The endangered plants provided by Bok Towers Garden's Conservation Program have been blooming away. The most recent one to show flowers is Dicerandra immaculata, know commonly as Lakela's mint, Olga's mint, or Lakela's balm. No doubt the common names honor Dr. Olga Lakela, of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, a well-known botanist.
In nature, D. immaculata is found in a one-half mile wide by three miles long area in southern Indian River and northern St. Lucie Counties. It was also been introduced on Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge in Martin County in 1991 and 1992. It was listed in 1985 as federally threatened, and faces a high risk of extinction because so much of its habitat has been lost and its populations are so fragmented. We have four plants at Cedar Point which are all flowering.
The plant is a small, fragrant, perennial shrub that can reach a height of about two feet. The plant produces tiny lavender-rose colored flowers less than 0.8 inches long with no spots. The flowers, which appear primarily September through November, are formed in whorls of 1 to 3 flowers in the leaf axils.
The plant grows best in open sun, becoming quite bushy. The primary branches arise from a stout, deep, woody-branched taproot. As it grows it forms small mats or domes of ascending to spreading or sprawling branches.
Our purpose is not to encourage the introduction of this plant to our area, but to allow an opportunity to see our rare Florida plants; nonetheless, it is exciting that the plants seem to be doing so well in our garden. Come have a look, or join the work party on Friday mornings, 9-11 a.m.
References:
Dicerandra immaculata, http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ViewProfile.asp?CPCNum=1404
Dr. Olga Lakela, University of Minnesota-Duluth, http://www.d.umn.edu/biology/herbarium/
ISB Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants, http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/images.asp?plantID=1188