Tennessee Starwort Stellaria corei
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Alsine tennesseensis
- Stellaria puubera var. sylvatica
- Stellaria sylvatica
- Stellaria tennesseensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- stell-AR-ee-AH kor-AYE
- Description
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Tennessee Starwort is a North Carolina native perennial that can be found in moderate to high elevation forests, particularly where the soil is rocky, as well as in bottom lands, slopes and pastures. It flowers in April through June, however, the plants begin to wither by late May into June. The fruits appear after flowering.
Tennessee Starwort has a spreading growth habit and spreads by rhizomes.
- 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:
- Stellaria
- Species:
- corei
- Family:
- Caryophyllaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Landscape
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- United States
- Distribution:
- AL, IN, KY, NC, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Host plant of the Pegomya flavifrons (fly). Birds are attracted to the seeds.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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:
- 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:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Displays from May to July. It will split open when ripe.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are symmetrical, meaning that there are at least two ways to evenly divide the flower, Its white flowers are deeply cleft, making its 5 petals appear to be 10 petals. It can bloom from April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The veined leaves are opposite, with two leaves per node running along the stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The erect stems are branched. Alternating lines of soft hairs originating from the glands.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
