Okenia hypogaea – A Rare Beauty

Beach Peanut, also known as Burrowing Four O’clock (Okenia hypogaea) is quite a stunning little ground cover.  You probably never heard of it, or if you have, you have never actually seen it growing.

A friend of mine gave me a little piece of this plant many years ago, and despite disturbance, drought and dogs, it has not only come back every year, but has continued to spread.

Beach Peanut is in the Nyctaginacea family (hence, the Four O’clock reference), and like other members of this family has vibrant colored fuchsia blooms.  It has sticky little leaves and is prostrate to the ground, but will kind of climb a little bit when it meets resistance.  It is no higher than an inch above the sandy soil.

It is native to the sand dunes and coastal plains from the Keys to Central Florida. I live in Eastern Broward County, where the soil is mostly sand so this little guy is quite at home in my yard.  It needs full sun as well as sandy soil to grow well.  I think we have some of that!

Beach Peanut?

A beautiful annual, it blooms its little head off during the hottest, most grueling summer days, then goes dormant in the fall.

But don’t let that fool you. Beneath the ground are the seeds, which germinate each spring, multiplying as it does. (Hence, the name Beach Peanut!)

Due to overdevelopment along the coast, it is now considered an endangered species, but it certainly isn’t difficult to grow.

If you can find this adorable ground cover for sale, it certainly deserves a place with the other jewels in our multi-species lawns.

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