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Indian physic Gillenia stipulata

Other plants called Indian physic:

Previously known as:

  • Porteranthus stipulatus
Phonetic Spelling
gil-LEN-ee-uh stip-yoo-LAY-tuh
Description

 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:
Tags:
#white flowers#native perennials#low maintenance#fall interest#NC native#naturalizes#pollinator plant#naturalized area#flowers late spring#flowers early summer#food source nectar#food source pollen#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#fall color red#butterfly friendly#fall color bronze#partial shade tolerant#Audubon#woodland
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#white flowers#native perennials#low maintenance#fall interest#NC native#naturalizes#pollinator plant#naturalized area#flowers late spring#flowers early summer#food source nectar#food source pollen#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#fall color red#butterfly friendly#fall color bronze#partial shade tolerant#Audubon#woodland
  • 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.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Habit/Form:
    Mounding
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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