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Claytonia caroliniana is often confused with:
Claytonia virginica Form
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Primula meadia flowers
Viola pedata Viola pedata
Viola pubescens Form

Claytonia caroliniana

Phonetic Spelling
klay-TOH-nee-uh kair-oh-lin-ee-AN-uh
Description

Carolina Spring Beauty is a perennial wildflower and spring ephemeral native to the North Carolina mountains. Spring ephemerals quickly bloom and seed before the canopy trees overhead leaf out. They then die down to the ground in summer after the seed capsule matures. The plant is often found in the partial shade and moist soil of fertile open woods, alluvial thickets, wetlands, riparian hardwood forests, and upland slopes. The pink to white flowers have 5 petals with darker lines giving it a striped appearance. The genus name honors John Clayton (1686-1773), who came to Virginia from England in 1705. The species name means of Carolina.

Carolina Spring Beauty does best in organically rich or loamy weil-drained, moist, mildly acidic soils in partial shade (2 to 6 hours of sun per day). It cannot grow in full shade and prefers moist soil. It is less heat tolerant than C. virginica. It is generally difficult to find for commercial sale and is listed as a threatened species in Alabama.

Carolina Spring Beauty will form a dense prostrate carpet that spreads indefinitely. However, you can divide existing plants in the spring or fall for replanting. The plant grows from corms and reaches 6 to 12 inches tall with an erect to sprawling growth pattern. Plant corms 3 inches deep and 3 inches apart in fall. The plant naturalizes easily by bulb offsets and self-seeding, and can be weedy in optimum growing conditions. The plant disappears from above ground shortly after the seed capsules have ripened.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests.

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#white flowers#pink flowers#nectar plant#small mammals#specialized bees#NC native#spring interest#pollinator plant#native wildflower#food source spring#food source nectar#food source pollen#Piedmont Mountains FACU#Coastal FACU#partial shade tolerant#bee friendly#Audubon#woodland garden
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#white flowers#pink flowers#nectar plant#small mammals#specialized bees#NC native#spring interest#pollinator plant#native wildflower#food source spring#food source nectar#food source pollen#Piedmont Mountains FACU#Coastal FACU#partial shade tolerant#bee friendly#Audubon#woodland garden
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Claytonia
    Species:
    caroliniana
    Family:
    Montiaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Eastern Canada south to North Central and Eastern United States.
    Distribution:
    Eastern Canada south to Georgia and west to the Mississippi.
    Wildlife Value:
    Members of the genus Claytonia support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Ptilandrena) erigeniae. Chipmunks and mice will eat the corms.
    Edibility:
    The tuberous roots can be eaten like potatoes.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Prostrate
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Spring
    Fruit Description:
    Fruit displays from April to June.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Star
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    A loose cluster of 5-petaled white to pale pink flowers with deeper pink veins are 1/2 inch across are borne on the upper part of the stem. The lower flower opens first. Flowers bloom from March to May.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Smooth
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Two narrowly egg-shaped to elliptic leaves are 1 1/2 to 3 inches long and 1/4 to 1 inch wide occurs halfway up the slender stem. Leaves are much wider than C. virginica.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Slender stem bearing leaf pairs and a loose cluster of pink or white flowers.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Walkways
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Specialized Bees