General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in central Florida.
Description: Medium annual herbaceous wildlflower.
Dimensions: About 1-3 feet in height. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southeastern, midwestern and western United States south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Coastal wetlands.
Soils: Wet to moist, poorly-drained to occasionally inundated brackish or freshwater soils.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance: Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Rose-purple or white with a dark purple center.
Flower Characteristics: Showy, 3/4" long.
Flowering Season: All year; peak December-August.
Fruit: An inconspicuous sticky capsule.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
Comments: A very attractive wildflower. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
