Copyright by: James Johnson, 2014 In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida Expand
General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also uselful in wildflower and rock gardens.
Ecological Restoration Notes: A relatively common understory herb in pinelands.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries. Available in Miami at Dade County FNPS.
Description: Small to medium sprawling wildflower with small appressed leaves and wirely stems.
Dimensions: Typically 6-12 inches in height; to 2 feet or more when in flower. Usually broader than tall forming small open patches.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to the Monroe County Keys, but absent from much of eastern peninsular Florida; northern Bahamas. In the Monroe County Keys, disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key.
Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone 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: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: Blue or lavender.
Flower Characteristics: Showy.
Flowering Season: Fall.
Fruit: Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology: Attracts native bees and other beneficial insects.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.
Comments: A beautiful and interesting addition to open, dry spots in the garden. Horticultural synonyms: Aster adnatus. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.
Copyright by: James Johnson, 2014 In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida Expand
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.
