Blooms from Feb-May in open woods, suburban lawns, valleys and fields. The delicate, starry, 5-petalled pinkish-white flowers have pink veins and stamens. The flowers are loose, open clusters, and open about 5″ above fleshy dark green, narrow, lance-shaped basal leaves. Will naturalize and form colonies over time from seed, giving a soft, carpet-like effect. Entire plant goes dormant soon after it blooms. If planted in a lawn, let the leaves go dormant before mowing. Roots are small rounded corms that taste like water chestnuts.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
Spring Beauty
Claytonia virginica
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennials
Native Environment: Forest
Season of Interest: Early (Feb - Apr), Mid (May - June)
Main Color: White
Fall Color:
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data
Sun Exposure
Medium Sun/Average Shade, Shade
Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate, High, Wet
Nature Attracting
Wildlife Benefit
Butterfly / Moth Nectar
Animal
Resistance
Size
Height:
5 to
10
inches
Spread:
3 to
4
inches
Size
Height: 5 to
10
inches
Spread: 3 to
4
inches
Size
Height: 5 to
10
inches
Spread: 3 to
4
inches
Typical Landscape Use
Great natural groundcover for early spring interest.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Will grow in shade to partial shade, dry to moderate soil moisture. Plants go dormant by summer.
Special Features
Special Usage
Ground Cover
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.
What’s the Next Step?
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Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.