Gingerbush
Pavonia spinifex

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A rough and hairy plant with a long taproot. Attractive leaves and showy lemon yellow flowers. A very good fibre crop with possible industrial applications. Other uses include a windbreak or hedge, cut flowers. Good for pots and garden beds. Wildlife Attractant: Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds.

Pavonia spinifex is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1.2

Where it is found

Forests, shrublands, savannahs; 0–100 m; Fla.; West Indies; introduced in Bermuda. Sandy woods and hammocks (stands of trees, usually hardwood, that form an ecological island in a contrasting ecosystem.)

Origin: North America, tropical Americas. Dominica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USA: Florida. In Florida, US it is found in seven counties north of Lake Okeechobee, from Duval to Brevard and Highlands counties.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

A rough and hairy plant with a long taproot. Attractive leaves and showy lemon yellow flowers. The stem makes a very good fibre crop with possible industrial applications. Other uses include a windbreak or hedge, cut flowers. Good for pots and garden beds. Wildlife Attractant: Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds. Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: fiber (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles).

Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Climate: warm temperate to tropical. Humidity: semi-arid. Prefers moist well-drained soil. Sun to Partial Shade. US Hardiness Zones 8-11. Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline). Humidity tolerant. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: coppice (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Seed. Stem and tip cuttings

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 8-11

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Seed pods awns may cause skin irritation

Its other names

Local names

Gingerbush, Shell Flower

Synonyms

Hibiscus spinifex L. Lassa spinifex (L.) Kuntze. Malache spinifex (L.) Kuntze. Pavonia aristata Cav. Pavonia spinifex var. grandiflora DC. Pavonia spinifex var. spinifex. Typhalea spinifex (L.) C. Presl

Gingerbush Pavonia spinifex