According to Kew Gardens, it is from Central America and probably Cuba and Florida.   After going through the photos and labels for specimens in the S , Tolerance, Unknown Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Noted for being weedy. , Habitat, Disturbed. Old orange groves, pasture, roadsides. May occur naturally along the west FL coast including shell mounds and dunes . All records for in , Did You Know?, Showy flowers

Wildflower gardens. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Not drought tolerant. , Habitat, Hydric to mesic pine flatwoods, cutthroat seeps, bogs. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts many butterflies (NSIS), bees and other pollinators.

Use as a groundcover in moist areas. Also useful in wetland restoration areas. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Aggressive, so plant where this will not be a problem or where nothing else will grow. , Habitat, Swamps, marshes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage