FNPS Plant Database

Heliotropium angiospermum

scorpion-tail

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

scorpion-tail

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Heliotropium angiospermum

Family:

Boraginaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

to about 2 ft.

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Perennial in southern parts of Florida, treat as an annual further north.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Use as a tall groundcover or small shrub.

Considerations:

Can become somewhat weedy.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed.  Prolific self-seeder.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

circum-neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Butterflies

Nectar plant for Bahamian swallowtail ( Heraclides andraemon ), cassius blue ( Leptotes cassius ), Florida white ( Appias drusilla ), gray hairstreak ( Strymon melinus ), great southern white ( Ascia monuste ), gulf fritillary ( Agraulis vanilla ), Miami blue ( Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri ), queen ( Danaus gilippus ), rudy daggerwing ( Marpesia petreus ), Schaus' swallowtail ( Heraclides aristodemus ) and other butterflies. ( IRC )

Native Habitats:

Hammocks, disturbed sites

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Hammer, Roger L.  2015.  Attracting hummingbirds and butterflies in tropical Florida.  University Press of Florida.



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



Institute for Regional Conservation.  2021.  Natives for your neighborhood.   https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Heliangi.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Tras, Pamela.  2001.  Gardening for Florida's butterflies.  Great Outdoors Publishing, St. Petersburg, 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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