Heliotropium angiospermum
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Scorpion-tail
Boraginaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Flower | |
| Size: | to about 2 ft. | |
| Life Span: | Annual to short-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. Prolific self-seeder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Circum-neutral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
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| Insects: | 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 |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures