Scorpion Tail
Heliotropium angiospermum
Scorpion Tail is a member of the Borage family which is known for producing butterfly and bee attracting flowers. It is found in most of Florida up to Volusia County and southern Texas. Older plants may become unattractive.
It does well during drought if there is some organic matter in the soil to hold moisture. This is also tolerant of moderate amounts of salt air and water when growing back of the dunes.
If you want lots of butterflies and bees in a less visible portion of the backyard, then try this great nectar producer that will bloom almost all year long. The plants can be three feet tall and six feet across, yet when you pull one up at the end of its one to two year life, you will clear a large area with one pull. Just wait a few weeks and seedlings will fill the site again.
The tiny, fragrant white flowers are on scorpioid cymes. This is a scorpion like tail with flowers on the upper surface. These are followed by small nutlets that may be eaten by seed eating birds like sparrows and buntings. Sparrows have been observed eating the seeds of other members of the Borage family:Click here.
Once you have Scorpion Tail, it will come back from seed for many years. Fortunately it doesn’t come up everywhere and can be managed. Plant in a butterfly garden with Chapman’s Cassia, Firebush, Bloodberry, Key’s Thoroughwort, Wild Plumbago, Yellowtop, Sea-Oxeye-Daisy, Salvia, Pineland Croton, Frostweed, Partridge Pea and Prickly Poppy.