Cuban Jute
Sida rhombifolia
- Native to:
- Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Christmas I., Congo, DR Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jawa, Kazan-retto, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Marianas, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Navassa Island, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Ogasawara-shoto, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South China Sea, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sumatera, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, Uganda, United States, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Tatocha
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Malvaceae
- Genus:
- Sida
- Species:
- Sida rhombifolia
- USDA Symbol:
- SIRH
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jan,feb,mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov,dec
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, cream
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Acrocercops quinquistrigella, corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), cotton tipworm (Crocidosema plebejana), Hypena minualis, wavy lined mallow moth (Bagisara repanda), Oileus Skipper (Pyrgus oileus)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock after fire or disturbance. Common colonizer of disturbed and burned areas.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in disturbed areas and grasslands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification improves germination rates. Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI