West Indian Porterweed

Stachytarpheta strigosa

Native to:
Dominican Republic, Leeward Is., Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Virgin Islands

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Verbenaceae
Genus:
Stachytarpheta
Species:
Stachytarpheta strigosa
USDA Symbol:
STST4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb , Subshrub
Height:
60 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
jan,feb,mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov,dec
Bloom Colors:
purple, blue

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
butterflies, bees, hummingbirds
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Salt Tolerant:
Yes
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from root crown following fire; common in fire-maintained Florida scrub and pine flatwoods.

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 organic matter-rich environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Germination Time:
14–30 days
Notes:
Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions without pretreatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI