Smooth Meadow Beauty Rhexia alifanus
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Rhexia glabella
- Phonetic Spelling
- REKS-ee-uh
- Description
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Savanna Meadow Beauty is a native perennial wildflower with showy pink flowers found from NC south to FL and west to TX. In NC it is found on the coast and coastal plains. The pink flowers are showy with a long bloom season.
It prefers full sun and moist, acidic, sandy soil. It can be grown in pool or bog gardens and makes an excellent companion plant for carnivorous plants. It will also tolerate dryer sites but soil must be kept moist.
Habitat: Pine flatwoods and savannas, pocosin borders, more able to tolerate merely moist soils than other Rhexia species
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rhexia
- Species:
- alifanus
- Family:
- Melastomataceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern and central U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant attracts bumblebees.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is an upright vase-shaped capsule with numerous seeds. Displays from July to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Purplish pink 4-petaled flowers with 8 conspicuous stamens topped by bright yellow anthers. Blooms in panicles from May to September.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are opposite, sessile, lanceolate to elliptic in outline, with entire margins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Smooth yellow-green stems up to 4 feet tall
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
