Overview
Claytonia rubra is a small annual herb in the purslane family, closely related to miner's lettuce. It forms a low rosette of fleshy, spoon-shaped basal leaves 0.4–1.5 inches (1–4 cm) long, often flushed reddish or bronze, especially in sun or dry conditions. Flowering stems 1–6 inches (2.5–15 cm) tall carry a pair of fused, disk-like stem leaves below a small cluster of flowers. Each flower is about 0.2 inch (5 mm) across with five white to pale pink petals. The plant germinates in autumn or late winter, flowers in spring, and dies as soils dry in early summer. It grows in dry to moist, often shaded ground under shrubs and trees, on rocky slopes, and in disturbed soil across western North America, from low elevations into the mountains. The leaves are edible and have been gathered like those of related miner's lettuce. Because it is a cool-season annual, it disappears entirely during summer and regrows from seed the following season. It does not persist through hot, dry summer conditions and depends on open or lightly shaded ground for reseeding.
Native Range
Claytonia rubra is native to western North America, from British Columbia south through the western United States and east into the Rocky Mountain region.Suggested Uses
It is used in woodland and native plant gardens, as a cool-season groundcover, and as an edible wild green. It grows in shaded, seasonally moist areas where summer growth is not expected.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1" - 6"
Width/Spread2" - 6"
Bloom Information
Small white to pale pink flowers open from March to May. Bloom timing shifts later at higher elevations. The plant sets seed quickly and withers by early summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white to pale pinkFoliage Description
green flushed red to bronzeGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 3-6 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
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Claytonia rubra is a cool-season annual that grows in partial shade to full sun on moist, well-drained soils during the wet season. It germinates with autumn or winter moisture and needs no supplemental water in its native range. It self-sows where soil is left undisturbed and lightly shaded. It completes its cycle in a single season and dies back as soils dry in summer. It does not tolerate hot, dry, or compacted conditions during active growth.Pruning
No pruning is needed. As an annual, the plant dies after flowering and seed set. Leaving plants in place allows self-seeding for the following season.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons
✓ Toxicity
Non-toxicPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Direct Sow Timing
fall