Florida Keys Blackbead

Listed as Threatened by the State of Florida.  Please acqure from reputable sources.



Screen or hedge plant. Informal foundation shrub. Blooms profusely in late fall. Fruits are contorted and split open to reveal red seeds.

Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges.



Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms).

Birds eat the fruits and the red&black arils.

Tropical/coastal hammock edges, dunes, fields. Dry sites.

• Showy flowers
• Larval host  for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), and Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) butterflies. 
• Nectar plant for cassius blue, Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), Florida white (Appias drusilla), giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes), great southern white (Ascia monuste), hammock skipper (Polygonus leo), large orange sulphur, mangrove skipper (Phocides pigmalion), Miami blue, Palatka skipper (Euphyes pilatka), southern broken-dash (Wallengrenia otho), three-spotted skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus), twin-spot skipper (Oligorio maculata) and other butterflies.  (IRC)