Powdery Alligator-Flag
Thalia dealbata
- Native to:
- United States
Raffi Kojian
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Marantaceae
- Genus:
- Thalia
- Species:
- Thalia dealbata
- USDA Symbol:
- THDE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, violet
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Brazilian skipper (Calpodes ethlius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, butterflies, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moisture-retentive clay or loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Thrives in wetlands and shallow water areas
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best when kept consistently wet and warm; may be slow and erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds can be stored dry in zip-lock-type plastic bags for at least 6 months or stored in a moist medium at 5.5 °C (42 °F) for stratification.
Establishment: Seeds are generally collected when fully mature and before any significant shattering occurs, usually late August through mid September. Seeds of the Indian Bayou Source are collected by shaking the fruit clusters over a container.
Source: npn.rngr.net