Spring beauty has delicate white to pink flowers with darker pink striped petals balanced on thin red stems. The green buds droop until the flowers open upright. These harbingers of spring are easily identified by the flowers and the two strappy leaves on each stem. One of the most abundant spring wildflowers in the woods at The Morton Arboretum.
This species is native to the Chicago Region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research.
- Family (English) Purslane
- Family (botanic) Portulacaceae
- Tree or plant type Perennial
- Native locale Chicago area
- Size range Low-growing plant (under 6 inches), Small plant (6-12 inches)
- Light exposure Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Full shade (4 hrs or less of light daily)
- Hardiness zones Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7
- Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
- Tolerances Wet sites
- Season of interest mid spring, late spring
- Flower color and fragrance Pink, White
- Shape or form Open
- Growth rate Fast
