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

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.

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.

 Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.

 Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.

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

Habitats: Pinelands.

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.

References: Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual (2005).

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.