sanguinaria
Alternanthera ficoidea
Often called 'Joseph's Coat' or 'Joyweed', its leaves change color intensity based on its exposure to sunlight, flushing deep red in bright conditions.
- Scientific name
- Alternanthera ficoidea
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Amaranthaceae › Alternanthera
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Wet tropical areas, riverbanks, marshes, disturbed damp soils, and cultivated gardens.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis requiring sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Central America, South America, Caribbean, Southeast Asia
- Size
- 15 to 30 cm tall, forming mats up to 1 meter wide.
- Lifespan
- Perennial (typically 2-5 years in the wild, longer via vegetative propagation).
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat destruction, water pollution, and displacement by highly invasive weeds in some regions.
- Safe to approach?
- This plant is harmless and safe to touch. It is non-toxic to humans upon light contact, but avoid ingesting wild plants. Enjoy its vibrant foliage from a step back to avoid trampling delicate wetland ecosystems.
Alternanthera ficoidea is a type of herb belonging to the Amarathaceae family. It is also known as Alternanthera tenella, and is common and widespread throughout the tropics. It is in fact an endemic herb in the Western Ghats of India. However it is invasive to the island of Palau, and Philippines. The herb has been introduced to Japan, and many other Pacific islands, where they are not invasive. Propagation occurs via seeds.
Photo: Helio Lourencini, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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