Natives For Your Neighborhood
Conservation of rare plants, animals, and ecosystems

General Landscape Uses: Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens.

Availability: Commonly available at native plant nurseries in central Florida.

Description: Medium to large herbaceous wildflower.

Dimensions: 2-4 inches in height.

Growth Rate: Moderate.

Range: Eastern and central North America west to Texas and south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties. Not documented on barrier islands in South Florida, but possibly historically present; it grows well at Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach.

 Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of Postal Code Areas of IRC data from peninsular Florida.

Habitats: Hammocks.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy 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: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun to moderate shade.

Flower Color: Blue.

Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.

Flowering Season: Spring.

Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.

Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.