Garberia (Garberia heterophylla or Garberia fruiticosa) is a shrubby plant that is a member of the Asteracae or Daisy/Composite family. The foliage of this Florida native plant is rather dull gray-green most of the year until the fall when masses of lavender or pinkish blooms stand out against the rather dull foliage. While at one time there was just one on the demo garden doing its show, there is now a mass which is lovely when all in bloom. Blooming in the late summer to fall, Garberia attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Garberia prefers full sun, but can tolerate light shade. It also prefers slightly acidic soils.

Garberia can be grown from USDA hardiness zones in Florida from zones 9 to 11. It can grow from 4 to 8 feet tall, and 4 to 6 feet wide. There are no known pests for Garberia heterophylla.

For more information on Garberia, visit UF/IFAS at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP221.

Visit the UF/IFAS Extension Demonstration Garden Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, except for national holidays, at 7620 SR 471, Bushnell, FL 33513. When you enter the Sumter County Fairgrounds, drive to the back and park to enter the garden.

Resources: Florida’s Best Native Landscape Plants: 200 Readily Available Species for Homeowners and Professionals, by Gil Nelson, published 2003, through University Press of Florida, pp. 142-143.

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