• Photo of Clintonia borealis (Clintonia borealiss)

Plant Profile: Clintonia borealis

Taxonomy: Clintonia borealis

Names

Blue Bead, Bluebead Lily, Bluebead-lily, Clintonia, Clinton's Lily, Corn Lily, Corn-lily, Yellow Bluebead Lily

  • Photo of Clintonia borealis (Clintonia borealiss)

Phonetic Spelling:klin-TOH-nee-ah bore-ee-AL-is

Genus:Clintonia

Species:borealis

Family:Liliaceae

This plant thrives in damp, cool woodlands, favoring the ground cover of spruce-fir forests or the open slopes of mountains. It typically inhabits elevated forests or untouched natural environments. It flourishes in shaded areas with deep, cool, and nutrient-rich soils. However, its growth may suffer if temperatures exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Propagation can be achieved by dividing its underground runners or by sowing seeds.

In terms of pests and diseases, slugs and snails pose potential threats to its health.

Clintonia borealis Feature Summary

Clintonia borealis Image Gallery

Tags

#yellow
#poisonous
#wildlife plant
#food source
#NC native
#glossy leaves
#blue fruits
#bears
#forests
#edible leaves
#wildflower garden
#leathery leaves
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats

Similar Plants

Clintonia borealis Feature Summary

Attributes
Songbirds and chipmunks eat the berries.
Young leaves are chopped and added to salads, or boiled for 10 minutes and served with butter and seasonings. Sour flavor.
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
The fruit is a bright, light to dark blue berry that is poisonous.
Black
Blue
Flowers
This plant has small umbels of 4-8 yellow to greenish-yellow, bell-like flowers that nod on a leafless stalk. It is 6-parted, has three petals and three sepals, and flowers in a terminal cluster.
Gold/Yellow
Green
Spring
Summer
2-3 rays/petals
Leaves
Two to five basal, shiny, bright green, oblong leaves and 3-5 strap-like leaves. The leaves are 4-10 in. long, edible, somewhat leathery, and have hairy-fringed margins.
> 6 inches
Glossy
Leathery
Poisonous to Humans
This plant CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. No cases are known. Poisonous through ingestion. Poisonous parts are suspected to be the berries.
Unknown; suspected since related to toxic plants
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Poisonous
Wildflower
Ground Cover
Clumping
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Acid (<6.0)
Mountains
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Children

Clintonia borealis Attributes

Clintonia borealis: Country Or Region Of Origin

Canada, USA, NC

Clintonia borealis: Wildlife Value

Songbirds and chipmunks eat the berries.

Clintonia borealis: Edibility

Young leaves are chopped and added to salads, or boiled for 10 minutes and served with butter and seasonings. Sour flavor.

Clintonia borealis: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Clintonia borealis: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Clintonia borealis: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Clintonia borealis Fruit

Clintonia borealis: Fruit Description

The fruit is a bright, light to dark blue berry that is poisonous.

Clintonia borealis: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Clintonia borealis: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Blue

Clintonia borealis Flowers

Clintonia borealis: Flower Description

This plant has small umbels of 4-8 yellow to greenish-yellow, bell-like flowers that nod on a leafless stalk. It is 6-parted, has three petals and three sepals, and flowers in a terminal cluster.

Clintonia borealis: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
Green

Clintonia borealis: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Clintonia borealis: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Clintonia borealis: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Clintonia borealis: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Clintonia borealis: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Clintonia borealis Leaves

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Description

Two to five basal, shiny, bright green, oblong leaves and 3-5 strap-like leaves. The leaves are 4-10 in. long, edible, somewhat leathery, and have hairy-fringed margins.

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Clintonia borealis: 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

Clintonia borealis: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Clintonia borealis: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Clintonia borealis Poisonous to Humans

Clintonia borealis: Poison Symptoms

This plant CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. No cases are known. Poisonous through ingestion. Poisonous parts are suspected to be the berries.

Clintonia borealis: Poison Toxic Principle

Unknown; suspected since related to toxic plants

Clintonia borealis: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Clintonia borealis: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Clintonia borealis: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Clintonia borealis Whole Plant Traits

Clintonia borealis: 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

Clintonia borealis: 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

Clintonia borealis Cultural Conditions

Clintonia borealis: 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)

Clintonia borealis: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Clintonia borealis: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Clintonia borealis: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Clintonia borealis: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Clintonia borealis Stem

Clintonia borealis: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Clintonia borealis Landscape

Clintonia borealis: 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

Clintonia borealis: 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

Clintonia borealis: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Clintonia borealis: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy