Borrichia frutescens
(L.) DC.
Asteraceae
Buphthalmum frutescens L.
Common Name:
The flowers are very attractive to insects, such as this fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
Photograph by: Bob Peterson
Flowering stems
Photograph by: Sam Fraser-Smith
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Close-up of the flower
Photograph by: Bob Peterson
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
General Information
Borrichia frutescens is an evergreen shrub in the more tropical areas of its range, but dies down to its perennial rhizomes in colder areas with frosts[
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
]. The plant spreads by means of its rhizomes, forming dense mats of growth up to 1.2 metres tall[
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
].
The plant is possibly used as a food and medicine. It is sometimes cultivated as a hedge or ground cover plant.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
,
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
Range
C. America - southern Mexico, north to southern N. America from Texas to Florida, north to N. Carolina.
Habitat
Salt marsh communities, brackish backwaters, limestone rocky shores; at elevations up to 10 metres[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Pollinators | Butterflies |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant mainly of the warm temperate to subtropical zones, entering into the tropics in Mexico and always found by the coast.
Requires a sunny position[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
]. Plants are tolerant of saline soils, both acid and alkaline conditions and extended inundation[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
]. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
A fairly slow-growing plant[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
Edible Uses
The leaves are apparently eaten in salads or as a potherb[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
The record for this plant being edible uses the common name of 'Jamaican Samphire' for the plant. This species is not native to Jamaica, although the very closely related B. Arborescens is. It is quite possible that the record refers to both species, or even the hybrid between them[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
The leaves of the plant are used as a medicinal tea[
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The dense growth of this plant makes it suitable for use as a low hedge or ground cover, especially near the sea and in saline soils[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
]. It is quite tolerant of trimming[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
Cuttings
Division
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
