Landscape Uses:
	Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and butterfly gardens.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
	Most common as an understory herb along the coast on the margins of hammocks and tidal swamps.
Availability:
	Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description:
	Erect, medium to large annual herb with 6-angled stems and opposite leaves.
Height:
	Typically 1-4 feet in height. Usually taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
	Fast.
Range:
	Florida from the Monroe County Keys north mostly along the coasts to Volusia and Levy counties; disjunct in Calhoun County; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Habitats:
	Coastal 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:
	Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
	Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
	Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
	Light shade to full sun.
Flower Color:
	Red.
Flower Characteristics:
	Showy tubular flowers, about 1" long.
Flowering Season:
	All year.
Fruit:
	Inconspicuous green to brown capsule.
Wildlife and Ecology:
	Larval host plant for Cuban crescent (Phyciodes frisia) butterflies. Nectar plant for large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe) and other butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
	Easily grown from seeds or cuttings.
Comments:
	Recruits readily from seed in the garden and can become quite weedy in disturbed areas. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.