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🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🌿 Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) — Native Butterfly Magnet with Edible Blooms 🦋
Bring a daily flutter of color to your landscape with this low, sprawling Florida native. Blue Porterweed’s electric-blue blooms feed butterflies from spring through fall, and its dainty flowers are even edible with a surprising mushroom-like note. Perfect for wildlife gardens, coastal sites, and low-maintenance, Florida-friendly landscapes.
🌟 Quick Facts (At-a-Glance)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Stachytarpheta jamaicensis |
| Plant Type | Native perennial/subshrub; pollinator powerhouse |
| Sale Size | Ships in 1-gallon pot |
| Mature Size | Pruned: ~2–3 ft H × 3–5 ft W • Unpruned / frost-free areas: up to 4–6+ ft H × 4–8 ft W |
| USDA Zones | 9B–11 (dies back in frost; quickest recovery in 10–11) |
| Sun | Full sun to part sun (more sun = more blooms) |
| Cold Hardiness | Tender to frost; may die back and resprout in spring; protect on freezes |
| Growth Habit | Spreading, layered, arching stems; fast growth; blooms most of the year in warm regions |
| Spacing | 3–5 ft between plants (allow room to sprawl and for butterfly access) |
🦋 Why Gardeners Love It
- Host + Nectar Plant: Native host for the Tropical Buckeye butterfly; nectar for Gulf Fritillary, Julia, Monarch, Clouded Skipper, and more. Expect busy bloom spikes and constant pollinator traffic.
- Edible Blooms: The tiny blue flowers are edible and known for a mushroom-like flavor—a fun, forager-friendly garnish.
- Florida-Friendly: Thrives in heat, sun, sandy soils, and coastal conditions; easy to maintain with occasional pruning.
Edibile Flowers + Folk Traditions
- Edible flowers: Mild, mushroom-like taste; scatter on salads or snacks. (Always introduce new edibles gradually and avoid if sensitive.)
- Traditional uses: Leaves have been prepared as simple teas/decoctions in folk contexts; we share this as ethnobotanical history, not medical advice. (This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)
🌼 Flowering & Seasonal Rhythm (Florida & Similar Climates)
- Bloom window: Spring through fall; near-year-round in frost-free areas.
- Zone 9B: May die back after hard frost and rebound in spring—cut back old stems late winter.
Where It Shines in the Landscape
- Butterfly gardens & front-of-border drifts: Low, spreading habit weaves between stepping stones and taller perennials.
- Coastal / sandy sites: Handles heat and bright sun; appreciates mulch in drought.
- Ecological plantings: Pairs beautifully with native nectar plants to keep pollinators fed all season.
Best Practices for Planting & Care
Site & Soil
- Plant in: Full to part sun; well-drained sandy/loamy soils. Avoid chronically waterlogged spots.
Planting Method — “High & Tight”
- Set the crown slightly above surrounding grade for drainage, backfill firmly, and mulch the root zone (keep mulch off the stems).
- See our method in action: High & Tight Planting Video: https://youtu.be/RRQFY30qdA8?si=rRIcsbLlVAVYotfI
Water & Nutrition
- Establishment: Water daily the first week, then taper to 2–3×/week for weeks 2–4; thereafter weekly in droughts.
- Feeding: Two light applications of slow-release, organic fertilizer per year support foliage color and continuous bloom. Top-dress with compost + biochar.
Pruning
- Light shape-ups anytime to prevent legginess and encourage branching.
- Late winter cutback (Zone 9): If frost knocks it down, cut to healthy wood just before spring flush for a tidy rebound. Deadheading not required.
Winter Notes (FL & Similar)
- Frost forecast? Cover with frost cloth. In Zone 9B, expect dieback; in Zones 10–11, plants are typically evergreen to semi-evergreen.
🪴 Container & Small-Space Tips
- Containers: Use a 5–10+ gallon pot to showcase arching flower spikes on patios. Provide 6–8 hrs sun. Refresh potting mix yearly with compost.
- Indoors: Not recommended long-term—needs high light and regular airflow to bloom heavily.
🌿 Companion & Support Guild Ideas (What We Carry)
- Pollinator partners: Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea), Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis), and native milkweeds for season-long nectar.
- Biomass / Soil builders: Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) for chop-and-drop mulch, Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) for light nitrogen, Vetiver for slope stability and mulch supply.
- Aesthetic allies: Firebush (Hamelia patens), Lantana (L. depressa, native species), and Coontie for texture contrast.(Availability varies between online and our Spring Hill nursery.)
🧩 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal for:
- Zones 9B–11 (or protected microclimates)
- Butterfly & pollinator enthusiasts
- Low-maintenance, coastal, and Florida-friendly landscapes
- Gardeners who love edible, garnish-worthy flowers
❌ Not ideal for:
- Heavy shade, soggy soil, or areas with no room to sprawl
- Long-term indoor culture without strong sun/airflow
🛑 Troubleshooting & Pro Tips
- Leggy growth: Shear lightly to a lower mound; repeat mid-season for dense shape.
- Frost damage: Leave stems in place until freeze risk passes (they insulate crowns), then cut back to live wood before spring flush.
- Low blooms in shade: Move to fuller sun; avoid high-nitrogen overfeeding which diverts energy from flowers.
- Stem “dirt” or webbings: Tunneling caterpillars can leave frass on stems; prune out affected shoots to healthy tissue and dispose.
❓ FAQ
Is this the Florida native porterweed?
Yes—Stachytarpheta jamaicensis is native to South Florida; beware non-native look-alikes in the trade.
What butterflies will I see?
It’s a host plant for Tropical Buckeye and a nectar source for Gulf Fritillary, Julia, Monarch, and others.
How big will it get?
In typical Florida landscapes: 2–3 ft H × 3–5 ft W with pruning; in frost-free areas or if left unpruned it can mound 4–6+ ft wide/tall (arching stems).
Do I need to deadhead?
No—deadheading isn’t necessary; prune for shape as needed.
Are the flowers really edible?
Yes—many foragers note a mushroom-like flavor. Eat responsibly and avoid if unsure of identification or sensitivity.
🚚 Shipping & Pickup
- Shipping sizes: 1-gallon plants
- Best shipping regions: Florida, the Southeast & Texas
- We can ship nationwide, but plants going to northern/western states may arrive stressed and need recovery time.
- Weather disclaimer: Buyer discretion advised during peak heat/cold. We ship Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida.
- Local Pickup:GreenDreams Nursery & Farm18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610Tues–Fri 9AM–5PM | Sat 8AM–3PM
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
We don’t just grow plants—we design, build, and restore ecosystems across Florida.
- Onsite consultations & edible landscape design
- Installation & project management
- Bulk delivery: compost, mulch, biochar, soils
- Wholesale & regenerative solutions
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
