If I were making a list of flowers with quaint and appealing common names, I would surely head it with that of the little Woodland Claytonia, “good morning, spring!”
Although it has another common name, “spring beauty,” by which it is more widely known, “good morning, spring!” is as appropriate as it is appealing; for a while, there are earlier flowers to herald her approach, spring is here when the claytonia lifts its face to greet her.
Those of us to whom one of the most precious uses of a garden is the bringing back of memories cherish this little wildling among our cultivated flowers.
Growing Woodland Claytonias
While we cherish it in one sense of the word, it is not a flower that needs meticulous care, for it is quickly grown, as might be guessed from being a member of the Portulaca family.
Yet it is not a flower that can be grown any which way, for it does need a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil and partial shade. Given these, it will usually fend for itself.
It is suited to rock gardens and makes a charming border with white violets for taller spring-blooming flowers; or, if you wish to naturalize it, it may be grown in open woods or along the banks of streams.
It can be propagated from seed, sown on the ground, lightly covered with leaves, and easily transplanted. Conns can be pulled apart after the leaves died and replanted about 2” or 3” inches deep.
Claytonia Varieties
It is growing wild over most of the eastern part of North America. The kings most often cultivated are C. Virginia, with narrow lance-shaped leaves: and C. caroliniana, which has broader leaves.
They usually grow about 4” to 6” inches high. The open, five-petalled flowers are white or rose, white flushed or veined with pink, or pink feigned with a deeper pink.
44659 by Kay Corbin