How much sun does Florida spinypod need?

Florida spinypod grows best in part sun conditions.

When does Florida spinypod bloom?

Florida spinypod blooms in April, May, and June.

Where is Florida spinypod native?

Florida spinypod (Matelea floridana) is native to FL, GA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).

What pollinators does Florida spinypod attract?

Florida spinypod draws flies and beetles.

Florida spinypod

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Matelea floridana

Last reviewed: September 2026

Florida spinypod (Matelea floridana) is a perennial vine native to FL, GA. It blooms in April, May, and June. The flowers draw flies and beetles.

Toxicity unknown

Florida spinypod (Matelea floridana) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

24"–96" H × 24"–60" W

Bloom

Apr, May, Jun

Native to

FL, GA

Pollinators

flies, beetles

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Southeastern Plains Southern Coastal Plain

Slender twining vine in the milkweed family with heart-shaped leaves and small star-shaped maroon-brown flowers, scrambling through low vegetation in open woodlands and hammock edges. A rare, narrowly distributed species.

Growing Florida spinypod

Grow Florida spinypod in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 24 to 96 inches tall and spread 24 to 60 inches wide.

Wildlife value

Flowers attract flies and beetles as pollinators, and as a milkweed relative it may support some of the same specialist insects associated with milkweeds.

Common questions

How much sun does Florida spinypod need?: Florida spinypod grows best in part sun conditions.
When does Florida spinypod bloom?: Florida spinypod blooms in April, May, and June.
Where is Florida spinypod native?: Florida spinypod (Matelea floridana) is native to FL, GA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
What pollinators does Florida spinypod attract?: Florida spinypod draws flies and beetles.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

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