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

This forms clumps but does not form large clones, which means it will not take over a garden. Wildflower garden especially toward the back where heig , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without i , Wildlife, Songbirds such as goldfinches and sparrows eat the seeds, and mice and deer browse the foliage and flowers.  Birds feed on the insects collecting poll , Habitat, Typically a plant of mesic flatwoods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Used for nectar by butterflies. Attracts a wide variety of pollinators, especially bees.  Chauliognathus pensylvanicus is one or the ma