Each stem has soft, fleshy green flanges running longitudinally down its length. When winter weather brings ice, the stems exude water that freezes in , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Moist forest edges. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts native bees. Nectar source for butterflies.

The natural distribution in Florida is predominantly related to soil and drainage conditions.  If you provide them, it should grow successfully from L , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Wildlife, Provides cover for birds and mammals.  Attracts deer and squirrels.  Deer browse can be so intense as to limit survival of saplings. , Habitat, Forested seepage areas, swamps, low stream banks , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Use as a groundcover in moist areas. Also useful in wetland restoration areas. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Aggressive, so plant where this will not be a problem or where nothing else will grow. , Habitat, Swamps, marshes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

This is a State-endangered species.  Please honor all state regulations regarding growing and transport of this species. Plant in wet prairie setting , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Foliage and seeds are food source for birds and mammals. , Habitat, Open seep slopes, wet prairie, wet flatwoods at margins of seasonal ponds, wetland transition zones. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.

Retain if present in natural setting. Can be grown in a wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Pine rocklands, swampy forests on stumps and logs just above high water levels, in humus. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers The flowers do not produce nectar but use food deception to attract various bees including Euglossa, Thygater and Melipona, a genus of

Use as a tall groundcover or small shrub. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t , Considertions, Can become somewhat weedy. , Habitat, Hammocks, disturbed sites , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Nectar plant for Bahamian swallowtail (Heraclides andraemon), cassius blue (Leptotes cassius), Florida white (Appias drusilla), gray ha

Specimen plant or background plant in moist informal garden. This is a mid-sized bunching grass until the flower stalk shoots up in the fall. Then it , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, The flower stalks need to be removed once no longer showy. , Wildlife, Birds will eat the seeds.  Provides cover. , Habitat, Flatwoods, marshes, coastal swales, cypress ponds, lake shores, cutthroat seep. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Host plant for the Clouded Skipper butterfly (Lerema accius) , Did You Know?, Yerba mate, the traditional tea-like beverage from South America, is made with leaves of a close relative to our holly trees, the Ilex Paraguayanis. Y

The herbarium specimen from Polk County almost certainly has a wrong location.  Lithia is in Hillsborough County and the most likely translation of a , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt , Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds. Birds and other small wildlife consume the seed (https://wildflower.org) , Habitat, Moist-wet areas, acid soils. Wet flatwoods, savannas, swamps, stream banks, bogs, other wet areas. , Did You Know?, Aroma, fragrance, Showy flowers Attracts butterflies and bees which have evolved to take advantage of narrow, tubular flowers.

This species is grown primarily for its use as a butterfly plant. It is not as showy as the commonly grown introduced plumbago. This species has a pan , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Habitat, Coastal hammocks. , Did You Know?, Larval host for Cassius blue. Attracts butterflies, moths, and bees.

Specimen plant, screen plantings, sometimes with unusual or weeping form. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Thorns. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit.  Used as browse by deer and rabbits. , Habitat, Dry sites. Open woods, mixed woods, sandy pinelands. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Larval food for hummingbird clearwing moth(Hemaris thysbe), striped hairstreak butterfly(Satyrium liparops), and blinded sphinx