Native Plant Database

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: Normally no more than 1.5 feet tall, but can exceed 3 feet.
Flower: Flowers 2 inch flower spikes
Fruit: Red to orange 2-3.5 mm
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , FL , HI , LA , MS , NM , OK , TX
Native Distribution: Southern North America from Florida to Arizona, north to Oklahoma and Arkansas, south through Central America and the Caribbean to tropical South America
Native Habitat: In moist or alluvial soils in partial shade. Also in hilly chaparral.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), PR(N), VI(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Moist and well-drained sand, sandy loam, loam, clay, and calcareous soils.
Conditions Comments: Prefers light shade and moist but well drained soil. Without supplemental water in summer, it may go dormant.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Low-growing herb layer plant, decorative fruit and flowers
Use Wildlife: Fruit-birds
Use Other: The red fruits have been used for cosmetics, hence the name Rouge Plant.
Warning: Caution: the fruit and leaves are toxic if ingested.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: Moderate

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Seed and cuttings.
Seed Collection: Collect berries when plump and red. Allow to dry spread out.
Seed Treatment: Seeds germinate well and grow slowly.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Water during summer drought.

Find Seed or Plants

Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Native grasses for East Texas that require no mowing or watering
June 16, 2010
What native grass can I grow in deep East Texas that would require no supplemental watering and no mowing?
view the full question and answer

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Native Plant Nursery - Sanibel, FL

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Fredericksburg Chapter - Fredericksburg, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
National Butterfly Center - Mission, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0071 Collected Sept. 12, 1990 in Bexar County by Lottie Millsaps
NPSOT 0118 Collected June 7, 1991 in Bexar County by Lottie Millsaps

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-MM-756 Collected 2010-07-25 in Hays County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Bibliography

Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 281 - Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rivina humilis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rivina humilis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rivina humilis