Plant bird food! 
  
•Status in Florida: Native
•Size at Maturity: Typically grows 1 to 2 feet tall and wide
•Phenology: Perennial herb with fleshy, lance-shaped leaves and small clusters of white to pinkish flowers followed by red berries
•Life Cycle: Perennial
•Bloom Season: Spring to fall
•Deciduous, Dioecious, Evergreen: Evergreen
•Sunlight Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
•Soil Texture: Well-drained sandy or loamy soils
•Soil pH: Tolerant of a wide range, but prefers slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.5)
•Moisture Requirements: Prefers moderately moist soil but can tolerate drought once established
•Tolerance to Salt Spray: Low tolerance
•Recommended Landscape Uses: Woodland gardens, shade gardens, native plant gardens
•Maintenance Tips: Low maintenance; prune as needed to maintain shape and remove dead foliage
•Considerations: Can self-seed and spread in favorable conditions, may require occasional thinning
•Edible: The ripe berries are edible but not commonly consumed due to their bitterness
•Medicinal Uses: Historically used in traditional medicine for various purposes, including as a diuretic and for treating skin conditions
•Toxicity to Pets: Not known to be toxic, but ingestion may cause gastrointestinal upset in pets
•Florida Native Companion Plant: Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), southern wax myrtle (Morella cerifera)
•Wildlife Benefit: Provides habitat and food for birds and small mammals; attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies
•Caterpillar Host Plant: Rouge Plant is a host plant for the caterpillars of the Rivina Moth (Utetheisa lotrix).