FLOWER OF THE WEEK AT SOPCHOPPY DEPOT PARK

Pale meadowbeauty

By LYNN ARTZ, DAVID RODDENBERRY, and SANDY TEDDER

Pale meadowbeauty (Rhexia mariana) is a dainty wildflower only 1-2 feet tall that is common throughout Florida and the southeast. Its four petals are often pale pink but vary from white to pink to lavender. The flowers have long curving yellow-to-orange anthers that contrast with the petals and extend beyond them. The showy blooms attract bees and small butterflies and are pollinated mainly by bumblebees. Unlike most flowers, meadowbeauties are buzz pollinated, meaning bees use vibration to obtain pollen. The anthers are sealed except for tiny openings that allow pollen to exit when vibrated but keep other insects out. Though individual flowers last only a day, the plants flower for 1-2 months. Pale meadowbeauty prefers moist soil in full sun. It is blooming now near the pond at Sopchoppy Depot Park