer and fall.

Fruit: One half inch six-valved capsule.

Wildlife and Ecology: Larval host plant for the gold rim swallowtail (Battus polydamas) butterflies.

Horticultural Notes: Pollinated by flies.

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.