Porterweed, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, is a perennial ground cover with coarse thick, dark green leaves. Native Porterweed is a low spreading plant growing from 12 inches to 24 inches in height and up to 4 feet in spread. It should not be confused with the invasive upright non-native shrub Porterweeds. It is very adapted to dry and salt exposed locations. Porterweed tolerates hot sunny locations as well as bright, partially lighted locations. It does freeze back in the winter where exposed to cold and reseeds in the spring. It is popular with butterfly gardeners and is good for other pollinators. The flower stem, affectionately referred to as 'rat-tails', at the end of the creeping branches, produce deep blue flowers that progressively open along the flower stem in the morning.