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Clintonia borealis

bluebead lily

Liliaceae Northeastern North America

Attracts Pollinators

Native to North America

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 2–7

Overview

Clintonia borealis is a rhizomatous woodland perennial 6-16 inches (15-40 cm) tall, spreading slowly into colonies by underground stems. Each plant carries two to five basal leaves that are oblong to elliptic, 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) long, glossy dark green, and fringed with short hairs, tapering to a sheathing base. A leafless flowering stalk rises above the foliage in late spring, topped by a loose umbel of three to eight nodding, bell-shaped flowers in greenish to pale yellow, each about 0.6-0.8 inch (15-20 mm) long with six tepals. By late summer the flowers give way to round, porcelain-blue berries roughly 0.3 inch (8 mm) across, held upright on the old flower stalk. The blue fruits are not edible and can cause stomach upset if eaten. C. borealis grows in cool, moist, acidic conifer and mixed forests, often alongside mosses and ferns. It is slow to establish from seed, taking several years to flower, and declines in hot, dry, or limy conditions.

Native Range

Clintonia borealis is native to northeastern North America, from Manitoba and the Great Lakes east to Newfoundland and south through New England and along the Appalachians to Georgia. It grows in cool boreal and montane forests on moist, acidic, humus-rich soils.

Suggested Uses

Planted in shaded woodland and native plant gardens, along the north side of buildings, and in moist acidic borders under conifers. It is used as a slow-spreading ground cover beneath trees and shrubs. The blue late-summer berries suit naturalistic shade plantings.

How to Identify

Look for a rosette of two to five glossy, oblong basal leaves 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) long and a leafless stalk bearing nodding greenish-yellow bell flowers in late spring. By late summer the round, bright blue berries on upright stalks are the clearest identifier among blue-fruited woodland plants. The parallel-veined leaves and rhizomatous colonies separate it from trilliums and false lily-of-the-valley growing nearby.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6" - 1'4"

Width/Spread8" - 1'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

green

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in May and June, soon after the leaves expand. Each stalk opens three to eight nodding bells over a week or two. Blue berries follow, ripening from green through late summer and persisting into autumn after the foliage fades.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

glossy dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 4 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.0(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

4-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Clintonia borealis in partial to full shade in cool, consistently moist, acidic soil rich in leaf mould, at pH 4.5 to 6.0. It is hardy through USDA zones 2 to 7 and needs the steady moisture and humidity of a woodland floor. Mulch with leaf litter or pine needles to keep the roots cool and the surface acidic. Plants spread slowly by rhizome and rarely need division. Establishment from seed is slow, often four or more years to first bloom, so nursery-grown divisions settle faster. It performs poorly in heat, drought, or alkaline soil.

Pruning

No pruning is needed. Remove spent flower stalks only if self-seeding is unwanted, though leaving the blue berries extends seasonal interest. Tattered leaves can be cleared as they die back in autumn.