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Montia spp.

Montiaceae

Cool temperate regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 4–8

Overview

Montia spp. is a genus of roughly 15 small annual and perennial herbs in the family Montiaceae, found in cool, moist habitats across the temperate Northern and Southern Hemispheres, including North America, Eurasia, and Australasia. Plants are low and often somewhat fleshy, ranging from sprawling annuals a few inches tall to small tufted perennials, generally 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) high. The leaves are smooth, narrow to spoon-shaped, and slightly succulent, suited to the damp ground the genus occupies. Small white to pale-pink flowers with five petals open in loose clusters in spring and summer, each bloom under 0.3 inch (8 mm) across. Montia fontana, blinks, is a widespread annual of springs, seeps, and wet flushes. Most species need reliably moist or wet soil and decline quickly where the ground dries, which limits their use to bog, streamside, and cool moist plantings.

Native Range

Montia spp. grows in cool, moist places across much of the temperate world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and the Southern Hemisphere. Habitats include springs, seeps, wet meadows, streambanks, and damp rock ledges.

Suggested Uses

Used at pond and stream margins, in bog gardens, and in damp rock and seep plantings that stay moist. Some species function as small filler plants in cool, wet ground. The miner''s-lettuce relatives are sometimes grown for edible, tender leaves.

How to Identify

Recognized by small, low herbs with smooth, slightly fleshy, narrow to spoon-shaped leaves and small five-petaled white to pink flowers in loose sprays. Plants grow in wet ground and often have a soft, almost translucent look. The succulent leaves and wet-habitat preference separate Montia spp. from many similar small herbs of dry ground.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2" - 8"

Width/Spread2" - 8"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering occurs mainly in spring and early summer, roughly March to July, with annual species blooming quickly after germination in the wet season. In cool, moist climates flowering can extend longer. Seed ripens soon after bloom in the short-lived species.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to pale pink

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 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 Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1 year

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in consistently moist to wet, humus-rich soil in part shade to full sun where summers stay cool. The genus depends on steady moisture and declines where the soil dries, making bog edges, seeps, and streamsides suitable settings. Annual species reseed readily and reappear from year to year in damp ground. Cool conditions favor steady growth, while heat and drought end the season quickly. Propagation is by seed sown on moist soil or by division of perennial clumps. Few species persist in ordinary, free-draining borders.