General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also margins of ponds and lakes.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description: Small to medium creeping herb.
Dimensions: About 1-2 feet in height. Spreading and forming mats much broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Widespread in North America south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland; 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: Marshes and swamps.
Soils: Wet, poorly-drained to moderately well-drained sandy or organic soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
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: Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color: Pink.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: Spring-fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous nut.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and other insect pollinators. The seeds are eaten by ducks, rails, and granivorous songbirds.
