FNPS Plant Database

Heliotropium curassavicum

seaside heliotrope
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

seaside heliotrope

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Heliotropium curassavicum

Family:

Boraginaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

To 1 ft tall by up to 4 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

white

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Can be used as a groundcover in semi-shady areas. Perhaps more interesting than showy.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies



  • Nectar plant for Miami blue ( Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri ), great southern white ( Ascia monuste ), and other butterflies.


  • Attracts bees.


Native Habitats:

Moist, typically salty areas, dunes.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

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



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  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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