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

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

Availability: Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.

Description: Twining, high climbing herbaceous vine.

Dimensions: N/A; a twining vine with stems 15 feet or more in length. Often drapes over other vegetation forming large mats.

Growth Rate: Fast.

Range: Florida west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

 Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.

Habitats: Hammocks and thickets.

Soils: Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone 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 long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.

Salt Wind Tolerance: High; can tolerate moderate amounts of salt wind without significant injury.

Drought Tolerance: Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.

Light Requirements: Full sun to light shade.

Flower Color: Pinkish violet changing to purple, 2-3" wide. Pinkish stripes radiate out from the floral tube. There is a white-flowered form in the Florida Keys.

Flower Characteristics: Showy.

Flowering Season: All year.

Fruit: Inconspicuous capsule.

Wildlife and Ecology: Nectar source for Brazilian skipper (Calpodes ethlius), mangrove skipper (Phocides pigmalion), monk skipper (Asbolis capucinus) and other butterflies.

Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from seed.

References: Hammer 2004

Comments: Can become aggressive and dificult to control in the garden; caution is urged.