Wild pennyroyal
Piloblephis rigida
Lamiaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and butterfly gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Native plant nurseries in central and northern Florida.
Description:
Small to medium herbaceous wildflower.
Height:
About 6-24 inches in height. About as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Georgia and Florida south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties; northern Bahamas. Not documented on barrier islands in South Florida, but possibly historically present; it is cultivated at Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach.
Habitats:
Pinelands.
Soils:
Moist to dry, well-drained sandy 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:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Light purplish.
Flower Characteristics:
Showy.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
An inconspicuous aggregate of nutlets.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Nectar plant for butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


Keith A. Bradley
James Johnson, 2014
In habitat, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Florida
George D. Gann, 2014
In habitat, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Florida
George D. Gann, 2014
In habitat, Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Florida
Roger L. Hammer
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton