FNPS Plant Database

Varronia globosa

bloodberry, butterfly-sage, curacao bush
  • Photo by: John Bradford, Martin County Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

bloodberry, butterfly-sage, curacao bush

Synonym(s):

Cordia globosa

Genus species:

Varronia globosa

Family:

Boraginaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Shrub

Size:

6–10 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

red

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms and fruits most of the year

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Background shrub.

Considerations:

Can become weedy in the right conditions.

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Alkaline

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Butterflies, Birds, Mammals

Attracts butterflies including malachite, atala, and daggerwinds (Haehle and Brookstone 1999).

Birds and other wildlife consume food. Attracts various pollinators especially bees and butterflies.

Native Habitats:

Old fields, open areas, edges of hammocks

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell. (1999). Native Florida Plants. Gulf Publishing Company. Houston, TX.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

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