Seaside heliotrope, Salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum
Boraginaceae
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer
General Landscape Uses:
Groundcover in wet disturbed coastal sites.
Ecological Restoration Notes: An occasional element of open coastal uplands and wetlands, including disturbed sites.
Availability:
Occassionally grown at native plant nurseries in peninsular Florida.
Description: Small herb.
Dimensions: About 3-12 inches in height, broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north mostly along the coasts to Volusia and Franklin counties; Southern United States and scattered to the north, West Indies, Central America, and South America.
Soils: Moist to wet, moderately well-drained to occassionally inundated brackish soils.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
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: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: White.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: All year; peak spring-summer.
Fruit: Small and ovoid with four nutlets.
Wildlife and Ecology:Nectar plant for Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), great southern white (Ascia monuste), and other butterflies. Attracts bee pollinators.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
