Melochia tomentosa
Photographs belong to the photographers who allow use for FNPS purposes only. Please contact the photographer for all other uses.
Tea Bush, Wooly Pyramidflower
Malvaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | Usually to about 3 ft. tall but has been reported to as much as 10 ft. | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Pink | |
| Phenology: | Evergreen. Flowers year round but most heavily fall to early spring. | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers, Interesting foliage |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Use as a specimen plant. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Seed, Specialty providers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Not wet but not extremely dry ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Not wet but not extremely dry ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Lime rock, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Likely calcareous | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
| |
| Insects: | 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 |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| 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. |