Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Loganiaceae

Genus:

Spigelia

Species:

Spigelia hedyotidea

USDA Symbol:

SPHE7

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

30 cm

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

pink, red

Wildlife Benefits

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

hummingbirds, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; found in fire-maintained grasslands and open woodlands.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers shaded forest floors

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds may have low viability; fresh seed germinates best.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI