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Plant of the Month - April 2007
Spring Beauty
(Claytonia virginica)
Purslane Family
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Spring Beauty is one of the earliest flowers to appear in our Northside woods. In Buttercup Valley,
its slender leaves were observed here and there above the litter of last year’s leaves as early as February 7,
shortly after the snow cover melted and it was first observed blooming on March 25. Spring Beauty is one of
the most common and widely distributed spring ephemeral wildflowers in our area. The elemental simplicity
of the name “Spring Beauty” is matched by the elemental simplicity of its grass-like leaves and five oval
petals. The flower is one half inch across and can be pink or white with darker pink veins on the petals.
It has five dark pink stamens and one pistil with a three cleft style. .
Spring Beauty is a member of the purslane family. Common purslane is a weedy species whose smooth fleshly
leaves and reddish stems are a common sight in gardens and along the joints of curbs and sidewalks in
July and August. The genus name, “Claytonia” honors John Clayton, an early collector of the native plants of Virginia.
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