Eryngium prostratum Nuttall ex A.P. de Candolle. Common name: Creeping Eryngo, Spreading Eryngo. Phenology: May-Nov. Habitat: Floodplain forests, bogs, pond margins, moist ditches and lawns, other moist, open habitats; definitely native southward, perhaps only rather recently spread to the northern parts of our area. Distribution: Se. VA south to FL, west to OK and TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Fl7, GW2, Il, K1, K3, K4, MC, Mo2, NcTx, Ok, RAB, S, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Bell (1963); = n/a – Tat; > Eryngium prostratum Nutt. ex DC. var. disjunctum Fernald – F, G; > Eryngium prostratum Nutt. ex DC. var. prostratum – F, G
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
- Great Plains: FACW
- Midwest: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Sprawling to weakly ascending, mat-forming perennial found in floodplain forests, bogs, pond margins, moist ditches and lawns and other moist, open habitats. Definitely native southward, perhaps only rather recently spread to the northern parts of our area.
Stems: Stems longitudinally ribbed, branched, rooting at nodes.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petiolate (lower leaves) to sessile (upper), oval to lance-shaped but sometimes 3-lobed, to 2 3/4 in. long, sometimes toothed, smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in dense, cylindric heads on stalks arising from leaf axils, each head resting on 5-10 linear-oblong, drooping bracts; blue; less than 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 5 minute petals and long, bluish-purple stamens.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 2-3 in.; stems to 16 in. long
plant sale text: Creeping eryngo is found growing in low, wet woods, borders of swamps and ponds and moist woodlands. It bears many small flowers, pale puple-blue in color, that attract a great variety of pollinators. Spreads in mats so it makes a great groundcover. Would also do well as a hanging potted plant. It thrives in average to wet soil in full sun. This plant is related to Eryngium yuccifolium, rattlesnake master, which is also a favorite of pollinators.
bloom table text:
description: Sprawling to weakly ascending, mat-forming perennial found in floodplain forests, bogs, pond margins, moist ditches and lawns and other moist, open habitats. Definitely native southward, perhaps only rather recently spread to the northern parts of our area.
stems: Stems longitudinally ribbed, branched, rooting at nodes.
leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petiolate (lower leaves) to sessile (upper), oval to lance-shaped but sometimes 3-lobed, to 2 3/4 in. long, sometimes toothed, smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in dense, cylindric heads on stalks arising from leaf axils, each head resting on 5-10 linear-oblong, drooping bracts; blue; less than 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 5 minute petals and long, bluish-purple stamens.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: southeastern & central U.S.