SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!
Claytonia virginica

Spring Beauty

$3.00

Packet
$3.00

Bare Root Plants
Out of Stock

When the snow starts to melt and early spring wildflowers begin to emerge, the beauty of the spring is all around us.  What better wildflower to enjoy at this time than Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)!  The early flowering of this small woodland plant is great for pollinators including honey bees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, mason bees, cuckoo bees, Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees. Because Spring Beauty can survive in more degraded habitats compared to most spring-blooming woodland species, it is still relatively common to see wild populations throughout the Midwestern and Eastern US.  The flower color is pale pink from a distance but a close look reveals five white petals striped with pink.

*This species may be difficult and/or slow to germinate and grow to maturity.  Please note the germination code. Seed of this species is kept under refrigeration (33-38 F) in our warehouse. The days in transit to you in colder or warmer conditions won’t harm the seed, but it should be put back in refrigeration until you are ready to plant or apply pre-sowing treatment.

Live Plant Shipping Table

Spring Summer Fall Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots
N/A August October 2-3 years

Claytonia virginica - Spring Beauty

Map Key

Present in state
Present but introduced in county
Present and native in county; not rare
Not present in state
Present and native in county; rare
Species extirpated (historic)
State or county listed as noxious
Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

3 Questions asked on Claytonia virginica

Hi, Can you tell me how well Claytonia virginica germinates from seed, and how long it takes from putting down seed to getting flowers. Thanks very much.
Thanks for writing, Rick. Like most woodland plants, Spring Beauty is a very conservative grower from seed. Its bloom time finishes in summer, so the seeds reach the soil then and seem to require over-wintering for two seasons before they will sprout. This can also be achieved with artificial cycles of cold/moist then warm and cold/moist again. Like most perennials, new plants will put more energy into root development than above-ground growth in the first season. Blossoms likely will appear in the second and subsequent seasons. We’ve found that fresh seed performs better, so we keep Claytonia virginica seed refrigerated.
Hi, I was wondering, will spring beauty die back in the summer, thanks
Hi Chuck. Yes, it is a true ephemeral so it will totally disappear by summer but will emerge next spring.
Hello there-- for sowing Claytonia Virginica would you sow in early Autumn (like now) for blooms next Spring? The germination has me confused! I read the answer to Rick Meader's question that says it requires "overwintering for two seasons" . Does that mean Fall then Winter for Spring blooms? OR does it mean 1 full year and then blooms the second? I am thinking of sowing the seeds both in pots and directly into the gardens under maples. ALSO does Claytonia Virginica tolerate Black Walnut trees? Many thanks for all your help!
Hi Melanie. Ephemeral species are tricky. Germ Code E means the seeds must experience a warm season plus a cold, moist season in order to germinate. So a fall 2022 sowing (we recommend between Halloween and Thanksgiving) will lie dormant for spring/summer 2023 and winter 2023 before the seed germinates in the spring of 2024. You could also sow the Spring Beauty seeds in spring of 2023 for germination in spring of 2024. Spring Beauty and many other ephemeral species WILL grow under Black Walnut trees!

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Seeds/Packet
75
Seeds/Ounce
20,000
Germination Code
E
L
Life Cycle
Perennial, Ephemeral
Sun Exposure
Shade
Soil Moisture
Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium
Height
5 inches
Bloom Time
April, May, June
Bloom Color
Pink
Advantages
Highly recommended for home landscaping
USDA Zones
3-9
Plant Spacing
4-6"
Catalog Code
CLA02F