How to grow Porterweed- Stachytarpheta spp.
I don’t know about you but, I am always on the hunt for a plant that I don’t have to fuss over. Porterweed happens to be one of my top 10 favorite plants of all time. I love this plant! It is almost worry free with little maintenance to it. I have been growing it for about the past 6-7 years and have been extremely pleased with it. It can grow quite tall depending on the variety that you get. My Porterweed gets 5 feet tall and almost the same distance wide. I want to help give you enough information on how to grow Porterweed so you can add this plant to your garden and enjoy it for years to come. Read on to learn how to grow Porterweed- Stachytarpheta spp.
Basic Porterweed Information:
Porterweed is native to Texas and much of the southern part of the United States. It grows in the Americas and the Caribbean. This plant is an evergreen perennial with dense foliage growing in a wide variety of places. Porterweed produces long flower spikes with blue, red, coral, and even white flowers throughout the growing season. The flowers grow up the flower spike in small clusters. However, each flower lasts only a day or two. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds love to get nectar from these flowers. I have enjoyed watching hummingbirds squabble with each other over territory between my Porterweed plants. It is one of their favorite plants on my property.
Other common names for Porterweed: rat’s tail, vervain, devil’s coachwhip, snakeweed, and Brazilian tea
Butterflies Attracted to Porterweed:
Many butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are attracted to Porterweed. The most common butterflies that are attracted to the Porterweed flowers include:
- Gulf Fritillary
- Monarch
- Orange Sulfur
- Clouded Skippers
- Red Admirals
- Tropical Buckeye*
*The Tropical Buckeye will eat the foliage of Porterweed but, it is not a primary food source for the Tropical Buckeye caterpillar.
What’s In the Name- Porterweed?:
Scientific Name: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis This is one of the most common varieties of Porterweed.
Stachys means “spike”
tarphys means “dense” or “thick”
- S. urticifolia– zones 9b-11; can reach 5′ tall
- S. mutabilis– red; zones 8b-11; 3′-6′ tall and 2′-4′ wide
- S. microphylla– compact red; zones 10-11; 1′-2′ tall and wide
Foliage of Porterweed:
Foliage: The leaves are a beautiful shade of green with elliptical shaped leaves. The margins of the leaves have crenate edges, slightly rounded teeth. The venation is pinnate with one long vein down the middle and the secondary veins paired oppositely the main vein.
Flowers of Porterweed Plants:
Flowers: Grow on long flower spikes that range from 8 inches to 2 feet long. Depending on the variety the flower colors are either different shades of blue, purple, coral, red, and white. The most common colors are blue and purple. I currently have one coral Porter Weed and it does not get as big as my blue/purple plants. I have not seen a white Porter Weed in the garden shops, lately.
Care and Maintenance of Porterweed Plants:
Porterweed is one of the easiest plants to care for.
- This shrub adapts easily to its surrounding areas and to many different types of soils.
- It does not like soggy feet, so find a place to plant it where the soil drains well. Take care not to over water these plants.
- Grow in Partial Shade or Full Sun- I am in the Houston area and they do well with a little bit of shade in the afternoon sun, especially during our hot summers.
- Fertilize with a granular fertilizer during the growing season. I use a liquid fertilizer because my dog tends to want to eat my organic granular fertilizers.
- Pruning is done to keep a more dense shape of the plant. I do have a few in my yard that I don’t prune at all.
Picking out your Porterweed at the Nursery:
When you get your plant from the nursery or garden center you need to properly plant your selected Porterweed so that you can grow it successfully. When selecting your plant at the garden center or nursery it is okay to pull the plant out of the pot to inspect the roots of the plant. You are going to be looking for healthy roots. If the roots are nice a plump that is an indication of a great root stock. Make sure that the roots are not completely compacted where you don’t see any soil in the bottom of the pot. This indicates that the plant is rootbound and has been in the pot too long. By selecting a healthy root stock plant you are ensuring a healthy start for your plant.
How to Grow Porterweed:
After getting home with your plant you need to select a location in garden with the correct amount of sunlight. This may take some investigation throughout the day to determine the perfect amount of sunlight for your new plants. After selecting a location for your plant you will need to dig a hole that is twice the size of the pot the plant is in. This helps the plants roots spread out and not become compacted. I sprinkle a balanced slow release organic fertilizer in the bottom of the hole before I plant it. It is also a great idea to spread out the roots of the plant to help them grow into their new space.
When planting make sure that the soil level of the plant is even with the soil level of the ground where you are planting. Fill in the soil you dug out and lightly tamp down the soil to get rid of any large air pockets you may have. Be careful not to cover the original soil level of the plant. You want to avoid having a mound on top of your new plants roots. Lastly, water your plants. Plants can go into transplant shock but most do great with a little care.
The Pros and Cons of Porterweed:
Pros- Great aspects with how to grow Porterweed:
- Virtually pest free- I have not had any pest problems as long as I have been growing them. However, these plants can be eaten by some caterpillars. I don’t mind because I have always strived to plant for myself and the wildlife in my area.
- Porterweed has low water needs once established; except in extreme drought or heat
- Prune only when promoting a bushy habit of growth. You can prune at any time during the growing season. You don’t have to prune if you are happy with their growth size.
Cons– Problems with Porterweed:
- Flowers are not good for floral arrangements. The flowers fall off the flower spikes not long after picking. It is better to enjoy these flowers outside.
- Porterweed will freeze in a hard winter. I have had several winters where temps got down to just below freezing and the plant was fine. However, we have had several winters in the last few years that the temperature got down to the mid-20s and my plants froze to the ground. Some of my plants did survive depending on how much protection they received but I have had to replace a few that were out in the open. The plants that survived did die back to the ground level but came back in the spring when temperatures started warming back up.
I hope you enjoyed learning about Porterweed. This plant is a great addition to any garden.
I would love to hear your experiences or questions that you may have with this plant. Post in the comments below what is being sold around your local garden shops.
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