Salt & Pepper

Melanthera nivea

Size: 1 & 3 Gallon Availability

Flower
Max size: 5-6′ tall x 4′ wide
Average size: 3′ tall x 3′ wide

Usually Moist, Moist to Dry, Very Dry
Loam, Lime rock, Sand, Clay
Sun, Part Shade
Salt Tolerance: Low; some tolerance of salty wind but not salt spray

AKA: Snow squarestem, Cat’s tongue, Nonpareil

Besides the neat leaf shape, the plant is prized for it’s flowers. They are heavily used by butterflies, skippers, bees, and wasps for nectar; one of our favorite generalist pollinator plants. It has unique white flowers tipped in black, and blooms from summer through fall. In some locations, it can bloom almost year-round and never truly go dormant for winter (this is typically in coastal areas or tropical micro-climates).

The plant frequently return from root stock after dying back to the ground in winter. However, they also re-seed. They take well to pruning; prune as often as once a week or are rarely as never depending on your needs. It will bloom more prolificially in full sun, but can adapt to shadier locations.

Did you know that the S-n-P plant is tough enough to withstand volcanic acid rain? It’s certainly tough enough to withstand Florida summers!