General Landscape Uses:
Groundcover in open, coastal uplands.
Ecological Restoration Notes: An important sand binder in coastal uplands througout South Florida.
Availability:
Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida. Available at native plant nurseries in South Florida. Available in Boynton Beach at
Sustainscape (561-245-5305).
Description: Small shrub with spreading branches. Leaves light green, succulent and smooth.
Dimensions: Typically 2-3 feet in height. Spreading and becoming much broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Southeastern United States west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; Bahamas and Cuba. Rare and scatted in the Monroe County Keys.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Beach dunes, coastal strand and coastal grasslands.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy 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: 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: Green.
Flower Characteristics: Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season: Summer-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous yellowish-brown achenes in globular clusters.
Wildlife and Ecology: A principal sand binder in the pioneer zone of beach dunes.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed or cuttings.
Comments: It roots along the stems when covered with sand.
