General Landscape Uses:
Groundcover in open, coastal uplands.
Ecological Restoration Notes: One of the most important sand-binding vines in coastal uplands throughout South Florida.
Availability:
Widely available in central Florida. Commonly available at native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available at
Indian Trails Native Nursery in Lake Worth (561-641-9488) and in Boynton Beach at
Sustainscape (561-245-5305).
Description: Prostrate herbaceous vine with very long stems.
Dimensions: Typically 3-9 inches in height; stems to 100 feet in length.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southeastern United States west to Texas and 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: Beach dunes and coastal thickets.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus.
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: Pioneer; grows in unconsolidated substrate in direct salt wind and spray.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Pink to reddish-purple. Rose-purple stripes radiate out from the throat.
Flower Characteristics: Showy, 2-3" wide.
Flowering Season: All year.
Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule. All year.
Wildlife and Ecology: One of the most important beach pioneer species. Nectar plant for butterflies.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed or cuttings.
Comments: The name "pes-caprae" means "goat's foot" referring to the shape of the leaf. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
