Aplectrum hyemale: Country Or Region Of Origin
E. Canada to E. Central & E. U.S.A
Plant Profile: Aplectrum hyemale
Taxonomy: Aplectrum hyemaleNames
Adam and Eve, Puttyroot
Phonetic Spelling:a-PLEK-trum hy-EH-may-lee
Genus:Aplectrum
Species:hyemale
Family:Orchidaceae
Puttyroot propagates beneath the surface by developing its tubers, leading to the formation of extensive colonies. This plant thrives in areas with partial shade or filtered sunlight. Its leaves emerge in late November and remain until March, characterized by distinctive pin-striped patterns featuring alternating silvery-white and green stripes. By late May or early June, a flower stalk rises, adorned with several small flowers, each measuring just a few millimeters in diameter.
Aplectrum hyemale Feature Summary
Aplectrum hyemale Image Gallery
Tags
#fall color
#showy leaves
#tuberous
#NC native
#summer flowers
#native garden
#small flowers
#wildflower garden
Similar Plants
Aplectrum hyemale is often confused with:
Aplectrum hyemale Feature Summary
Attributes
E. Canada to E. Central & E. U.S.A
Found from Oklahoma to the Carolinas
non-edible
Perennial
Flowers
This plant has a loose cluster of 8 to 20 greenish-purple (sometimes yellow or white with purple tinge) flowers with two lips on 1- to 2-foot slender, leafless stalk. The lower lip is white with purple spots (a small lobe on each side and wavy in front). In late May or early June, the flower stalk emerges carrying several flowers, each only a few millimeters across.
Purple/Lavender
White
Gold/Yellow
Green
Summer
Lipped
< 1 inch
Leaves
This plant has single, oval, basal leaves with white veins that appear in fall and disappear after flowering. They are 4 to 6 in. long. The leaves appear in late November and persist until March. They are uniquely pin-striped, with parallel alternating silvery-white and green stripes.
Deciduous
Green
White
Simple
Ovate
3-6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Deciduous
Erect
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Occasionally Wet
Frequent Standing Water
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Stem
Green
Landscape
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Native Garden
Water Garden
Fairy Garden
Accent
Specimen
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Slope/Bank
Coastal
Riparian
Aplectrum hyemale Image Gallery
Aplectrum hyemale Attributes
Aplectrum hyemale: Distribution
Found from Oklahoma to the Carolinas
Aplectrum hyemale: Edibility
non-edible
Aplectrum hyemale: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Aplectrum hyemale Flowers
Aplectrum hyemale: Flower Description
This plant has a loose cluster of 8 to 20 greenish-purple (sometimes yellow or white with purple tinge) flowers with two lips on 1- to 2-foot slender, leafless stalk. The lower lip is white with purple spots (a small lobe on each side and wavy in front). In late May or early June, the flower stalk emerges carrying several flowers, each only a few millimeters across.
Aplectrum hyemale: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Purple/Lavender
White
Aplectrum hyemale: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Aplectrum hyemale: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Aplectrum hyemale: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Aplectrum hyemale Leaves
Aplectrum hyemale: Leaf Description
This plant has single, oval, basal leaves with white veins that appear in fall and disappear after flowering. They are 4 to 6 in. long. The leaves appear in late November and persist until March. They are uniquely pin-striped, with parallel alternating silvery-white and green stripes.
Aplectrum hyemale: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Aplectrum hyemale: Leaf Color
Green
White
Aplectrum hyemale: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Aplectrum hyemale: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Aplectrum hyemale: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Aplectrum hyemale: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Aplectrum hyemale: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Aplectrum hyemale Whole Plant Traits
Aplectrum hyemale: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Aplectrum hyemale: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Aplectrum hyemale: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Aplectrum hyemale Cultural Conditions
Aplectrum hyemale: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Aplectrum hyemale: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Aplectrum hyemale: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Aplectrum hyemale: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Aplectrum hyemale: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Aplectrum hyemale Stem
Aplectrum hyemale: Stem Color
Green
Aplectrum hyemale: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Aplectrum hyemale Landscape
Aplectrum hyemale: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Aplectrum hyemale: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Aplectrum hyemale: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
