Claytonia spp.
spring beauties
Overview
Claytonia spp. is a genus of about 25 species of small, fleshy annual and perennial herbs in the family Montiaceae, found in North America and northeastern Asia. Perennial species such as C. virginica grow from a rounded underground corm and appear as spring ephemerals, emerging, flowering, and dying back within a few weeks before the tree canopy closes overhead. Plants are low, 2 to 12 inches (5 to 30 cm) tall and 3 to 10 inches (8 to 25 cm) wide, with a few narrow to spoon-shaped, somewhat succulent leaves. The five-petaled flowers are 0.3 to 0.8 inch (8 to 20 mm) across, white to pink, and marked with darker pink veins that act as nectar guides. C. perfoliata, miner's lettuce, is an annual whose round, cupped leaves and mild flavor make it a foraged and cultivated salad green. Flowering occurs in early spring, with corm-forming species disappearing entirely by early summer. Plants grow in moist, humus-rich woodland and streamside soils and decline in hot, dry, or compacted ground. The brief growth period makes the perennial species easy to overlook for much of the year.
Native Range
Claytonia spp. occurs across temperate North America, from Canada and the eastern deciduous forests to the mountains and coast of western North America, with several species extending into northeastern Asia. C. virginica is widespread in the woodlands of the eastern United States.Suggested Uses
Claytonia spp. is used in woodland and shade gardens, native plantings, and naturalized lawns, where spring beauties form spreading colonies before summer. C. perfoliata is grown in vegetable gardens and cold frames as a salad green. The early dormancy of the perennial species leaves gaps that are filled with later-emerging plants.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 1'
Width/Spread3" - 10"
Bloom Information
Claytonia spp. blooms in early to mid-spring, mainly from March through May, often among the first wildflowers to open in eastern woodlands. Each flower lasts a few days, opening in sun and closing at night and in dull weather. The whole bloom period spans three to four weeks before the plants set seed and die back.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white to pink with darker pink veinsFoliage Description
green, fleshyGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight