• Photo of Rhexia mariana (Rhexia marianas)

Plant Profile: Rhexia mariana

Taxonomy: Rhexia mariana

Names

Maryland Meadow Beauty, Pale Meadow Beauty

  • Photo of Rhexia mariana (Rhexia marianas)

Phonetic Spelling:REX-ee-a mar-ee-AY-na

Genus:Rhexia

Species:mariana

Family:Melastomataceae

Maryland Meadow Beauty is a low-growing perennial belonging to the meadow beauty family. This plant thrives in the southeastern United States, typically found in environments such as savannas, meadows, marshes, and bogs. It favors moist, sandy-loam soils that are slightly acidic and enjoys full sun to partial shade, although it can also adapt to rocky, acidic soils and withstand seasonal flooding.

The flowering period extends from mid-summer to fall, lasting approximately one to two months, with bumblebees serving as its primary pollinators.

Consider incorporating this plant near ponds or streams, in water gardens, bogs, or other sandy, wet areas.

Rhexia mariana Feature Summary

Rhexia mariana Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#white
#water garden
#white flowers
#purple flowers
#pink flowers
#NC native
#summer flowers
#pond
#marshes
#prairies
#partial shade tolerant
#bog gardens
#meadows
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Rhexia mariana Feature Summary

Attributes
AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Perennial
Fruit
Seed pods are small and brown, resembling urns.
Flowers
The 2 inches wide, 4 petaled flowers are white, pink, purple, or pale pink and have long stamens with bright yellow curved anthers.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
4-5 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
The leaves are opposite and elliptic, lanceolate, or ovate, up to 3 inches long and 1.25 inches across. The leaves are 3-nerved with the surface nearly glabrous to hairy. They may take on a maroon coloring in the fall.
Elliptical
Ovate
Lanceolate
Entire
Serrate
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Green stem is glandular-hairy
Hairy (pubescent)
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)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Rain Garden
Water Garden
Woodland
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Pond

Rhexia mariana Attributes

Rhexia mariana: Country Or Region Of Origin

SE U.S.A., NC

Rhexia mariana: Distribution

AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV

Rhexia mariana: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Rhexia mariana: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Rhexia mariana Fruit

Rhexia mariana: Fruit Description

Seed pods are small and brown, resembling urns.

Rhexia mariana: Fruit Type

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

Rhexia mariana: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Rhexia mariana Flowers

Rhexia mariana: Flower Description

The 2 inches wide, 4 petaled flowers are white, pink, purple, or pale pink and have long stamens with bright yellow curved anthers.

Rhexia mariana: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Rhexia mariana: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Rhexia mariana: Flower Value To Gardener

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

Rhexia mariana: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Rhexia mariana: 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 mariana: Flower Shape

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

Rhexia mariana: Flower Size

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

Rhexia mariana Leaves

Rhexia mariana: Leaf Description

The leaves are opposite and elliptic, lanceolate, or ovate, up to 3 inches long and 1.25 inches across. The leaves are 3-nerved with the surface nearly glabrous to hairy. They may take on a maroon coloring in the fall.

Rhexia mariana: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Rhexia mariana: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Red/Burgundy

Rhexia mariana: Leaf Type

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

Rhexia mariana: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Rhexia mariana: 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 mariana: Leaf Margin

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

Rhexia mariana: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Rhexia mariana: Leaf Length

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

Rhexia mariana: Leaf Width

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

Rhexia mariana Stem

Rhexia mariana: Stem Description

Green stem is glandular-hairy

Rhexia mariana: Stem Color

grass
Green

Rhexia mariana: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Rhexia mariana: Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Rhexia mariana: Stem Surface

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

Rhexia mariana Cultural Conditions

Rhexia mariana: 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 mariana: Soil pH

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

Rhexia mariana: Soil Drainage

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

Rhexia mariana: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Rhexia mariana: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Rhexia mariana: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Rhexia mariana Landscape

Rhexia mariana: 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 mariana: 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 mariana: Attracts

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