Wild-coco
Eulophia alta
Orchidaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower gardens in wet to moist areas.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Medium herbaceous wildflower with grass-like leaves.
Height:
About 2-3 feet in height when in flower. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland north to Brevard, Orange and Citrus counties; disjunct in Flagler County; West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America and Africa.
Habitats:
Swamps, marshes and open disturbed sites.
Soils:
Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly-drained sandy, organic or calcareous soils, with or without 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:
Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color:
Green-purple.
Flower Characteristics:
Showy.
Flowering Season:
Summer-winter.
Fruit:
Capsule containing numerous minute seeds.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


Roger L. Hammer
Shirley Denton