Pavonia
Pavonia paludicola
Pavonia, also known as Mangrove Mallow and Swampbush, is found in extreme South Florida. It is considered imperiled. The light green heart shaped leaves are only four or five inches long and look like a miniature Mahoe. It grows to 15 feet tall and can be kept shorter with annual pruning.
Although the plant is a bit rangy, the yellow flowers are a favorite of the local ruby throated and buff bellied hummingbirds. It keeps on flowering, even after a cold spell when the Firebush stops.
This is a good salt tolerant plant found near mangroves and does well in average soil and during a drought. Although it isn’t one of the most beautiful plants available, it can be planted in the background or tolerated near a window in order to provide a close up of your winter hummingbirds.
There is a Bahamian species, P. bahamensis, that is very similar. The stamens protrude from the tubular petals, where P. paludicola is level with them.
A butterfly-hummingbird garden should include this plant. Place it on the north side of the garden and mix with other tall, bushy, pushy shrubs and small trees, since it will fill all of the space from ground up where you plant it.
Companions include Firebush, Pineland Privet, Bloodberry, Florida Boxwood, Limber and Jamaica Caper, Blackbead, Wild Lime if given extra room to spread out, Native Plumbago when allowed to become a thick mound and Bahama Strongbark.