• Photo of Rhexia lutea (Rhexia luteas)

Plant Profile: Rhexia lutea

Taxonomy: Rhexia lutea

Names

Golden Meadow-beauty, Yellow Meadowbeauty

  • Photo of Rhexia lutea (Rhexia luteas)

Phonetic Spelling:REKS-ee-uh LOO-tee-uh

Genus:Rhexia

Species:lutea

Family:Melastomataceae

Yellow Meadowbeauty is a native perennial wildflower known for its vibrant yellow flowers. This species thrives in coastal regions and plains, extending from North Carolina down to Florida and westward to Texas. The striking yellow blooms typically appear in the spring and early summer. This plant prefers consistently moist to wet environments, making it suitable for bog gardens or for naturalizing in wetland areas. However, it may be challenging to locate for purchase.

**Habitat:** Wet pine flatwoods, savannas, seepage slopes, and bogs.

Rhexia lutea Feature Summary

Rhexia lutea Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#water garden
#yellow flowers
#native perennial
#wetlands
#bumblebees
#NC native
#native wildflower
#food source summer
#food source pollen
#Coastal FACW
#Piedmont Mountains FACW
#bog gardens
#audubon

Similar Plants

Rhexia lutea Feature Summary

Attributes
Fruit
Upright urn-shaped fruit displays from June to September.
Flowers
4 yellow petals almost rounded 1" across with straight stamens appear April-July. Other members of this family have curved stamens.
Gold/Yellow
Spring
Summer
4-5 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
Up to 2" long 1/4" wide linear to oblong green leaves with hairs, slightly dentate margins and stemless. Deep center veins and pointed tips.
Linear
Oblong
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
4 sided main stem covered with bristles
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Native Garden
Water Garden
Naturalized Area
Pond

Rhexia lutea Attributes

Rhexia lutea: Country Or Region Of Origin

Southeastern and central U.S.A.

Rhexia lutea: Distribution

Yellow Meadowbeauty

Rhexia lutea: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Heat tolerant.

Rhexia lutea: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Rhexia lutea Fruit

Rhexia lutea: Fruit Description

Upright urn-shaped fruit displays from June to September.

Rhexia lutea: Fruit Type

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

Rhexia lutea: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Rhexia lutea Flowers

Rhexia lutea: Flower Description

4 yellow petals almost rounded 1" across with straight stamens appear April-July. Other members of this family have curved stamens.

Rhexia lutea: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Rhexia lutea: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Rhexia lutea: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Rhexia lutea: 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

Rhexia lutea: Flower Shape

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

Rhexia lutea: Flower Size

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

Rhexia lutea Leaves

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Description

Up to 2" long 1/4" wide linear to oblong green leaves with hairs, slightly dentate margins and stemless. Deep center veins and pointed tips.

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Type

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

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Rhexia lutea: 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

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Rhexia lutea: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Length

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

Rhexia lutea: Leaf Width

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

Rhexia lutea Stem

Rhexia lutea: Stem Description

4 sided main stem covered with bristles

Rhexia lutea: Stem Color

grass
Green

Rhexia lutea: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Rhexia lutea: Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Rhexia lutea: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Rhexia lutea Whole Plant Traits

Rhexia lutea: 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

Rhexia lutea: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Rhexia lutea Cultural Conditions

Rhexia lutea: 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)

Rhexia lutea: Soil pH

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

Rhexia lutea: Soil Drainage

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

Rhexia lutea: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Rhexia lutea: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Rhexia lutea: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Rhexia lutea Landscape

Rhexia lutea: 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

Rhexia lutea: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Rhexia lutea: 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

Rhexia lutea: Attracts

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