Largeflower Mexican Clover, Largeflower Pusley
Be careful when tip-toeing through the Mexican-clover — the bees are busy collecting nectar from it!
Richardia (Mexican-clover) is a flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae (which includes coffee, gardenia, cinchona, sweet woodruff, ixora and noni), native to tropical to warm temperate regions of the Americas. They are herbaceous perennial plants. According to the IFAS Assessment of the Status of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas May 2007, this plant is a wildflower considered “Not a problem species”, although if is growing in your turf, you may think otherwise as it is difficult to control.
Plant Facts:
Common Name: Largeflower Mexican Clover, Largeflower Pusley
Botanical Name: Richardia grandiflora
Family: Rubiaceae
Plant Type: Creeping perennial herb
Origin: Brazil
Zones: 8 – 11
Height: to 1″
Rate of Growth: Spreads to form clumps quickly
Salt Tolerance:
Soil Requirements: Turf and disturbed sites
Water Requirements: Medium drought tolerance
Nutritional Requirements:
Light Requirements: Partial shade to full sun
Form: Low growing, spreading herb
Leaves: .5″ to .75″ long, medium green
Flowers: Whitish lilac in full sun, darker lilac color in shaded locations
Fruits:
Pests or diseases:
Uses: Bees seem to enjoy collecting the nectar
Bad Habits: Annoying, invasive perennial weed, treat with Weed & Feed type fertilizers containing atrazine
Cost:
Propagation: Seed and stem fragments
Sources: Thanks to George Rogers, Ph.D. (Professor III, Palm Beach Community College) special to “Residences”, The Palm Beach Post, for his help identifying the proper name of this plant; Color Atlas of Turfgrass Weeds, Lambert Blanchard McCarty
