FNPS Plant Database

Melochia tomentosa

tea bush, wooly pyramidflower
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

tea bush, wooly pyramidflower

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Melochia tomentosa

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Shrub

Size:

8–10 feet tall by 8–10 feet wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Evergreen. Flowers year round but most heavily fall to early spring

Noted For:

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Use as a specimen plant.

Considerations:

Availability:

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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Not wet but not extremely dry -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

Likely calcareous

Suitable to Grow In:

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

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Attracts pollinating insects, especially bees. Roger Hammer reports that insects swarm on the flowers, especially small butterflies such as hairstreaks, crescents, blues, and skippers, and also nectar-seeking wasps, various native bees, and imported honeybees.

Native Habitats:

Pine rocklands

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

USF Plant Atlas location in Hillsborough appears to have been from seed in imported soil - the one in St. Lucie County has been removed from the FLAS database (likely it was an error). The Institute for Regional Conservation reports the species to be extirpated in Florida though it is occasionally cultivated, potentially from imported plants. Images provided here are from a specimen cultivated by Roger Hammer.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

The Plant Book - http://www.plantbook.org/plantdata/malvaceae/melochia_tomentosa.html.


Hammer, Roger. (2015). Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida. 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. (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, FL.

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