General Landscape Uses:
Accent shrub.
Availability:
Widely available in central Florida. Commonly available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida. Available in Lake Worth at
Amelia's SmartyPlants (561-540-6296).
Description: Medium erect shrub. Leaves shiny green.
Dimensions: About 6-8 feet in height. Usually about as broad as tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Habitats: Pinelands and swamps.
Soils: Seasonally inundated to moist, well-drained sandy or sandy-organic soils, with humusy top layer, acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate to low; it prefers soils with organic content, but will still grow reasonably well in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to high; plants growing in extremely dry soils may die during extended periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Pale to deep pinkish or almost red.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Spring.
Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides some food and moderate amounts of cover for wildlife.
Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
