FNPS Plant Database

Galactia striata

Florida hammock milkpea
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Florida hammock milkpea

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Galactia striata

Family:

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

vine

Size:

ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink,purple

Fruit Color:

green,brown

Phenology:

Noted For:

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Grown by enthusiasts.

Considerations:

Scrambling vine likely best suited to informal settings. Individual stems may be up to 10 ft long.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Short very dry periods -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Larval host plant for cassius blue ( Leptotes cassius ), long-tailed skipper ( Urbanus proteus ), zestos skipper ( Epargyreus zestos ) and zarucco duskywing ( Erynnis zarucco ) butterflies. ( IRC )





Nectar plant for hammock skipper ( Polygonus leo ) and other butterflies. ( IRC )

Native Habitats:

Hammocks

Natural Range in Florida:

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Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Host plant for Zestos Skipper butterfly which is believed to be extirpated (extinct) in FLorida. Also used by Cassius blue, longtailed skipper, and Zarucco duskywing

Citations:

Couto, R. N., Favoretto, V., de Almeida, L. F., Prandi, D. M., & de Andrade Rodriguez, L. R. (1997). Insect pollination and plant guiding in Galactia striata (Jaco.) Urb.(Leguminosae). http://ciat-library.ciat.cgiar.org/articulos_ciat/PAST1919.pdf ). Accessed 2026. Pasturas tropicales, Vol. 19, No. 1.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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