Indian physic Gillenia stipulata
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Indian physic:
Previously known as:
- Porteranthus stipulatus
- Phonetic Spelling
- gil-LEN-ee-uh stip-yoo-LAY-tuh
- Description
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American Ipecac is a native herbaceous perennial in the rose family. It is found naturally in dry forests growing over acidic to circumneutral soils derived from rocks such as diabase or greenstone. It spreads by rhizomes. The star-shaped white flowers are rarely pink-tinged and appear above the foliage May-June. The fall color is yellow to red. In NC it is rare in the Piedmont and considered threatened. This is an appropriate plant for the home garden.
American Ipecac will grow in well-drained clay-loam to rocky soils in full sun to partial shade. In hot summer areas, it will appreciate some afternoon shade. Once established it is drought tolerant. Use in the pollinator/ native garden border, edge of a woodland area or in a rock garden.
- 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:
- Gillenia
- Species:
- stipulata
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and eastern U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NY , OH , OK , PA , TN , TX , VA , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts native bees and butterflies
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2 inch 3-angled oval follicles with slender beaks in July-October. Eventually split to expel seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1" star-shaped white flowers appear either solitary or in small cymes of 2-5 blooms. They have 5 pointed petals and 10-20 stamens with dark brown anthers in the center. Blooms in May-June
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Pinnatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Early spring leaves are trifoliate-pinnatifid and sessile (stemless). There are 3 leaflets with irregularly lobed margins. The later leaves are trifoliate and sessile with 3 leafless that are linear-lanceolate with toothed margins and 2-3.5 inches long. Each leaf has two unusually large stipules at the leaf base giving the impression of five rather than three leaflets. Yellow to red fall color.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are light green to brownish red, terete, and hairless to hairy
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heat
