Flora of the Southeastern United States

Intro: Prostrate, shrubby perennial found in a variety of moist to dry habitats on acidic soils, including heath balds and exposed banks in rocky or sandy woodlands.

Stems: Stems creeping, reddish-brown, lightly woody and densely hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate, oval, 2-3 in. long, leathery-evergreen with rough texture, covered in rust-colored hairs when new.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in short clusters from axils of terminal leaves, often concealed beneath leaves; white to pink; to 1/2 in. long; trumpet-shaped with 5 spreading corolla lobes; fragrant.

Fruits: Fruit a pea-sized berry-like capsule that changes from green to red, then purple; contains hundreds of tiny brown seeds embedded in a sticky white tissue that is attractive to ants.

Comments:

Height: 4-6 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Prostrate, shrubby perennial found in a variety of moist to dry habitats on acidic soils, including heath balds and exposed banks in rocky or sandy woodlands.

stems: Stems creeping, reddish-brown, lightly woody and densely hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate, oval, 2-3 in. long, leathery-evergreen with rough texture, covered in rust-colored hairs when new.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in short clusters from axils of terminal leaves, often concealed beneath leaves; white to pink; to 1/2 in. long; trumpet-shaped with 5 spreading corolla lobes; fragrant.

fruits: Fruit a pea-sized berry-like capsule that changes from green to red, then purple; contains hundreds of tiny brown seeds embedded in a sticky white tissue that is attractive to ants.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America