FNPS Plant Database

Dicerandra spp.

annual balms
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

annual balms

Synonym(s):

Dicerandra densiflora, D. linarifolia, D. fumella

Genus species:

Dicerandra spp.

Family:

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

1-1.5 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Aroma/Showy Fruitsagrance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden.

Considerations:

Difficult to establish and hence rarely grown. Retain this if you have it on a site. These are abundant along some dry roadsides and retaining these wildflower areas is strongly encouraged.

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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Stays wet -to- Usually moist, occasional inundation

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Attracts pollinators.

Native Habitats:

Sandhill settings.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

All perennial Dicerandra species in Florida a rare and endangered. They appear to be closely related and form hybrid swarms if grown in a common garden. To protect the genetic purity of these rare plants, please do not grown them.

Citations:

Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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