General Landscape Uses:
Wildflower and rock gardens.
Ecological Restoration Notes: Probably native mostly to open, sunny areas in coastal strand now occupied by Brazilian-pepper (Schinus terebithifolius) and other exotics. A good candidate for augmentation following exotic plant removal. Also rare in pine rocklands and mesic flatwoods in Miami-Dade and Collier counties.
Availability:
Widely available in central Florida.
Description: Small herbaceous wildflower.
Dimensions: Typically 3-12 inches in height. Spreading and forming small patches broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Endemic to peninsular Florida from Miami-Dade County north along the east coast to St. Johns County; also in Collier and Hendry counties and reported for the Monroe County Keys by Moldenke (1977).
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Pinelands and open coastal uplands.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Rose-purple.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: All year.
Fruit: Inconspicuous nutlet.
Wildlife and Ecology: Nectar plant for butterflies.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from cuttings without mist.
Comments: It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida. Horticultural synonyms:
Verbena maritima. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
