Sabatia campanulata - Slender Rosegentian

 

Slender rosegentian (Sabatia campanulata) is one of 12 rosegentians native to Florida and found throughout much of the Panhandle counties in moist soil and sunny habitats. It also occurs throughout much of the Southeast and a few Midwestern and eastern states in similar conditions.  This is a perennial herbaceous wildflower that dies back to the ground in winter and reemerges again in spring when it eventually reaches a mature height of about 2 feet.  

The basal leaves are lost very early and the stems appear leafless for the first inches.  The stem leaves are simple, opposite on the stem, and with no teeth along the margins.  The flowers are produced at the top of each stem in summer.  They are a deep rose in color (rarely white) and composed of five petals, fused at the base.  Other characteristics of the blooms are shown in the second photo above - all taken by my friend Floyd Griffin and used by permission.

Members of this genus are mostly pollinated by bees and the resulting fruit is a dry capsule. Slender rosegentian is not offered commercially by any of the native nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries nor by any out-of-state nurseries that I am aware of.  Given its restricted habitat needs, this is not too suprising, though it would make an attractive addition to a wetland (lake or marsh edge) planting.  This is one species to be admired when encountered, but not to be sought for for a home landscape.