Fairy Spud Claytonia caroliniana
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Fairy Spud:
- Phonetic Spelling
- klay-TOH-nee-uh kair-oh-lin-ee-AN-uh
- Description
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Carolina Spring Beauty is a native wildflower and spring ephemeral. Spring ephemerals quickly bloom and seed before the canopy trees overhead leaf out. They then die down to the ground after the seed capsule matures. It is found in rich woods in partial shade and moist soil and is native to NC mountains.
The pink to white flowers have 5 petals with darker lines giving it a striped appearance. The plant grows from corms and is 6-12 inches tall with an erect to sprawling growth pattern. The tubers are edible like a potato.
It is generally difficult to find for sale.
- 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:
- Claytonia
- Species:
- caroliniana
- Family:
- Montiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada to North Central & Eastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AR, CT, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV, GS
- 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.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Prostrate
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit displays from April to June.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Description:
- A loose cluster of 5-petaled white to pale pink flowers with deeper pink veins are 0.5 in. across. The lower flower opens first. Flowers bloom from March to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 2 Narrowly egg-shaped to elliptic leaves are 1.5-3 in. long and 0.25-1 in. wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Specialized Bees
