This cute, but truly odd, native groundcover member of the pokeberry family hails from Florida west to Arizona, where it can be found on moist, but well-drained soils in both light shade to part sun. In our trials, it has formed a 1′ tall x 3′ wide, salt-tolerant, deciduous groundcover of green leaves topped with short stalks of pink flowers that quickly change to tiny clusters of red fruit. Rivina is a favorite of numerous birds, butterflies, and mixed container designers. Rivina is also used in the Southwest as a red dye since it contains the pigment rivianin…a pigment similar to that in beets. If your soil gets too dry, pigeonberry will go dormant and re-emerge when rain arrives.
