FNPS Plant Database

Phyla nodiflora

frogfruit, turkey tangle fogfruit, capeweed
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Marjorie Shropshire, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Marjorie Shropshire, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Marjorie Shropshire, Martin County Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

frogfruit, turkey tangle fogfruit, capeweed

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Phyla nodiflora

Family:

Verbenaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Flower

Size:

6 inches

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white, purple

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms all year

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Low growing groundcover. Can be used as a turf substitute in low traffic areas.

Considerations:

Availability:

Friends

Propagation:

Division.

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:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Adaptable

Suitable to Grow In:

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

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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Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Butterflies, Caterpillars

Larval host for common buckeye (Junonia coenia), phaon crescent (Phyciodes phaon) and white peacock (Anartia jatrophae) butterflies. Nectar plant for barred yellow (Eurema daira), ceraunus blue (Hemiargus ceraunus), field skipper (Atalopedes campestris), gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), little metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis), Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), Palatka skipper (Euphyes pilatka), phaon crescent, queen (Danaus gilippus), swarthy skipper (Nastra lherminier), tropical checkered-skipper (Pyrgus oileus) and other butterflies.

Native Habitats:

Dry-moist-wet sites. Disturbed wet prairies, ruderal areas

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Hammer, Roger. (2015). Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


Minno, Marc, and Maria Minno. (1999). Florida Butterfly Gardening: A Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Butterflies. 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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